Before starting this step bear in mind that this step is optional in case if you simply want to reinstall macOS without losing the data then you can skip this step and head over to the next step! When you execute the recovery mode the screen will be in the usual login scenario and you will see the windows utility of macOS.
- Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data Memory
- Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data Center
- Can You Reinstall Macos Without Losing Data
- Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data
- Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data Storage
- To perform a clean re-install in Catalina, once in Recovery Mode, you need to delete your Data volume, that’s the one named Macintosh HD - Data, or something similar if you’re using a custom name, and to erase your System volume. In Recovery Mode select the Macintosh HD - Data volume at the left of Disk Utility’s window then.
- A very small price to pay to be able to reinstall Mac OS without losing data at any time. How to recover any Mac files quickly You might not think about it right now, but it’s likely that at some points you’re going to lose some of your files.
- To factory reset your MacBook or iMac without losing data, you can first back up your Mac, then reset your Mac, and last recover your files from the backup. Each procedure is detailed below. Follow to see how to factory reset your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, etc. On macOS Catalina, Mojave, macOS High Sierra, or earlier operating systems with ease.
How to access and use the Internet Recovery mode on Mac computers?
Apple computers are well-known as stable devices with good performance and hardware specifications. The Mac operating system also includes various self-diagnosis and repair tools. Bear in mind, however, that these features might be susceptible to failure. When built-in tools or software-based solutions do not work, the last and most efficient solution is to reinstall the operating system. All modern Mac computers contain two separate methods to reinstall the operating system (by 'reinstall', we mean installation of a fresh OS X version). You can choose to install the operating system from a startup disk or via Internet Recovery.
In this article, we describe the second method: Internet Recovery to install the operating system version that came with the version of your computer. If your computer was released with OS X Mavericks, using Internet Recovery will install this particular version, while reinstallation from the recovery partition will result in a fresh version of the current operating system. Therefore, if you perform the reinstallation process via the Recovery utility, you will receive the same operating system version that existed prior to reinstallation. The Internet Recovery method is useful if you wish to downgrade the operating system. A big advantage of this method is the ability to bring back the computer to full functionality when software is corrupted. Note, however, that stable internet access is required to perform the reinstallation process via Internet Recovery. An unstable Internet connection can lead to the process crashing and no access to the computer. Therefore, you are advised to use an Ethernet network, rather than Wi-Fi. In this article, we walk through the entire Internet Recovery method.
Table of Contents:
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Requirements to access Internet Recovery Mode
Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data Memory
Ensure that the Mac meets the minimum requirements to access Internet Recovery mode. All compatible computers are listed below. Bear in mind that some earlier versions of Apple devices might also use this feature. Apple state that Firmware updates grant access to Internet Recovery mode. If your device is older than the machines listed below, check the Apple firmware updates list here.
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011)
- MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2011)
- iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)
- iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011)
- MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch and 17-inch, Mid 2010)
- iMac (21.5-inch and 27-inch, Mid 2010)
- MacBook Air (11-inch and 13-inch, Late 2010)
If you wish to reinstall the Mac operating system, your network must use DHCP and WPA/WPA security methods. All authentication methods listed below are incompatible with macOS installation via Internet Recovery. If your network uses one of the methods listed, change the setting to a compatible configuration (at least for the purpose of the installation process).
- WEP
- WPA-Enterprise
- Certificate-based authentication / 802.1x
- Proxies (where specific proxy servers must be configured in network preferences)
- Captive Wi-Fi networks (where you click an “Agree” button to access the Internet)
- PPPoE (where there is no router handling the PPPoE connection)
Reinstall operating system by using Internet Recovery mode
When you are sure that the Mac is able to access Internet Recovery mode, there is another important task before installing the fresh operating system version. After a successful reinstallation process, the computer will contain only the default software (which is delivered with macOS). All personal data and applications that you have manually applied to the hard disk will be erased. To protect your personal data, create a backup with Time Machine or similar software. Finally, when you are ready to reinstall the operating system, click the Apple logo in the menu bar at top of the screen and select Restart or Shut Down. Once the system starts booting and you hear the startup chime, hold down the combination of Command, Option (Alt), and R.
