Reinstall Mac OS X - Here's how

Mac OS X is no longer shipped on physical media since version 10.7 (Lion). You can only reinstall the operating system by downloading it from the AppStore. We give you tips on how to reinstall without any problems.

Reinstall macOS via download

In order to install a new operating system - for example macOS Majave 10.14.6 via download - Apple requires at least macOS High Sierra 10.13. You need to be connected to the internet to reinstall macOS.

• After the download, the installer starts automatically.
• You will be guided through the installation. Before doing this, you can still specify which drive the macOS should be installed on.
• The installation program uses a progress bar to keep you informed of how far the installation has progressed.
• Your Mac will automatically restart once during installation. It takes a while for the installation to complete.
• As of September 2019, macOS Mojave is the latest macOS version. Apple has already announced a new operating system for autumn 2019. The new macOS is called Catalina and, as usual, is first available in beta.

Special case: format or partition hard disk

If you want to reformat your hard drive during the reinstallation of macOS or if you have installed a new hard drive, you have to run the hard drive utility. This is available to you during the new installation, but is not automatically processed during the installation process.

• If you have installed a new hard drive in your Apple computer, you must partition it in the hard drive utility so that macOS can use it.
• You can also use the Disk Utility to erase or reformat your hard disk.

macOS 10.14 Mojave: These are the functions

If you need individual help with the new installation, then contact the experts in the CHIP forum. An overview of all macOS versions can be found in our next practical tip.