Download macOS Big Sur Full Installer with/without App Store

Wendy Wu
Last updated: Oct 9, 2024

Want to get a macOS Big Sur full installer? Read on to learn how to download it, both with and without the App Store.

Feel confused about where and how to download the macOS Big Sur full installer? Don't worry! This post will help you make it clear with 4 easy-to-follow methods.

Go through this post and find the full installer direct download links or try the download methods you prefer.

macos big sur full installer download

Before macOS Big Sur Full Installer Download

1. Check macOS Big Sur Compatibility

The first and important thing you need to check before the macOS Big Sur full installer download is compatibility. Make sure your Mac is compatible with macOS Big Sur.

macOS Big Sur is compatible with these devices:

  • MacBook (2015 or later)
  • MacBook Air (2013 or later)
  • MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or later)
  • Mac mini (2014 or later)
  • iMac (2014 or later)
  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)
  • Mac Pro (2013 or later)

2. Clear Enough Space for macOS Big Sur Full Installer

macOS Big Sur installer is about 13 GB. Make sure there is more than 20 GB of free storage space on your Mac, or the full installer downloading process may not succeed. You may prefer a professional Mac cleaner rather than cleaning it manually to perform a quick Mac cleaning.

BuhoCleaner is here to help. With it, you can easily and quickly free up Mac space with its various cleaning features in minutes. For example, flash clean, duplicates clean, large file clean, app uninstall, etc.

Click the download button to explore this handy tool.

DownloadFor macOS 10.10 and above
100,000+ Satisfied Users Worldwide
Free up Mac Space with BuhoCleaner

How to Download macOS Big Sur Full Installer from the App Store

The official yet quickest way to download the macOS Big Sur full installer is from the App Store. The App Store offers macOS Big Sur 11 final full installer download (macOS Big Sur 11.7.10 full installer).

Here is how:

  1. Click macOS Big Sur on the Mac App Store link.
  2. Click the Get button to download the installer.
    macOS Big Sur installer in App Store
  3. Click the Download button while a window pops up asking you "Are you sure you want to download macOS Big Sur 11.7.10?".
  4. Once finished, you can find macOS Big Sur in the Finder's Applications folder.

How to Download macOS Big Sur Full Installer with Terminal

Terminal is also a helpful tool for Mac users to get the macOS full installer. Follow the steps below:

  1. Open Terminal via Spotlight.
  2. Copy and paste the following command:

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 11.7.10

Get macOS Big Sur installer via Terminal
  1. Press Return and wait for the scanning process.

How to Download macOS Big Sur Full Installer via macOS Download Tool

Here we have also tested a free macOS download tool for you - DownloadFullInstaller. As its name shows, this tool offers you various macOS full installers.

Here is how to get the full installer with this tool:

  1. Download macOS Big Sur Full Installer.
  2. Open the tool and you will see the macOS Big Sur full installer at the bottom.
  3. Click the download button.
    Download macOS Big Sur full installer in DownloadFullInstaller

Macs compatible with macOS Big Sur can easily download the full installer via the App Store or Terminal. However, some Mac users may be looking for a full installer suit for all Macs, including Macs that are not compatible with macOS Big Sur.

Here is how:

  1. Download macOS Big Sur InstallAssistant.pkg.
  1. Open the pkg file and follow the on-screen instructions to install InstallAssistant.
    Install macOS Big Sur InstallAssistant
  2. Once finished, you can find the macOS Big Sur full installer in Finder's Applications folder.
    macOS Big Sur full installer

Bonus: How to Create a Bootable Installer for macOS Big Sur

Some of you may want a quick guide for creating a bootable installer for macOS Big Sur after downloading the full installer.

Here is how:

  1. Prepare and connect a USB flash drive to your Mac. (more than 16GB)
  2. Erase and format your USB drive with Disk Utility: Open Disk Utility via Spotlight>Select your USB drive and click the Erase button>Select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format>Click Erase.
    how to format a USB drive
  3. Open Terminal via Spotlight and enter the command:
Tip
Replace MyVolume with your USB flash drive's name.

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

  1. Press Return and wait for the Terminal to say the install media is now available.

Conclusion

This post has provided you with 4 workable methods to download the macOS Big Sur full installer, choose one you prefer. if you find this post helpful, don't forget to share it with others.

Wendy Wu is a tech enthusiast with a deep passion for all things iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Wendy is always on the lookout for Apple products and is committed to providing Apple users with some of the latest information and useful tips.