Downgrade macOS Ventura To Monterey Without Losing Data

Downgrade macOS Ventura to Monterey

Do you want to downgrade macOS Ventura to Monterey on Mac? That’s not surprising, especially if you jumped in during the early macOS 13 Developer Beta stages, when the software is plagued with bugs and lacks performance.

The macOS Ventura downgrade can be done in a couple of ways including TimeMachine backup, macOS Recovery gold Bootable Installer.

If you performed a Time Machine backup before installing macOS 13 Beta that will be your first option.

How To Downgrade macOS Ventura With Time Machine Backup

Important: When you restore from a backup all data on your Mac will be erased. If you accumulated data during the days or weeks spent discovering macOS Ventura you should manually backup these files and transfer them back to your Mac after the downgrade.

  • 1. Connect hard drive used for Time Machine backup to Mac.
  • 2. Click the Apple Icon and Restart… computer.
  • 3. open boot selection screen. This can be done in various ways depending on what Mac model you own:
    Apple Silicon Macs – Press the Power button until you get the startup screen. Next, go for Options and keep on going.

    Intel-based Macs – Press & hold Command (cmd) + R when the Apple Logo shows up or the startup chime is played.

  • 4. Select Restore from Time Machine Backup and click Continue</strong. Click Continue again after reading through the procedure.
  • 5. Select backup source and click keep on going one more time.
  • 6. Pick the recent macOS Monterey backup and click continue one last time. That’s it. Be patient until the downgrade is completed.

Downgrade macOS Ventura With macOS Recovery

Use this option if you don’t have a macOS Montery Time Machine backup available:

  • 1. Click Apple logo and go for Shut Down…
  • 2. Turn Mac back We and immediately press & hold one of the three keyboard combinations available below. Release when the Apple logo appears:

    Command (cmd) + R to reinstall the latest macOS version installed on your Mac. (this will keep you on the macOS Ventura Beta updates)

    Option(alt)+Command(cmd)+R to upgrade to the latest macOS version compatible with your Mac.

    Shift+Option(alt)+Command(cmd)+R: to reinstall the macOS version that your Mac was shipped with, or the closest available to it.

  • 3. Enter Mac password and click keep on going.
  • 4. Click Next and go for Reinstall macOS. Now, click keep on going.
  • 5. Follow the on-screen prompts and select the disk-to-flash.
    Tip: Enter Mac password if you’re asked to unlock your disk.
  • Important: While macOS 13 is downgraded to the most recent macOS Monterey 12.4 (at the time of writing) don’t close the lid on your Mac. Computer will see restart several times, the progress bar will show and hide and the screen my go completely black.

    Be patient Mac will reboot when finished and you will be asked to log-in when ready!

    Downgrade macOS Ventura With Bootable Installer

    This option is also straightforward if you own a Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 chip):

  • 1. Power-off Mac.
  • 2. Press & hold the Power button until you get the loading startup options.
  • 3. Click usb install and click keep on going.
  • 4. Click Install macOS Monterey and select Quit install macOS.
  • 5. Click disk utility and keep on going.
  • 6. Click Macintosh HD (hard drive), available under internal and go for Erase. Click Done after the process completes.
  • 7. Now, go for disk utility and select Quit Disk Utility.
  • 8. Activate Mac and click Exit to Recovery.
  • 9. Approved and select Macintosh-HD. Click keep on going.
  • 10. Select the StartupDisk and Restart. The macOS setup screen should appear next. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete.

Have you managed to downgrade macOS 13 to 12? What option did you choose? Share your feedback in the comments!

Related: You might also be interested in how to downgrade iOS 16 to 15!

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