Download Yosemite OS X Installer: Step-by-Step Guide for Mac Users

How to Download Yosemite OS X Installer

Yosemite OS X is the eleventh major release of the Mac operating system, which was launched in 2014. It features a redesigned user interface, improved performance, enhanced continuity with iOS devices, and many other new features and improvements. If you want to upgrade your Mac to Yosemite OS X, or reinstall it on an older Mac, you will need the Yosemite OS X installer. In this article, we will show you how to download Yosemite OS X installer from the Mac App Store, and how to create a bootable USB flash drive with it.

download yosemite os x installer

What is Yosemite OS X?

Yosemite OS X is the name of the Mac operating system version 10.10, which was released in October 2014. It was named after the Yosemite National Park in California, following the tradition of naming Mac operating systems after landmarks in California. Some of the notable features of Yosemite OS X are:

• A new flat design that matches the iOS 7 and later style.

• A dark mode that changes the appearance of the menu bar and Dock.

• A notification center that includes widgets and interactive notifications.

• A spotlight search that can display results from various sources, such as Wikipedia, Maps, iTunes, and more.

• A continuity feature that allows seamless integration with iOS devices, such as Handoff, Instant Hotspot, AirDrop, and phone calls and messages.

• A Safari browser that has a streamlined toolbar, enhanced privacy, and faster performance.

• An iCloud Drive that lets you store and access any type of file in iCloud.

• A Mail app that supports Markup and Mail Drop features.

• A Photos app that replaces iPhoto and Aperture, and syncs with iCloud Photo Library.

• A redesigned iTunes that has a simpler interface and a family sharing option.

Why do you need Yosemite OS X installer?

If you have a Mac that is compatible with Yosemite OS X, you might want to download the Yosemite OS X installer for various reasons. For example:

• You want to upgrade your Mac from an older version of OS X to Yosemite OS X.

• You want to reinstall Yosemite OS X on your Mac if it has problems or errors.

• You want to create a bootable USB flash drive with Yosemite OS X installer for backup or installation on other Macs.

How to get Yosemite OS X installer from the Mac App Store

The easiest way to get Yosemite OS X installer is to download it from the Mac App Store. However, you need to make sure that your Mac meets the minimum requirements for running Yosemite OS X. According to Apple, these are:

