Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data

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  1. When your Mac starts reinstalling MacOS Catalina, it’s going to take an hour or two to finish, so stay patient. The good news is that your files and apps — unless corrupted — should be saved.
  2. Reinstall OS X Without Erasing the Drive. Choose the version you have installed now: OS X Yosemite- Reinstall OS X. OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X. OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X. OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X. Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet. If possible because it is three times faster than.
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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.

To do so, follow the steps from above but press Shift + Option + Cmd + R to boot into macOS Recovery instead. After you do so, click the Reinstall macOS button and your Mac will install the closest available version of macOS to what it shipped with. Alternatively, you may want to take the opportunity to install the latest compatible version of. Based on if you want to keep the original data on the startup disk, you can either choose to clean reinstall macOS or to reinstall macOS without 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.

Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data Space

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:

  1. Open Get Backup Pro from Setapp

  2. Hit the plus button at the bottom to create a new backup

  3. Name your backup project

  4. Pick a backup destination and customize settings if necessary

  5. Choose files, folders, and apps data you want to add to the backup

  6. 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:

  1. Open the app and hit Scan

  2. Wait for CleanMyMac X to finish the scanning process

  3. Hit Run if you want to remove all the junk, or Review if you want to select the files that should be deleted manually

  4. 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:

  1. Restart your computer and boot in Recovery Mode (hold down Command + R once the Apple logo appears)

  2. Access Utilities > Startup Security Utility

  3. 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)

  4. 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.

Then, install macOS Catalina on an external drive. Start with formatting the drive (you can skip this step if you have a formatted drive):

  1. Get an external drive with minimum 12GB of free space

  2. Connect it to your Mac via USB

  3. Open Finder > Applications

  4. Navigate to Utilities > Disk Utility

  5. Click Erase next to your drive (make sure you name it if you have more than one)

  6. Select APFS or macOS Extended format > Erase.

Install macOS Catalina on a formatted drive:

  1. Open Finder > Applications

  2. Launch Terminal from Utilities

  3. 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.

  1. Click Enter/Return

  2. Confirm your action by entering the admin password > Y

  3. Click Return

  4. 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:

  1. Click on the Apple logo and select Restart from the menu

  2. Hold down Command + R to reboot in Recovery mode

  3. Open Disk Utility > Continue

  4. Select your Startup Disk > Erase

  5. Select APFS or macOS Extended format and confirm your action.

4. Reinstall macOS Catalina on your Mac

Next thing, run a downgrade to Catalina by reinstalling it on Mac:

  1. Make sure your Mac is connected to the internet

  2. Connect your bootable external drive

  3. Click on the Apple logo and select Restart from the menu

  4. While your Mac restarts, hold down Option

  5. Once the list of startup disk options appears, select the bootable drive with macOS Catalina installer

  6. Hit Continue, agree to the licensing terms, and wait for macOS Catalina to reinstall.

5. Restore data from backup

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:

  1. With your Mac connected to the internet, restart the system

  2. Hold down Command + R to enter Recovery

  3. Access Utilities > Restore from Time Machine Backup > Continue

  4. Select the backup source > Continue

  5. Select your backup > Continue

  6. 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.

How to reinstall macos without losing data

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.

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If you feel like your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air has deteriorated from its usual performance and speed, you can always choose to reset your MacBook. However, many users perform a full factory reset on Mac without any precautions or backups that lead to data loss. With this informational write-up, you will get to know the most efficient and safest way to reset iMac, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air. Stick till the end to know how to reset MacBook Pro without losing data.

Can I Reinstall macOS Without Losing Data?

Yes, you can reinstall macOS on your MacBook Pro or Air without losing any data if you have properly followed the reset procedure. With the help of the Disk Utility, you can erase the data and volume to proceed with the reinstallation of your macOS. Read the next section to know the steps which need to be done to reset MacBook without losing data.

Things to do to Reset Mac Without Losing Data

There are 4 important things that need to be done before you try to reset your MacBook.

  1. Backup on an external storage drive with the help of Time Machine Utility
  2. Log out of all the Apple-based applications
  3. Reset and reinstall the macOS with the steps that will be mentioned below
  4. Initiate the process to restore data after resetting MacBook

Let us get to know how you should back up the data using Time Machine so that you can efficiently restore it later. But, what if you have already reset your MacBook Pro or Air without taking a proper backup?

