How to Use GarageBand on Your Older Mac

Do you have an older macOS version, but you want to download GarageBand? Don’t worry! You can certainly use GarageBand on older Macs. It’s one of the best ways to create music on older Macs – as long as you know how to download it.

Downloading an Older Version of GarageBand for Mac

How to Use GarageBand on Your Older Mac 3 — Downloading an Older Version of GarageBand for Mac

Downloading GarageBand from the App Store page directly will only work if you have a newer macOS version.

If you try to download GarageBand on an older Mac from the App Store directly, it might tell you that your macOS version is too old for GarageBand. However, there is a workaround.

If you had previously downloaded GarageBand in the past, you can go to your account (usually located in the bottom-left corner of the App Store) and browse your download history. There, find GarageBand and download it from there by pressing on the download icon instead of from the GarageBand App Store page directly. It will then prompt you to download an older version of GarageBand that is compatible with your Mac version.

If you never downloaded GarageBand in the past, you will need to ask to borrow a friend’s MacBook. Sign in with your own Apple ID on their MacBook and download GarageBand (if it’s already on the device, delete it and download it again using your Apple ID). Then, go back to your Mac, find GarageBand in your download history, and click on the download icon there.

GarageBand Compatibility With Different Mac Models

The latest version of GarageBand, 10.4.12, requires a macOS version of 14.4 or later. However, earlier versions of GarageBand are compatible with earlier versions of macOS.

As macOS got updated along the years, so did GarageBand. However, by using the download history trick I mentioned above, you can easily download the version of GarageBand that is compatible with your macOS version.

Can I Download GarageBand on macOS High Sierra?

Yes, but not using the normal download method. If you download directly from the App Store, it will tell you that your macOS version is not compatible with GarageBand. Therefore, you will need to use the download history trick I explained above.

Can macOS El Capitan Run GarageBand?

How to Use GarageBand on Your Older Mac 5

Yes. You can run GarageBand on macOS El Capitan, but you need to download a much older version of GarageBand. To do that, you can use the download history trick, as you won’t be able to download it directly from the App Store.

Troubleshooting GarageBand Issues on Mac

Note that some things may not work properly when using an older version of GarageBand. For example, certain newer features may be missing, and compatibility with certain plugins may not be available. In addition, certain bugs that have since been fixed in newer versions may be present.

If possible, see if you can update macOS to the latest version, so you can also enjoy the latest version of GarageBand.

Conclusion: Enjoying GarageBand on Older Macs

I hope this guide on how to use GarageBand on older Macs was helpful. It’s entirely possible, as long as you have GarageBand in your download history. If you don’t, you might need to borrow a friend’s Mac (if it meets the latest GarageBand requirements) and download it there using your Apple ID, so it’s in your download history.