Mac operating system’s twelfth major version is the El Capitan Installer (version 10.11). All the Mac computers which don’t have the privilege to upgrade to MacOS High Sierra or the computers that need to upgrade to El Capitan first, can download this twelfth version on the computer. This is the very last version of the Mac operating system which comes under the name OS X. And it is named as ‘El Capitan’ after the formation of a rock in the Yosemite National Park. El Capitan Installer is the post version to the Yosemite, and it was built by adding up more improvements to the Yosemite. In this version of the Mac operating system, the Apple Inc. has focused on the performance, stability, and security of the computer. Anyone who is interested can download it on the Mac PC.
Now, launch the Mac App Store, go to the El Capitan page or Purchased tab and download OS X El Capitan from there. MAS will now download it from the local server at a high speed. Once downloaded, you may proceed with the installation by clicking on Continue when the setup launches. Visit the Mac App Store. Locate the OS X El Capitan Page. Click the Download button. Follow the simple instructions to; complete the upgrade. For users without broadband access, the upgrade is available at the local Apple store. Clean install-For a clean install, at first, you will need a bootable version of OS X El Capitan installer. To download Mac OS X El Capitan from the App Store, follow the link: Download OS X El Capitan. On the El Capitan, click the Download button. Next, a file Install OS X El Capitan will download into the Applications folder. When the download is over, the installer will launch automatically. Make sure you have Install OS X El Capitan.app in your Application Folder; Select 'On an external drive' on the main MCPF window. Then, choose the disk you want to install the El Capitan installer on. Click install and prompt your password. Boot the computer you want to install El Capitan on with 'alt' held and select your USB drive. Safari uses these links to find the old installers in the App Store. After being downloaded from the App Store, the installer opens automatically. MacOS Catalina 10.15 can upgrade Mojave, High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite or Mavericks; macOS Mojave 10.14 can upgrade High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks or Mountain Lion.
How to download El Capitan Installer?
If you want to upgrade to OS X El Capitan, first you have to collect gather your Mac PC and then download the El Capitan Installer. That’s what we are going to do now.
- Go to the App Store and open the El Capitan page there.
- Then you must click on the ‘Download; button on the El Capitan Page.
- If your Mac PC is compatible to perform this upgrade, a file named ‘Install OS X El Capitan’ will download to your Applications folder.
- The installer will open automatically after finishing the download process. All you have to do next is click on the ‘Continue’ button and follow the onscreen instructions.
Upgrade Mac OS Version with El Capitan Installer while Protecting your Data
Before executing the Upgrade, you must prepare the Mac PC for the El Capitan Update. For that, gather these requirements first.
- The Mac PC must have at least 2GB of memory and 8.8GB of storage space.
- The PC must have at least 45% of battery life.
- Connect the Mac PC to Wi-Fi or any other internet connection.
- The Mac Apps must be up to date with the latest versions.
- Take backups of all your personal data and present OS of the Mac PC.
Important! It is very important to backup your important data on the Mac PC to an external storage device because it will help you to avoid the data loss issues. If any case, you forgot to backup the data, your data may be lost while executing the El Capitan Installer update. So make sure you make a backup of the device data.
How to use El Capitan Installer for a Clean Install?
01. El Capitan Clean Install on Empty Volume with El Capitan Installer
This is the easiest method for the clean install. Here, you can install the OS X El Capitan Installer onto an empty volume, or you can use a storage space that has the content which no longer needed and don’t mind removing. What it matters here is that you don’t use the current startup volume as the destination here. What makes this method easier is the fact that it is possible to perform this clean install while booted from the current startup drive. You don’t need a special, custom-made startup environment for the empty volume clean install. All you have to do is, start up the installer and go.
02. El Capitan Clean Install on Startup Volume with El Capitan Installer
This is the most common method of the two. Usually, the clean install process deletes the contents of the destination drive. Therefore, if you choose the startup drive method to perform the clean install of El Capitan Installer, you have to follow some extra steps as well.
- First, you have to create a bootable USB flash drive that has the Installer of OS X El Capitan.
- Then erase the startup drive.
- After then, start the clean install process.
How to Create El Capitan Installer with USB?
Requirements
- The USB flash drive must be at least 8GB
- El Capitan Installer must be on the Mac PC’s Applications folder.
Process
- Plug the USB drive into the Mac PC with the Installer of the El Capitan on it.
- Rename the USB driver using an easy to remember and use name. (For the ease of the steps ahead, I will rename it as ‘ElCaptIns’)
- Be sure that the Installer of the El Capitan named ‘Install OS X El Capitan.app’ is in its default location (Applications folder).
- Select and copy the text of the below-mentioned terminal command.
- Now you can launch the terminal in the Applications/Utilities/
- In this step, it deletes the data in the destination drive. So make sure it doesn’t contain any valuable data and paste the copied command into the terminal, then press ‘Return’.
- When the windows prompted, enter the admin level account password of yours and press to Return.
- Then a message telling “To continue we need to erase the disk at /Volumes/ElCaptIns. If you wish to continue, type (Y) then press return:” will emerge. You can type ‘Y’ and press to return to continue. You are already set if you don’t see this message.
sudo/Applications/InstallOSXElCapitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/ElCaptIns --applicationpath /Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.appUSB installer and El Capitan Installer in Apple Store
El Capitan Installer is only available in the Mac App Store. So you can only download it from the App Store. By the way, having a USB installer to perform the El Capitan is a good idea. Because having a copy of the OS version in a separate device ensures that you always have a backup plan to install it or re-install it on the PC. When you have the USB installer with the El Capitan Installer in it, you no longer need the internet connection or the access to the Mac App Store to perform the upgrade.
What is createinstallmedia?
“createinstallmedia” is a unix program hidden inside the OS X Installer which is provided by the Apple Inc. to create a bootable installer drive. createinstallmedia is the ideal and the easier to use tool if you are comfortable to use the terminal. This is only available for the OS versions of Lion (OS X 10.7) and above.
System and Hardware Requirements for El Capitan Installer
System Requirements
- iMac models from mid 2007 or later
- MacBook models from late 2008 or later
- MacBook Pro models from mid 2007 or later
- MacBook Air models from late 2008 or later
- Mac mini models from early 2009 or later
- Mac Pro models from early 2008 or later
- Xserve models from early 2009
Hardware Requirements
El Capitan App Store Updates Not Working
- OS X v10.6.8 or later
- 2GB of memory
- 8.8GB of available storage
- Some features require an Apple ID (terms apply)
- Some features require a compatible Internet service provider (fees may apply)
FAQs:-
01. What is the best method to install El Capitan?
You can either use the default method to upgrade install or clean install methods to get El Capitan Installer but, without any doubt, Clean Install is the best method to upgrade your Mac OS. I hope all the above facts prove that.
02. How to save previous data when upgrading the OS X?
Simply, take a backup by using the Time Machine.
El Capitan App Store Not Working
- Open the Time Machine app.
- Click on the ‘Select Backup Disk’.
- Select the external drive or internal location where you want to save the files.
- Click on the ‘On’ to turn on the Time Machine.
- Click on the Arrow Clock icon in the Finder Bar at the top of your screen and select ‘Backup Now’.
03. Is it secure to install El Capitan without Apple Store?
El Capitan Apple Store
No, it is not safe to get El Capitan Installer outsider of the Apple Store. It is only safe to get this OS upgrade from the Mac App Store. Besides, there is no such external place to get this OS upgrade. I have provided the steps to install El Capitan in the above of this site. Just follow those steps and upgrade your Mac PC to the El Capitan.