Upgrade to Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 without losing data [2024 Tutorial]

“I know the official update is outdated, but can I still upgrade to El Capitan?” “How do I upgrade to El Capitan? I am using Yosemite. Is there any way to upgrade from Yosemite to El Capitan?”

The 3 steps to install the Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 update

On this page, we have gathered the complete process of how to upgrade to Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 without losing any data. Follow this guide to easily download and install Mac OS X 10.11.6 on your computer:

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This article also applies to upgrading from macOS Mojave or High Sierra to the latest macOS Big Sur. You might also be interested in updating and installing macOS.

What is "Mac OS X El Capitan"?

El Capitan, officially known as Mac OS X 10.11.6, was an operating system that served as a bridge between Yosemite and macOS Sierra. It was released on July 18, 2015.

Here are the new features in Mac OS X 10.11.6 for most users of older versions of Mac OS X. You might want to download and install this system on your Mac:

• Multitasking support
• Better performance
• Enhanced user experience
• Available for free download

With these steps, anyone can upgrade their Mac to El Capitan.

1. Check if Your Mac is Eligible for the Upgrade to El Capitan

Before upgrading your existing Mac OS X to El Capitan 10.11.6/10.11.2, check if your Mac is eligible to download and install the new El Capitan. Refer to the list below to see if your device or OS X version is qualified to get the new update:

Supported Mac devices:

- iMac (mid 2007 or later) - MacBook (aluminum late 2008, early 2009 or later) - MacBook Pro (mid 2007 or later) - MacBook Air (late 2008 or later) - Mac mini (early 2009 or later) - Mac Pro (early 2008 or later) - Xserve (early 2009)

For OS X El Capitan:

• OS X Yosemite v10.10
• OS X Mavericks v10.9
• OS X Mountain Lion v10.8
• OS X Lion v10.7
• Mac OS X Snow Leopard v10.6.8

If yours is, proceed with the steps below to get your Mac ready for the El Capitan update.

2. Preparing Your Mac for El Capitan

Let's see how to get your Mac all set for the new El Capitan 10.11.6 update, and others, to come. If this is your first time updating your Mac OS X, pay close attention to the tips below:

#1. Hardware Requirements

• Ensure your Mac has at least 2 GB of RAM and 8.8 GB of storage space available
• Your Mac's battery should be charged to at least 45%
• Connect your Mac to the internet or a Wi-Fi network
• Update all applications on your Mac to their latest versions

#2. Back up all your important Mac data to an external hard drive

It's extremely important to backup crucial data to an external storage device for Mac, which can certainly help avoid data loss issues caused by upgrading Mac OS X.

You can choose either of the following two options:

• Option 1: Back up all your data with Time Machine

1. Connect your external hard drive to your Mac. 2. Click the Apple menu, select "System Preferences," then click "Time Machine." 3. Click "Select Backup Disk..." and choose your external hard drive as the backup disk.

• Solution 2: Back up all your Mac data with reliable Mac backup software

For a step-by-step guide, see: How to Backup Mac Without Time Machine.

If you forget to back up your data, reliable Mac data recovery software like Data Recovery Wizard is the best tool to help you get your lost data back.

Now, you can upgrade your existing Mac OS X to El Capitan, as described in this tutorial.

3. Update to macOS El Capitan (download OS X 10.11.6)

You can now update your Mac OS X to El Capitan. Upgrade to El Capitan easily by following the guide below:

#1. Download and install Mac OS X from the Mac App Store

Step 1: Go to the Mac App Store and search for El Capitan.

Step 2: Click “Download” to get El Capitan.

Step 3: Click Continue, and then follow the installer's instructions to install El Capitan.

#2 Download El Capitan 10.11.6 manually from Apple

You can also download El Capitan or a newer version of macOS from the Apple Support website, and install it on your Mac.

Download El Capitan from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT211683

Once the download is complete, the El Capitan installer will launch automatically. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to install Mac OS X 10.11.6 on your Mac computer.

Please note that the upgrade to El Capitan should not take long. Wait for the installation of El Capitan to finish on your Mac.

You might also be interested in:

If you have a problem while updating Mac OS X or macOS, don't worry. Click on the appropriate troubleshooting guide below for steps to resolve the issue on your own.

Guide to Fix macOS Update and Installation Issues

When you come across macOS update not found, failed macOS or Mac OS X update issues, stay calm. Follow this guide to install the required macOS or Mac OS X on your Mac.

Additional Tip: Recover Lost Data After Upgrading to El Capitan 10.11.6

If you didn't create a backup before updating to Mac OS X El Capitan and lost some important Mac files in the process, your last hope would be to resort to a reliable Mac data recovery software.

Here, you can download the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool to get back all the lost files after macOS or Mac OS X update.

It is fully compatible with all Mac OS X versions like El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, and the latest macOS High Sierra, Mojave, etc.

Download now and follow the instructions to recover data lost due to El Capitan update:

Note: You can create a backup by clicking Disk Backup on the left first. You can then restore data from the backup image when the disk is damaged or data on the disk is accidentally deleted or lost.

Step 1: Choose a location

Select the disk from which you lost data after upgrading to macOS Sonoma/Ventura/Monterey/Big Sur, and then click “Scan for Lost Files.”

Step 2. Look for the Lost Data after Scanning

Mac Data Recovery Wizard immediately scans the disk volume you select and displays the scan results in the left pane. You can use file types and file paths to locate the data you need on your Mac.

Step 3: Recover Data after macOS Update

Select the target files that were accidentally lost during or after the update, and click the "Restore" button to get them all back.

What else can the Data Recovery Wizard do for you?

Aside from macOS update file recovery, Data Recovery Wizard also specializes in retrieving lost data for Mac users under complicated circumstances, such as:

• Data deletion
• Mac hard drive formatting
• Damaged storage device
• Mac system crash
• Reinstallation of Mac OS X

If your Mac is too old to upgrade to macOS High Sierra, you should upgrade to El Capitan right now.

If your Mac won't update to OS X El Capitan, don't worry. Check this article to see if your computer is eligible for this operating system.

If so, download and install this excellent system to upgrade your Mac right away. If you lost some files in the process, don't worry; use a Data Recovery Wizard tool to get them back.

It's your turn now, go and get it.

Frequently Asked Questions about Upgrading to Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6

Read the following Q&A for more information about upgrading to OS X El Capitan 10.11.6.

1. Is macOS El Capitan 10.11.6 still supported?

Apple has ended support for macOS El Capitan. It has been superseded by Sierra 10.12, High Sierra 10.13, and the current version of macOS 13 Ventura.

Can I update to OS X El Capitan 10.11.6?

If you're running macOS 10.11 or later, you should be able to upgrade to at least macOS 10.15 Catalina. To check if your computer can run macOS 13 Ventura, review Apple's compatibility information and follow the instructions to download and install macOS Ventura.

3. What's the oldest Mac that can run El Capitan?

These Mac computers are compatible with OS X El Capitan:

- (Early 2015) MacBook - (Late 2008 aluminum, or Early 2009 and later) MacBook - (Mid/late 2007 or later) MacBook Pro - (Late 2008 or later) MacBook Air - (Early 2009 or later) Mac mini - (Mid 2007 or later) iMac - (Early 2008 or later) Mac Pro - (Early 2009) Xserve