Summary: This guide outlines where to download Mac OS X Lion, covering the full installer application, DMG image and ISO file. It also explains how to download OS X Lion or create a Lion bootable USB installer using iBoysoft DiskGeeker.
This article is written in Australian English and intended for readers in Australia.
Some users require a Lion installer to build a bootable USB for an older iMac that has been wiped. Unfortunately, this is now difficult, as Apple no longer distributes Lion through the Mac App Store, and the .pkg files that occasionally appear cannot be converted into a usable installer. In addition, Recovery Mode may not be available on certain older machines.
Likewise, you may need Mac OS X Lion 10.7 for a Mac that does not support newer macOS releases. Fortunately, this article provides direct download links for the Lion installer app, DMG file and ISO image.
Note: For further reading, see this walkthrough on different ways to download and install Mac OS X Lion: Mac Operating System Download & Install Guide.
Tips:To download OS X 10.7 Lion securely, using iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Mac is recommended. The software offers a bootable DMG for OS X Lion and other macOS versions and allows you to create a bootable USB installer with ease.
To download OS X Lion, follow these steps:
Step 1: Free download and launch iBoysoft DiskGeeker.
Step 2: Select Download Image from the left-hand panel.
Step 3: Choose OS X 10.7 Lion and click Get.
For more legacy versions of macOS, see: Download Old Mac OS Full Installers.
Mac OS X Lion installer download
There are very few sources that still provide the Lion installer in the .app format. Fortunately, a copy has been archived on Internet Archive. The file is a 3.5 GB ZIP archive named Install Mac OS X Lion.app.zip.
After downloading the ZIP file, extract it to obtain the application installer. You can then use this installer directly to create a Mac OS X Lion bootable USB.
Download Mac OS X Lion Installer
Mac OS X Lion DMG download
Another option is to download the OS X Lion DMG (.dmg) file for use as bootable installation media. A DMG file is a disk image that contains all the files required to install or upgrade to Mac OS X Lion. One advantage of this format is that it can be used to create bootable media on both macOS and Windows systems.
The official Mac OS X Lion DMG file is still hosted on Apple's servers. You can copy the link and open it in Safari to begin the download.
Once the download finishes, you can extract the installer and proceed to the section below to learn how to create a bootable Lion USB on a Mac. If you are using Windows, follow this guide instead: How to Create macOS Bootable USB from Windows 10/11.
To extract the Lion installer from the disk image, follow these steps (note that you must use a Mac that is compatible with Mac OS X Lion):
- Double-click the Mac OS X Lion DMG file to mount it.
- Open the .pkg file inside and follow the on-screen instructions to save the installer to the Applications folder.
You can share this information to help others download Mac OS X 10.7 Lion DMG for free.
Mac OS X Lion ISO download
If you plan to install Mac OS X Lion on a Windows PC, you will need the ISO file instead. ISO files are disk images that work with virtual machine software such as VirtualBox, VMware and Parallels Desktop.
Mac OS X Lion ISO download (Mediafire)
Mac OS X Lion ISO download (Google Drive)
Credits go to techrechard.com.
How to make a Mac OS X Lion Bootable USB?
Note: As mentioned earlier, iBoysoft DiskGeeker allows you to create a bootable USB installer for OS X Lion with minimal effort. Follow the steps below:
Step 1: Download and install iBoysoft DiskGeeker.
Step 2: Click Create boot disk in the Shortcut section.
Step 3: Select your external drive and click Select > Continue.
Step 4: Choose OS X 10.7 Lion and click Create boot disk.
Step 5: Wait while the bootable USB installer is created.
If the Lion installer is already located in your Applications folder, you can also create the bootable USB manually by following these steps:
- Connect a USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of free space to your Mac.
- Open Disk Utility.
- Click View > Show All Devices.
-
Select the physical USB disk and click Erase (this removes all existing data).
- Name the drive MyVolume.
- Set the format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
- Choose GUID Partition Map.
- Click Erase.
- Open Terminal.
- Enter the command below and press Enter:sudo /Applications/Install\ Mac\ OS\ X\ Lion.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ Mac\ OS\ X\ Lion.app
- Enter your administrator password and press Enter.
- Type Y to confirm that you want to erase the volume and press Return.
- Wait until you see the message "Install media now available at".
- Safely eject the Lion bootable USB.
Once the bootable media is ready, you can start your Mac from the external drive to install macOS.
Also read: Free Download Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Full Installer, DMG & ISO