this is how you go back to macOS Big Sur

downgrading macOS: this is how you do it

Any major macOS update comes with risks, especially if it’s a beta. Sometimes things don’t work yet, you have to deal with features that are not yet available or software that has not yet been adapted. For example, Universal Control is not yet available, while this is just one of the functions for which you would want to install the beta. Fortunately, you can downgrade to the most recent stable version at any time during the beta phase, macOS Big Sur.

Before you macOS Monterey is going to downgrade it is important that you have a Time Machine-backup have from macOS Big Sur. If you don’t have one, unfortunately you can no longer restore all your files, documents and settings. What you can do in such a situation is a clean install of your Mac run and start over.

Do you have a backup of macOS Big Sur? Then follow the steps below to downgrade macOS.

How to downgrade macOS Monterey

If you have performed a clean install of macOS Monterey, the steps below should not be difficult. You need the following:

• A Mac with the macOS Monterey (beta).
• A USB drive with at least 16GB of storage.
• A backup tool, for example Time Machine or Get Backup Pro, part of SetApp.

Are you a subscriber of SetApp, then you can use Get Backup Pro for free. If not, your best bet is to take advantage of the free Time Machine tool, which comes standard with macOS.

Step 1: Backup your files

If you’ve been using Monterey for a while, you now have new files and settings that you’ll want to include when downgrading. But even if you just Monterey installed, it may make sense to make a backup, as there may be photos, files, and chats you’ve received over the past few hours.

Therefore, first make a backup of your files, folders, documents, photos and more that you have made while using the beta. You can upload them from the Documents folder (or any other place you keep them) to iCloud or on an external drive. Also make a Time Machine backup or a backup with another tool.

Step 2: Create a macOS Big Sur startup disk
With a startup disk, also called bootable drive of boot disk mentioned, you can install macOS from an external drive. This can be a USB stick, for example, with a minimum capacity of 16GB.

First, format the drive to be a bootable drive:

1. Plug the USB drive into your computer.
2. Open the program Disk Utility. For example through the Finder > Apps > Utilities > Disk Utility.
3. Choose the connected drive at External.
4. Click at the top knowledge. Select APFS or macOS Extended.
5. Rename the drive to something recognizable (such as “BigSurDisk”). Make sure there are no spaces in the name. It is also case sensitive.
6. click on knowledge. When it’s done, close the program.

With the external drive connected, proceed as follows:

1. Open Terminal.
2. Enter the following command.

sudo /Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

3. Press Enter.
4. Enter your administrator password if necessary.
5. Confirm your action.
6. Shut down and remove the drive.

   In our tip about a clean install read more about it.

   The USB stick will be erased during this process and the installation files of macOS Big Sur are put on it. This can take up to 20 to 30 minutes. The end result is a USB stick that allows you to safely install macOS on a clean Mac.

   Step 3: Erase Monterey from your Mac

   1. Click on the top left  > Restart.
   2. Hold down Command+R until you hear the startup chime and see the Utilities menu.
   3. Choose Disk Utility and click klik Get on.
   4. Select the startup disk, which will usually be Macintosh HD.
   5. Choose knowledge. If you use APFS, choose APFS from the list of formats. If your computer still uses HFS+, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
   6. Click knowledge to proceed to.
   7. After the process is complete, click the red button to close the Disk Utility.

   Not only is Monterey now removed from your Mac, the beta profile is also gone. You can now install macOS Big Sur from the Internet or the startup disk you created earlier. In either case, you’ll need to download the complete installation of macOS. This is about 8GB in size, so use a fast internet connection for this. If your connection is less good, it will be faster via a USB disk.

   Step 4: Reinstall Big Sur

   Make sure your Mac is connected to the Internet and that you have your startup disk connected to your Mac.

   1. Go to  > Restart.
   2. Hold down the Option button.
   3. You will see a window with options for the startup disk. Choose the Big Sur installer.
   4. click on Continue and reinstall macOS 11 (Big Sur). This can take about fifteen minutes.

   Can’t boot from an external drive? That could have something to do with permission. On newer Macs with T2 chip (from about 2018) it is possible that booting from an external drive is not allowed by default. You can fix this by booting your Mac into recovery mode and changing the setting:

   1. Restart your Mac.
   2. Hold the button combination Cmd + R pressed when the Apple logo appears.
   3. In recovery mode, in the menu bar, clickbalk Utilities > Boot Security Utilityhulp. Enter the administrator’s password.
   4. Under the heading Remote Boot click on Allow booting from external media.
   5. Now close this screen and restart your Mac.

   You can also download macOS Big Sur from the Internet. Here you choose to reinstall macOS after restarting with Command+R in the utilities. Then follow all the steps on the screen.

   Step 5: Restore Backup in Big Sur

   If you have a recent Time Machine backup, you can get your previous settings and files back on your Mac.

   1. Connect the Time Machine backup drive to the Mac.
   2. click on  > Restart.
   3. Once you hear the startup sound and the Applelogo, hold Command+R.
   4. In the list of utilities, choose to restore from a backup.
   5. Select the source of the backup and click Continue.
   6. Choose a recent macOS Big Sur backup of the drive and start restoring. This may take several minutes.

   Your Mac will reboot afterwards. If you have made a backup with another app such as the aforementioned Get Backup Pro, you only need to open the app and download the most recent backup from the list. Then click on Restore.

   Why Downgrade macOS?
   There can be multiple reasons to downgrade macOS. The main reasons are:

   • You are not satisfied with the latest version. The new functions have no added value for you and the teething problems make it less pleasant to use. Downgrading is then a good option.
   • Apps you depend on don’t work properly. If an app stops working properly under a new one macOSversion, then you can do a number of things. You can check if there is an update or look for an alternative. If that is not available in both cases and you are dependent on this app, then you can downgrade.
   • Yes Mac does not run well on the latest version. although Apple release the update only to Mac models that can handle the update, you may still be Mac does not run smoothly and stutters. Downgrading is then an option.
   • You just wanted to take a look. In that case you had better macOS on a separate partition or disc so you can continue working on your Mac.

   Also check our article about it downgrade from iOS, in which we explain how to iPhone can downgrade.

   https://www.iculture.nl/gids/macos-installeren-partitie/

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