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How to Download OS X 10.11 El Capitan on Your Mac

A MacBook displaying a wellness article and a messaging conversation.

For those unwilling to wait until the Fall for the official release of Apple's latest Mac OS X, El Capitan, you can sign up for the public beta today and get it sometime this summer. If that's still not soon enough for you, there is a way to get it on your Mac right now.

OS X El Capitan promotional image featuring a scenic mountain landscape.

Sign Up for the Developer Program

If you want early access, you'll need to be a developer. To sign up, go to the iOS Developer Program page and sign up for $99/year.

iOS Developer Program advertisement with enrollment information.

Download OS X 10.11

Once you're in the Developer Program, navigate to the "Resources" page and select OS X.

Resources for creating apps and accessories for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

On the OS X page, select "Download" in the top right corner.

OS X El Capitan development page with a highlighted button.

Before you click "Download OS X v10.11 Developer beta," it's important to note that your Mac will need to currently be running OS X v10.6.7 Snow Leopard or later and also have at least 8 GB of free disk space.

Download link for OS X v10.11 Developer beta.

Install OS X 10.11 El Capitan

Once you do click the download link, you'll be forwarded to the Mac App Store where you will redeem your code and begin the installation of El Capitan.

Apple gift cards graphic with code entry prompt.

Only one code is permitted per account, so don't run the El Capitan installer just yet. If it automatically launches, close out of it and proceed to our guide on creating a bootable install USB drive of El Capitan in case you want to install it on more than one computer.

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Apple's iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 updates are packed with new features, and you can try them before almost everyone else. First, check our list of supported iPhone and iPad models, then follow our step-by-step guide to install the iOS/iPadOS 26 beta — no paid developer account required.

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