How to create a bootable OS X Yosemite installer

OS X Yosemite installer download from Mac App Store

OS X Yosemite bootable USB flash drive tutorial

OS X Yosemite clean install guide

OS X Yosemite upgrade from Mavericks or earlier

Where to find OS X Yosemite installer file

OS X Yosemite installation problems and solutions

OS X Yosemite system requirements and compatibility

How to reinstall OS X Yosemite on Mac

OS X Yosemite features and tips

How to download OS X Yosemite for free

OS X Yosemite ISO image download link

OS X Yosemite DMG file download link

How to burn OS X Yosemite to DVD

How to install OS X Yosemite on VMware or VirtualBox

How to dual boot OS X Yosemite and Windows 10

How to downgrade from OS X Yosemite to Mavericks or earlier

How to update OS X Yosemite to the latest version

How to backup and restore OS X Yosemite

How to fix OS X Yosemite slow performance issues

How to create a recovery partition for OS X Yosemite

How to enable dark mode in OS X Yosemite

How to use Continuity and Handoff in OS X Yosemite

How to customize OS X Yosemite dock and menu bar

How to use Spotlight and Safari in OS X Yosemite

How to install apps and games on OS X Yosemite

How to uninstall apps and games on OS X Yosemite

How to use Terminal commands in OS X Yosemite

How to enable FileVault and encrypt your Mac with OS X Yosemite

How to use iCloud Drive and Family Sharing in OS X Yosemite

How to use Notification Center and Widgets in OS X Yosemite

How to use AirDrop and AirPlay in OS X Yosemite

How to use Photos and iMovie in OS X Yosemite

How to use Mail and Messages in OS X Yosemite

How to use iTunes and Apple Music in OS X Yosemite

How to use Maps and Calendar in OS X Yosemite

How to use FaceTime and iBooks in OS X Yosemite

How to use Reminders and Notes in OS X Yosemite

How to use Contacts and Game Center in OS X Yosemite

How to use Dictation and VoiceOver in OS X Yosemite

How to troubleshoot common errors in OS X Yosemite

How to reset PRAM and SMC in OS X Yosemite

How to boot into safe mode and recovery mode in OS X Yosemite

How to repair disk permissions and verify disk in OS X Yosemite

How to optimize battery life and storage space in OS X Yosemite

• OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard or later

• 2 GB of memory

• 8 GB of available storage

• Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.

• Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.

Step 1: Check your Mac compatibility

To check if your Mac is compatible with Yosemite OS X, you can go to the Apple menu > About This Mac > Overview. You will see the model name and year of your Mac, as well as the current version of OS X, memory, and storage. Compare this information with the list of supported models below:

MacBook MacBook AirMacBook ProiMacMac miniMac Pro

Late 2008 or newerLate 2008 or newerMid 2007 or newerEarly 2009 or newerEarly 2009 or newerEarly 2008 or newer

If your Mac is not compatible with Yosemite OS X, you will not be able to download the installer from the Mac App Store. You might need to upgrade your hardware, or look for alternative ways to get the installer, such as from a friend or online sources.

Step 2: Download Yosemite OS X installer

If your Mac is compatible with Yosemite OS X, you can proceed to download the installer from the Mac App Store. To do this, follow these steps:

• Open the Mac App Store app on your Mac.

• Search for Yosemite OS X in the search bar, or go to this link.

• Click on the Download button next to the Yosemite OS X icon.

• Enter your Apple ID and password if prompted.

• Wait for the download to complete. The installer file will be saved in your Applications folder as Install OS X Yosemite.app. The file size is about 5.72 GB, so make sure you have enough space and a stable internet connection.

Step 3: Launch the installer and follow the instructions

Once you have downloaded the Yosemite OS X installer, you can launch it and follow the instructions to upgrade or reinstall Yosemite OS X on your Mac. To do this, follow these steps:

• Open the Install OS X Yosemite.app file from your Applications folder.

• Click on Continue to agree to the terms and conditions.

• Select the disk where you want to install Yosemite OS X. If you want to upgrade your current OS X, choose your startup disk. If you want to reinstall Yosemite OS X, choose a different disk or partition. You might need to erase or format the disk before installing.

• Click on Install and enter your administrator password if prompted.

• Wait for the installation to complete. Your Mac will restart several times during the process. Do not turn off or disconnect your Mac until the installation is done.

How to create a bootable USB flash drive with Yosemite OS X installer

If you want to create a bootable USB flash drive with Yosemite OS X installer, you will need a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB, and a Mac that can run Yosemite OS X. You can use this USB flash drive to install Yosemite OS X on other Macs, or as a backup in case of emergency. To create a bootable USB flash drive with Yosemite OS X installer, follow these steps:

Step 1: Prepare a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB

To prepare a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB, you need to format it as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with a GUID Partition Map scheme. To do this, follow these steps:

• Insert your USB flash drive into your Mac.

• Open the Disk Utility app from your Applications > Utilities folder.

• Select your USB flash drive from the sidebar.

• Click on the Erase tab at the top.

• Name your USB flash drive as YosemiteInstaller (or any name you like).

• Select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format.

• Select GUID Partition Map as the scheme.

• Click on Erase and confirm when prompted.

• Wait for the process to complete and close Disk Utility.

Step 2: Open Terminal and enter the command

To create a bootable USB flash drive with Yosemite OS X installer, you need to use a command line tool called createinstallmedia, which is included in the Install OS X Yosemite.app file. To do this, follow these steps:

• Open the Terminal app from your Applications > Utilities folder.

• Type or copy and paste the following command into Terminal:

/Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/YosemiteInstaller --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app --nointeraction

Note: If you named your USB flash drive something else, you need to replace YosemiteInstaller with the name of