Where does my AppleID take me?

[Ambrosia7177]

I have never really understood what your AppleID does and where it takes you...

In the past I have went to www.apple.com and bought a MacBook Pro and a case on different occasions. But how does that relate to the "Apple App Store", "iTunes" and so on?

Is all of that accessible from www.apple.com and with my existing AppleID?

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Your Apple ID is the account you use to access Apple services like the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and more. And you can sign in to all Apple services with a single Apple ID and password.

If you were logged in with your Apple ID when your purchased your Mac, they will be linked together, yes. One example: I use the Apple Store app on my iPhone for shopping. There, I am logged into my Apple ID, which has my Apple hardware linked to it, so certain products will be listed as compatible. For example, if I look at a Thunderbolt to Ethernet adaptor, it lists compatibility with my MacBook Air, and if I look at the mini display port to dual link DVI adaptor, it shows compatibility with both my MacBook Air and Mac Pro.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Your Apple ID is the account you use to access Apple services like the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and more. And you can sign in to all Apple services with a single Apple ID and password.

If you were logged in with your Apple ID when your purchased your Mac, they will be linked together, yes. One example: I use the Apple Store app on my iPhone for shopping. There, I am logged into my Apple ID, which has my Apple hardware linked to it, so certain products will be listed as compatible. For example, if I look at a Thunderbolt to Ethernet adaptor, it lists compatibility with my MacBook Air, and if I look at the mini display port to dual link DVI adaptor, it shows compatibility with both my MacBook Air and Mac Pro.

I created this thread because I want to download old version of OS-X and macOS. I read an article that said I could find old versions of OS's on the Apple Store or the App Store?

That confused me and I wasn't sure how to do all of that.

The only thing I know how to do is go to www.apple.com on my MacBook and buy things from that website - which technically doesn't require an Apple ID, but somewhere I created one I guess.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

You would find these in the Mac App Store. Click the Apple icon in the upper left of the menu bar then App Store.

Click purchased. If prompted, log in with your Apple ID. It will show you all Mac apps tied to your Apple ID, including copies of macOS from El Capitan (10.11) and below. You can download these and archive them or use them to create bootable USB copies of macOS, depending on the OS your Mac shipped with. (What this means is that you cannot download an earlier version of macOS than your Mac shipped with - if it's brand new and came with High Sierra, it won't allow you to download Lion, for example.)

Attached is how mine looks. Note: I was under the understanding that High Sierra and Sierra are not tied to your ID but HS currently shows on mine.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

You would find these in the Mac App Store. Click the Apple icon in the upper left of the menu bar then App Store.

Click purchased. If prompted, log in with your Apple ID. It will show you all Mac apps tied to your Apple ID, including copies of macOS from El Capitan (10.11) and below. You can download these and archive them or use them to create bootable USB copies of macOS, depending on the OS your Mac shipped with. (What this means is that you cannot download an earlier version of macOS than your Mac shipped with - if it's brand new and came with High Sierra, it won't allow you to download Lion, for example.)

Attached is how mine looks. Note: I was under the understanding that High Sierra and Sierra are not tied to your ID but HS currently shows on mine.

I own a MBP that came with Mountain Lion? (I'm typing on it now.)

I also own a Retina that came with Sierra.

I think I created my AppleID last summer related to my Retina.

So can I get copies of things like Maverick and El Capitan and so on, or not?

Again, I have an old MBP, but I don't think I have ever had an AppleID until last year.

All of this is confusing to me!

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Only if you previously used your Apple ID to download them via the Mac App Store, meaning:

Your Mac was running Mountain Lion and you updated to Mavericks, for example. The only way you can check this is by signing in to the Mac App Store as I mentioned and illustrated above.

You still haven't started using the retina, huh?

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Only if you previously used your Apple ID to download them via the Mac App Store, meaning:

Your Mac was running Mountain Lion and you updated to Mavericks, for example. The only way you can check this is by signing in to the Mac App Store as I mentioned and illustrated above.

Sorry, I am not following you.

I have one AppleID I created last summer after buying my Retina.

However, I don't believe it is connected in any way to my Retina, is it?

That is what I'm not getting.

You say that you can download newer version of macOS from what you bought from Apple (e.g. Mountain Lion --> Maverick), but how does that relate to an AppleID?

I didn't have an AppleID when I bought my MBP back in 2010.

So can I use my AppleID from 2016 and use that to download an OS that comes after Mountain Lion on my 2010 MBP?

You still haven't started using the retina, huh?

Nope. Too busy working on some projects!

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

It sounds like there is little, or nothing, tied to your Apple ID.

You said you wanted to download old copies of macOS via the App Store; I encourage you to sign in and check what, if anything, is listed under Purchases.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

It sounds like there is little, or nothing, tied to your Apple ID.

You said you wanted to download old copies of macOS via the App Store; I encourage you to sign in and check what, if anything, is listed under Purchases.

When I tried to follow your advice above I got stuck because I was clicking n the wrong . I was clicking on the on www.apple.com. I guess I was supposed to click on the in my Mac's menu bar, huh?

Anyway, I am running Mountain Lion on this old MBP, but when I go to > App Store > Purchased I see...

iMovie
OS X El Capitan


How is that possible??

If I go to > App Store > Updates I see...

High Sierra


I am confused!!

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Yes, that makes sense. At some point your Apple ID was associated with El Cap, while High Sierra is an available upgrade for your Mac.

If you want, you can Download El Cap and make a USB installer for it.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Yes, that makes sense. At some point your Apple ID was associated with El Cap, while High Sierra is an available upgrade for your Mac.

