Reverting back to MacOS Big Sur

Raymondd
New Contributor

Hello everyone!

 

I was wondering if there is any way to do a reinstall of MacOS Big Sur over Monterey via self service. One computer was updated to Monterey and time is a bit of a crunch. Or would the best way to be just boot to USB and then install that way.

 

I want to try to avoid losing data of course, but I am willing to update the client that it is possible that a wipe may be needed

 

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

ljcacioppo
Contributor III

The only way you would be able to install Big Sur on a machine that has already been upgraded to Monterey is by erasing it entirely.

View solution in original post

You can copy data off it obviously before you perform the wipe if you need to have it reverted back to the older OS, but not a path Apple makes easy in any way to "downgrade"

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4

ljcacioppo
Contributor III

The only way you would be able to install Big Sur on a machine that has already been upgraded to Monterey is by erasing it entirely.

I figured as much. Thank you for the quick reply. Just trying to see if there was a capability. Thank you!

 

You can copy data off it obviously before you perform the wipe if you need to have it reverted back to the older OS, but not a path Apple makes easy in any way to "downgrade"

AJPinto
Honored Contributor II

I really wish Apple would give an in place downgrade option. Microsoft sorted this out a decade ago, but I doubt Apple will ever give us an option aside of wipe and load to downgrade. I am sure Apple thinks we should be thankful they dont update something in the EFI to prevent downgrades.