Keep holding these keys until the animated globe appears with the message below stating 'Starting Internet Recovery' and 'This may take a while'. Note: If you are using a Mac laptop, use the built-in keyboard to access Internet Recovery Mode, since keystrokes might not register properly on external keyboards.
Next, select the Wi-Fi network. If you are not using an Ethernet network, click the drop-down menu and select the desired network. You must confirm access to a Wi-Fi network by entering the password. Then press Return on the keyboard or click the checkmark symbol on the screen to continue.
After successful authentication to achieve the network connection, the Mac will begin to download a recovery system image from Apple's servers. You will see a progress bar monitoring the status of the download. Depending on your internet connection, this process may take some time. Ensure that the computer is connected to the power adapter.
When the image is downloaded, the OS Utilities window will pop-up, giving access to the usual features, such as Restore from Time Machine Backup, Reinstall OS X, Get help online, and Disk Utility. From this point, the process will be similar to the reinstallation via recovery partition. Detailed information about how to install the macOS can be found in this article.
Make your Mac invincible
Recently switched to macOS 11 Big Sur? This means you’re in for some huge enhancements and a completely redesigned look. It's fair to say Big Sur is not a perfect fit for everyone, though. Can you go back to previous macOS if that's the case? Sure. In this article, we describe how to downgrade from macOS 11 and continue using your previous macOS without any data loss.
Toolkit for safe macOS downgrade
Easily switch between macOS versions with Setapp. Get access to the apps that will keep your Mac invincible and your data protected.
Before you make a decision to uninstall Big Sur, check out some common macOS 11 problems and fixes. Maybe, the problem that is hampering your flow is on the list — and you can easily solve it. Also, if your Mac runs macOS Big Sur beta, you should know the public version available starting November 12 fixes most of the problems.
If you go like 'All right, thanks, just tell me how do I uninstall Big Sur from my Mac' — fair enough. The good news is it's easy to roll back macOS update. Follow the guide below.
How to downgrade from Big Sur step by step
Just to clarify the process a little bit, a downgrade from Big Sur covers five important steps — from backing up all the files you've acquired since upgrading, to restoring those on macOS Catalina. There are a few tools you'll need to use to downgrade safely: Primarily, a backup utility (Apple's native Time Machine or a more advanced third-party app like Get Backup Pro) and CleanMyMac X for keeping things tidy. Now when you're all set, let's get into it.
Best backup app for Mac
Before you roll back to the old macOS, create a secure backup of all your data with Get Backup Pro. So that there’s nothing to lose.
1. Backup your data (pretty please)
Even if you've just recently upgraded and haven’t managed to accumulate lots of data on macOS Big Sur, don’t skip this step. Downgrading means you erase everything from your hard drive. So whatever you’ve been working on since installing macOS 11 will be gone. Make sure you avoid the trouble and create a quick backup. You can do this with Time Machine, but we recommend Get Backup Pro for creating a bootable backup. This will give you an exact copy of your drive, with all saved settings — so that you can pick up where you left off.
Here’s how to back up data before you uninstall Big Sur: Fake gmail account creator.
Open Get Backup Pro from Setapp
Hit the plus button at the bottom to create a new backup
Name your backup project
Pick a backup destination and customize settings if necessary
Choose files, folders, and apps data you want to add to the backup
Hit Start.
It’s a good idea to use CleanMyMac X for a system cleanup before you create a backup. This way, you’ll avoid backing up unneeded files and duplicates, and therefore run a smooth and quick backup process. Plus, the app is generally a good tool to keep at your fingertips to remove any clutter. Believe me, your Mac has a lot of it. Here’s how CleanMyMac X works:
Open the app and hit Scan
Wait for CleanMyMac X to finish the scanning process
Hit Run if you want to remove all the junk, or Review if you want to select the files that should be deleted manually
That’s it! You’re all set for a clean backup.