If you want, you can Download El Cap and make a USB installer for it.

Why can't I get another copy of Mountain Lion if that is what this MBP is running?

Just for reference, is there still a way to get Mountain Lion from Apple if I am running Mountain Lion currently?

Also, if I download El Capitan, then how do I get Sierra? (That is what I am really after.)

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Why can't I get another copy of Mountain Lion if that is what this MBP is running?

Just for reference, is there still a way to get Mountain Lion from Apple if I am running Mountain Lion currently?

Also, if I download El Capitan, then how do I get Sierra? (That is what I am really after.)

Sierra: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-sierra/id1127487414?mt=12
If this opens in your Mac App Store, click download, then you’ll have the copy in Applications. Be sure to quit the installer when it automatically launches.

If your Mac shipped with mountain lion, you can reinstall it using internet recovery, but the only way to get a copy linked to your Apple ID (in the App Store) is by buying it from the Apple online store.
[doublepost=1511063694][/doublepost]OS X Mountain Lion

https://store.apple.com/xc/product/D6377Z/A

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Sierra: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-sierra/id1127487414?mt=12
If this opens in your Mac App Store, click download, then you’ll have the copy in Applications. Be sure to quit the installer when it automatically launches.

If your Mac shipped with mountain lion, you can reinstall it using internet recovery, but the only way to get a copy linked to your Apple ID (in the App Store) is by buying it from the Apple online store.
[doublepost=1511063694][/doublepost]OS X Mountain Lion

https://store.apple.com/xc/product/D6377Z/A

Thank you for the links, Mr. Brightside!

When I tried looking in the App Store and on www.apple.com I couldn't find any links of information on OS's other than High Sierra. Apparently goes out of their way to hide things!

How did you know where to look to find things?

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

You must follow the link I provided. It should automatically open the Mac App Store on your computer.

Yes, it’s intentionally hidden otherwise.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

You must follow the link I provided. It should automatically open the Mac App Store on your computer.

Yes, it’s intentionally hidden otherwise.

Wow, someone who has keys to Apple's hidden empire!


How does downloading a copy of OS-X/macOS work? By that I mean, do you have to successfully do it all in one shot?

I ask because I am traveling for the Holidays, and would hate to start downloading somewhere away from home and get stuck with a broken download. For instance, if I tried to download it using wi-fi at a Barnes & Noble or library or hotel would that work?

Even at home, my Internet tends to drop connections depending on the weather and such, so would that break my download of Sierra?

Lastly, I have a lot of questions about trying to accomplish what I set out to do, o maybe another more aptly titled thread would make sense? Feel free to stop by!

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

The download will resume automatically if the connection is broken. I've paused downloads or had them stop before and had no issues (see the threads when a major version is released - many people have the download start/stop and can still install just fine).

I just double checked my link on my Mac, and it opened fine. You'll see:

though on your Mac it will say Download, not open. Once downloaded you will find in Applications:

From there, you can create a bootable USB installer, which I understand is your intention.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

The download will resume automatically if the connection is broken. I've paused downloads or had them stop before and had no issues (see the threads when a major version is released - many people have the download start/stop and can still install just fine).

I just double checked my link on my Mac, and it opened fine. You'll see:
View attachment 736952

though on your Mac it will say Download, not open. Once downloaded you will find in Applications:
View attachment 736953
From there, you can create a bootable USB installer, which I understand is your intention.

Do you think it is dangerous to download macOS using free wi-fi?

Can I download macOS using a VPN over free wi-fi?

The thought of burning up 5-6 GB of my data plan is not appealing to me! (Would rather use the library's or a hotel's data instead!)

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

No.

Of course.

Download at home?

 

[Ambrosia7177]

No.

Well I always read articles online saying that public wi-fi is dangerous, so I wasn't sure if it is a good idea to be downloading an entire OS at somewhere like Starbucks or the library or a hotel.

Of course.

Some websites block VPN traffic.

Download at home?

What is the question?

I am traveling due to Thanksgiving and a mini vacation, and was hoping to download Sierra while I'm away, but to do that I'd have to rely on accessing the Internet from my hotel or at a public library or a relatives place where I know there wi-fi probably isn't secure!

I could wait until I get back hoe, but then I'd have to wait a while, plus as I was saying, I don't want to eat up my own data plan downloading 5GB of data.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

If you have a VPN, you can attempt downloading it while away, otherwise, download it at home?

 

[MSastre]

You must follow the link I provided. It should automatically open the Mac App Store on your computer.

Yes, it’s intentionally hidden otherwise.

Would you happen to have a link for the El Capitan installer? I'd like to make a back-up installer for El Cap, even though I have cloned my hard drives that are using it. Thanks in advance.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

https://itunes.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?mt=12

 

[MSastre]

Big thanks!!

 

[Ambrosia7177]

https://itunes.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?mt=12

From my old MBP, if I download Mountain Lion, El Capitan, or Sierra, do I have to worry about them installing the minute the download finishes? In other words, do these OS downloads come with "auto-run" turned on?

When I have time, I will read up on all of the links in my other thread Making an OS Installer, but in the mean-time I don't want to screw up my one shot to get legitimate copies of old OS's from Apple!

Thanks for all of the help so far!

 

[MSastre]

The download does not automatically run the installer. After it downloads and shows up on your desktop, close the installer without running it. This will put the installer in your Applications folder for when you want to make your USB installer. I never allow any updates to run automatically on my machines.