'Can I still upgrade to El Capitan though the official update is outdated?' 'How do I upgrade to El Capitan? I'm using Yosemite, is there a way that can upgrade Yosemite to El Capitan?'
On this page, we collected the complete process of how to upgrade to Mac OX S El Capitain 10.11.6 without losing any data. Follow this guide, you can download and install Mac OS X 10.11.6 on your computer with ease:
- Check If Your Mac Is Available for El Capitan Update
- Prepare Mac Ready Before El Capitan Update
- Update Mac OS X to El Capitan (Download OS X 10.11.6)
- Bonus Tip: Restore lost data after El Capitan update (without backups)
Aug 25, 2019 That’s when we came up with a workaround to download OS X El Capitan via direct download instead of from the Mac App Store. Continuing the tradition this year too, we have created a separate page for maintaining all updates regarding macOS Sierra direct download. This update is recommended for all OS X El Capitan users. The OS X El Capitan v10.11.6 Update improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, and is recommended for all users. This update: Resolves an issue that may prevent settings from being saved in accounts with parental controls enabled.
Tips on this page also work to upgrade macOS Mojave, High Sierra to the latest macOS Big Sur. You may also interest in: update and install macOS.
What Is Mac OS X El Capitan
El Capitan, the last edition known as Mac OS X 10.11.6, is an operating system between Yosemite and macOS Sierra, released on July 18, 2015.
Here is a list of new features that Mac OS X 10.11.6 brings to most old Mac OS X users. And you may feel like downloading and installing the system on your Macs:
- Support multitask
- Better performance
- Better user experience
- Free download
So how to download or upgrade your Mac computer to El Capitan? Follow through the guides, any one of Mac users can make it.
1. Check If Your Mac Is Available for El Capitan Update
Before you take steps to update your present Mac OS X to El Capitan 10.11.6/10.11.2, check whether your Mac computer is available to download and install the new El Capitan. Check the below list and see whether your device or OS X can get the new update:
Supported Mac devices:
- iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, Early 2009, or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2007 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
- Xserve (Early 2009)
Available OS X for El Capitan:
- OS X Yosemite v10.10
- OS X Mavericks v10.9
- OS X Mountain Lion v10.8
- OS X Lion v10.7
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard v10.6.8
If your Mac OS X and devices are just right on the list, read on and follow tips to prepare your Mac OS ready for El Capitan update.
2. Prepare Mac Ready Before El Capitan Update
Let's see what you should do to prepare your Mac devices fully ready for the new El Capitan 10.11.6, etc. update. And if this is your first time updating Mac OS X, follow the tips below carefully:
#1. Hardware Requirement
- Leave at least 2GB memory and 8.8 GB of storage space on Mac
- Leave at least 45% battery on Mac
- Connect Mac to the internet or WiFi
- Update your Mac Apps to the latest versions
#2. Back Up All Important Mac Data (to An External Disk)
It's vitally important to back up important data on Mac to external storage devices, which will certainly help to avoid data loss issues due to Mac OS X update.
To do so, you have two options:
- Option 1. Back up all your data via Time Machine
- 1. Connect an external hard drive to Mac.
- 2. Click the Apple menu icon, click 'System Preference', and click 'Time machine'.
- 3. Click 'Select Backup Disk...' and choose the external drive as a backup disk.
- Option 2. Fully back up your Mac data via reliable Mac backup software
For a step-by-step guide, please follow: How to Back Up Mac without Time Machine for help.
If you have forgotten to backup data, reliable Mac data recovery software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best tool to help you restore lost data.
So now, you can follow the next tutorial tips to update your present Mac OS X into El Capitan.
3. Update Mac OS X to El Capitan (Download OS X 10.11.6)
You can update your Mac OS X to El Capitan now. Follow the below guide to update to El Capitan with ease:
#1. Download and Install Mac OS X from Mac App Store
Step 1. Go to Mac App Store and search El Capitan.
Step 2. Click the Download button for El Capitan.
Step 3. Click Continue and follow the instructions to install El Capitan on your Mac.
#2. Manually Download El Capitan 10.11.6 from Apple
Here you can also download El Capitan or other new versions of macOS from the Apple support page, and install on your Mac:
When the downloading process is finished, the El Capitan installer will launch automatically. All you just need to follow the onscreen guide to install the Mac OS X 10.11.6 on your Mac computer.
Note that the El Capitan upgrade process will not take long. Just wait patiently to let the El Capitan installation process accomplish on your Mac.
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Don't worry if you meet some problems during the Mac OS X or macOS update process. Click the below troubleshooting guide and follow to resolve the respective issue on your own.
When you encounter macOS update stuck, macOS or Mac OS X update failed, stay calm. Follow this guide to install the desired macOS or Mac OS X on your Mac.
Bonus Tip: Restore Lost Data after Upgrading Mac to El Capitan 10.11.6
If you didn't create backups before the Mac OS X El Capitan update, and you lost some important Mac files after the update process, your last chance is to turn to reliable Mac data recovery software for help.
Here, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is available for you to download and restore all lost files after macOS or Mac OS X update.
This software is fully compatible with all Mac OS X such as El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, and the latest new macOS Mojave, High Sierra, etc.
Download it and follows to restore lost data due to the El Capitan update now:
Step 1. Where was data lost after operating system update? Choose the location and click Scan.
Step 2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will immediately scan your selected disk volume and display the scanning results on the left pane.
Step 3. After the scan, select the target files that were unknowingly lost during or after the update and click Recover button to get them all back.
What Else Can EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Do for You?
Besides macOS update file recovery, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard dedicates to restoring lost data for Mac users under complex circumstances, such as:
- Data deletion
- Mac hard drives formatting
- Storage device corruption
- Mac system crash
- Mac OS X reinstallation
El Capitan Still Works on Old Macs, Go and Get It Now
Don't worry if your Mac computer is not available for updating to Mac OS X El Capitan. Follow this page, you'll see if your computer can install this operating system.
If yes, follow to download and install this excellent system and renew your Mac computer now. Don't worry if you lost some files during the process, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac can bring your files back.
Now, it's your turn. Go and get it now.
You bought a CD, madness.
If you want to upgrade your Mac from Yosemite to another newer OS you have three alternatives..
El Capitan, Sierra and High Sierra are all available for download and are free.
It sounds like you have been trying to install updates to El Capitan downloaded from the Apple Support Downloads pages. If so you need to have already installed El Capitan, that is why you are getting the message about 10.11.
Apple El Capitan Download
for example if you downloaded the 10.11.6 Combo update this will update any previous version of El Capitan from 10.11.0 to 10.11.5 to the last version 10.11.6. Please remember full versions of OS's are only available via the Mac App Store.
Depending on the age of your Mac you may not be able to upgrade to Sierra or High Sierra, if so you should be able to upgrade to El Capitan.
El Capitan Update Download
Have a look at the links below to determine what OS you would like to download. Bear in mind though that if your Mac qualifies for High Sierra then you will be denied the download of El Capitan.
The versions that will be downloaded in each case will be the latest versions of each OS, so for El Capitan it will be 10.11.6, Sierra will be 10.12.6 and High Sierra will be 10.13.3.
If you tried Erics link to El Capitan and you couldn't download it, then the App Store is recognising that you Mac qualifies for High Sierra, so you can upgrade to that or if you want you could also upgrade to Sierra from the link above.
Imac El Capitan Upgrade
Feb 28, 2018 12:24 AM