2. Install macOS Catalina on a bootable drive
It might seem a bit counterintuitive, but you have to install macOS Catalina on an external drive before you erase Big Sur. This requires some Terminal work, which we’ll guide you through in a minute. Before that, make sure your Mac can boot from external media.
Allow booting from external media on new Macs
If you own a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or Mac mini with the T2 security chip (2018 models and newer), you might experience problems with booting files. To avoid this, you should allow booting from external media before you run downgrade to Catalina:
Restart your computer and boot in Recovery Mode (hold down Command + R once the Apple logo appears)
Access Utilities > Startup Security Utility
Enter your firmware password (note that this is the password you used to enable Startup Security Utility and it’s different from your admin and Apple ID credentials)
In External Boot, check the box next to “Allow booting from external media.”
Once you’re all set, it’s time to get Catalina back. First, download macOS Catalina from the Mac App Store, the usual way. While installers of the latest macOS versions are available only before the official release of the new one, you should do this as early as possible.
Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data Center
Then, install macOS Catalina on an external drive. Start with formatting the drive (you can skip this step if you have a formatted drive):
Get an external drive with minimum 12GB of free space
Connect it to your Mac via USB
Open Finder > Applications
Navigate to Utilities > Disk Utility
Click Erase next to your drive (make sure you name it if you have more than one)
Select APFS or macOS Extended format > Erase.
Install macOS Catalina on a formatted drive:
Open Finder > Applications
Launch Terminal from Utilities
Type the following command
sudo /Applications/Install macOS Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia--volume /Volumes/MyVolume
Note that “MyVolume” in the command above is the name of your drive, so you should change it accordingly.
Click Enter/Return
Confirm your action by entering the admin password > Y
Click Return
Once Terminal says “Done,” you can quit it and eject the hard drive.
3. Remove macOS 11 from hard drive
Now is the time for goodbye. Here’s how to downgrade from Big Sur to Catalina by removing macOS 11 from your hard drive:
Click on the Apple logo and select Restart from the menu
Hold down Command + R to reboot in Recovery mode
Open Disk Utility > Continue
Select your Startup Disk > Erase
Select APFS or macOS Extended format and confirm your action.
Can You Reinstall Macos Without Losing Data
4. Reinstall macOS Catalina on your Mac
Next thing, run a downgrade to Catalina by reinstalling it on Mac:
Make sure your Mac is connected to the internet
Connect your bootable external drive
Click on the Apple logo and select Restart from the menu
While your Mac restarts, hold down Option
Once the list of startup disk options appears, select the bootable drive with macOS Catalina installer
Hit Continue, agree to the licensing terms, and wait for macOS Catalina to reinstall.
5. Restore data from backup
Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data
The last step is to bring back all the data you’ve compiled since upgrading to Big Sur. Again, a backup is essential since it will help restore both your files and saved settings. You can restore everything with the same tool you’ve used previously to create a backup.
Here’s how to restore a Time Machine backup:
With your Mac connected to the internet, restart the system
Hold down Command + R to enter Recovery
Access Utilities > Restore from Time Machine Backup > Continue
Select the backup source > Continue
Select your backup > Continue
After Time Machine restores data from the backup, your Mac will reboot.
If you used Get Backup Pro for your backup, restoring data is even easier. All you have to do is launch the app, select your backup from the list, and hit Restore. Select a custom location for your files and once again click on the Restore button. That’s it. All your data and settings will be back on macOS Catalina in a minute.
That’s about it. Whenever you’re wondering how to go back to previous macOS, you can use the guide described above. All the instructions are pretty universal, except you should adjust the Terminal command when installing old macOS on a bootable drive.
In case your Mac is slowing down or else behaving strangely after the downgrade, we recommend to get iStat Menus for advanced system performance monitoring. This app will help you understand the source of the problem — whether it’s login items, network problems, or disk activity — and fix them accordingly.
iStat Menus is available on Setapp, along with the useful utilities like CleanMyMac X and Get Backup Pro. So you can use it all from one place for 7 days free. Hopefully, this toolkit will help you with how to downgrade macOS Big Sur, as well as keep your Mac in perfect shape, anytime.