What to do After Resetting MacBook Without Backup?

If you have formatted, erased or reset your MacBook without any backup, your files and other program data will be permanently deleted. However, you need not be worried as those files and data can be easily recovered with the help of a professional Mac data recovery software. This software known as Remo Recover will scan and recognize data that has been formatted, accidentally deleted or lost due to any circumstances.

Remo Recover is one of the top Mac data recovery tools that has a self-explanatory interface which makes it very easy even for the most novice Mac users. Download now to scan and preview the recoverable files for free.

Some Rewarding Benefits of Remo Recover:

  • Can recover data from file systems such as APFS, HFS, HFS+, HSFX, ExFAT, etc.
  • Works on all the storage drive that you use on your MacBook like SSD, USB, Memory Cards, etc.
  • Supports recovery from all the macOS versions like Catalina, Mojave, High Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks and all the other versions
  • Efficiently recovers iWork files from your MacBook or Mac computers
  • Data loss scenarios such as lost, deleted, formatted or reformatted volumes are covered by Remo Recover
  • Choice of selectively recovering desired files rather than recovering all of them
  • Can recover more than 300+ file types from your MacBook. This makes the recovery process very efficient

Note: If you have not performed a reset on your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air yet, please skip the above-mentioned suggestion and follow the steps given below.

How to Backup Mac Before Wiping or Resetting?

To start the Time Machine backup process, connect an external storage drive to your MacBook, and follow the steps mentioned below.

Step 1: When a window is prompted with how to use this drive, select Use as Backup Disk.

Step 2: If no window is prompted while inserting the external drive, search for Time Machine, and then click in Select Backup Disk.

Step 3: Select the backup preference and then follow the on-screen process. The Backup will be created.

Note: The initial Time Machine backup will take some time, so do not assume that the backup has been crashed or frozen. Wait patiently.

What to Check Before Resetting Your Mac?

Before trying to reset your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, there are few things that need to be checked to prevent errors. To avoid conflicts while logging into the applications and programs after the MacBook has been reset, below mentioned are some of the steps that need to be done.

  1. Deauthorize iTunes from your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air
  2. Turn off the File Vault if you have enabled it and remove files from it before turning it off
  3. Sign out from iCloud before resetting the MacBook
  4. Sign out of iMessage

Once these preferences and settings have changed and signed out. You can proceed to reset your MacBook Pro without losing data.

Steps to Reset and Reinstall macOS Without Losing Data

To reset your MacBook Pro without losing data, click on the Apple menu and click on Restart. Follow the next steps as given below.

Step 1: Hold the Command + R keys until the MacBook’s utility window hasn’t opened.

Step 2: Select Disk Utility and click on Continue.

Step 3: Select your startup disk (usually labeled as Macintosh HD) and click on Erase which will be present at the top toolbar

Step 4: Select the format as MAC OS Extended (Journaled) and click on Erase.

Step 5: Wait till the MacBook is completely reset and then go back to the Disk Utility’s main window.

Step 6: Select Reinstall macOS and click on Continue.

Step 7: Make sure you are connected to a WIFI before proceeding with reinstalling the macOS.

Once, the macOS is successfully reinstalled, your MacBook will be reset to factory settings and the performance will be as fast as it is new. However, to complete the process of resetting MacBook without losing data, follow the final steps that need to be done.

Method to Restore Data After Factory Resetting Your MacBook

Once the MacBook is turned on again, connect your external storage drive where you have backed up data using Time Machine. Follow the steps mentioned below.

Step 1: Search for Migration Assistant and click on Continue.

Step 2: Select From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk and click on Continue.

Step 3: Click on the applications, programs, and files that you want to backup and click on Continue.

Reinstall Macos Catalina Without Losing Data Settings

Once this process is complete, all the files that were present before resetting your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air will be restored. Thus, you should have successfully performed MacBook SSD data recovery. As mentioned earlier above, if by chance you have forgotten to take a backup or lost your backup drive, make use of the Remo Recover software to recover data that was deleted due to formatting.