Download OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion for Free - Compatible with Most Macs

How to Download 10.8 OS X for Your Mac

If you have an older Mac that is not compatible with the latest version of macOS, you might want to download and install 10.8 OS X, also known as Mountain Lion. This version of the Mac operating system was released in 2012 and offers some features that are not available in the previous versions, such as iCloud integration, Notification Center, Messages, Reminders, Notes, Game Center, AirPlay Mirroring, and more.

In this article, we will show you how to download and install 10.8 OS X for your Mac, what are the requirements and methods for doing so, and some tips and troubleshooting for the process. Let's get started!

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Requirements for Downloading and Installing 10.8 OS X

Before you can download and install 10.8 OS X for your Mac, you need to make sure that your Mac meets the following requirements:

Compatible Mac models

Not all Macs can run 10.8 OS X. You need to have one of the following Mac models:

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Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion system requirements

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What are the benefits of upgrading from Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to a newer version of macOS?

What are the drawbacks of upgrading from Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to a newer version of macOS?

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How to sync an iPhone or iPad with a Mac running Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

How to use AirDrop or AirPlay on a Mac running Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

How to use iCloud or iTunes on a Mac running Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

How to use FaceTime or iMessage on a Mac running Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

How to use Safari or Mail on a Mac running Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

How to use Spotlight or Finder on a Mac running Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

How to use Time Machine or Disk Utility on a Mac running Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

• iMac (Mid 2007-2020)

• MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)

• MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)

• MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)

• Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)

• Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)

• Xserve (Early 2009)

If your Mac is newer than these models, it might not be compatible with 10.8 OS X. You can check your Mac model by clicking the Apple menu > About This Mac.

Memory and storage space

You also need to have enough memory and storage space on your Mac to download and install 10.8 OS X. You need at least:

• 2 GB of memory

• 8 GB of available space

You can check your memory and storage space by clicking the Apple menu > About This Mac > Memory or Storage.

Apple ID and Internet service provider

Some features of 10.8 OS X require an Apple ID and a compatible Internet service provider. You need an Apple ID to access iCloud, App Store, iTunes Store, iMessage, FaceTime, Game Center, and more. You can create an Apple ID for free if you don't have one.

You also need a compatible Internet service provider to download and install 10.8 OS X from the App Store or your browser. Some Internet service providers may charge fees or have data limits for downloading large files.

Methods for Downloading and Installing 10.8 OS X

There are three main methods for downloading and installing 10.8 OS X for your Mac:

Using Software Update

This is the fastest and easiest method for getting 10.8 OS X on your Mac. Software Update shows only upgrades that are compatible with your Mac, and it might require less storage space to download and install the upgrade.

To use Software Update, follow these steps:

• Click the Apple menu > Software Update.

• Wait for Software Update to check for available updates.

• If 10.8 OS X is available, click the Install button next to it.

• Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the upgrade.

• Restart your Mac when prompted.

If 10.8 OS X is not available in Software Update, you can try the other methods below.

Using the App Store or your browser

This method allows you to download 10.8 OS X from the App Store or your browser and install it on your Mac. You need an Apple ID and a compatible Internet service provider for this method.

To use the App Store or your browser, follow these steps:

Open the App Store on your Mac or go to this link in your browser: [

• Sign in with your Apple ID and password.

• Click the Buy button to purchase 10.8 OS X for $19.99 USD.

• Wait for the download to complete. You can check the progress in the Purchases tab of the App Store or in the Downloads folder of your Mac.

• When the download is finished, double-click the Install OS X Mountain Lion app in your Applications folder or in the Downloads folder.

• Follow the onscreen instructions to install the upgrade.

• Restart your Mac when prompted.

Using a disk image file

This method allows you to download 10.8 OS X from a third-party source and create a bootable disk image file that you can use to install it on your Mac. You need a blank USB flash drive or DVD with at least 8 GB of space for this method.

To use a disk image file, follow these steps:

Go to this link in your browser: [

• Download and install the Install Disk Creator app on your Mac.

Go to this link in your browser: [

• Download the 10.8 OS X ISO file on your Mac.

• Open the Install Disk Creator app and select the 10.8 OS X ISO file as the source image.

• Select your USB flash drive or DVD as the destination disk.

• Click Create Installer to create a bootable disk image file of 10.8 OS X on your USB flash drive or DVD.

• Restart your Mac and hold down the Option key while it boots up.

• Select the USB flash drive or DVD as the startup disk from the list of options.

• Follow the onscreen instructions to install the upgrade.

Tips and Troubleshooting for Downloading and Installing 10.8 OS X

Sometimes, you might encounter some issues or difficulties when downloading and installing 10.8 OS X for your Mac. Here are some tips and troubleshooting for solving them:

How to free up storage space

If you don't have enough storage space on your Mac to download and install 10.8 OS X, you can try these methods to free up some space:

• Delete unnecessary files and apps from your Mac. You can use Finder or Spotlight to search for large files and folders that you don't need anymore, such as downloads, caches, logs, duplicates, etc. You can also use apps like CleanMyMac or Disk Inventory X to scan and clean your Mac.

• Empty the Trash bin on your Mac. You can do this by right-clicking the Trash icon in the Dock and selecting Empty Trash, or by pressing Command + Shift + Delete on your keyboard.

Move some files and apps to an external hard drive or cloud storage service. You can use apps like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, etc. to store some of your files and apps online and access them from