macOS 10.12 Sierra Download: DMG & ISO Full Installer

This article is written in Canadian English and intended for readers in Canada.

macOS Sierra was released in September 2016 and represented an important update to Apple's Mac operating system. It introduced the macOS name for the first time, replacing OS X and aligning the Mac platform more closely with iOS, watchOS, and tvOS.

The release also brought several new features to Mac, including Siri support, the ability to copy content on one Apple device and paste it on another, and the Optimized Storage feature in iCloud Drive.

Although macOS Sierra is now an older version, there are still situations where macOS 10.12 may be required. These include compatibility with older software, hardware limitations, or personal preference. In such cases, you may need a macOS Sierra DMG for a Mac or a macOS Sierra ISO file for use in a virtual machine.

Before you can install the system, you must first download the full macOS 10.12 Sierra installer, either as a DMG or an ISO file. It is also important to understand how the installation process works.

If you are looking for installers for other macOS versions, you can access a collection of the latest macOS, OS X, and Mac OS X installers.

If you plan to install macOS Sierra on a Windows computer, you must download the macOS installer while using Windows.

Download macOS Sierra 10.12 DMG full installer [Direct link]

There are two main ways to download the macOS Sierra DMG file: directly from Apple's servers or from a reliable third-party source.

① Download macOS Sierra DMG from Apple's server

Unlike newer macOS releases that are distributed through the Mac App Store, macOS Sierra is only available as a disk image hosted on Apple's servers. As a result, access to the download is limited to Macs that support macOS 10.12.

To download the installer, you must use a Mac that is compatible with macOS Sierra. It is recommended to open the download link using Safari, as other browsers may not always prompt the download correctly.

② Download macOS Sierra DMG from archive.org

If you are using a Windows PC or a Mac that does not support macOS Sierra, you can download macOS 10.12 from archive.org. The platform provides access to the macOS Sierra DMG file for Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11, as well as macOS systems.

You may share these download links with others who need macOS 10.12.

Download macOS Sierra 10.12 ISO Full Installer [Direct Link]

To run macOS Sierra in a virtual machine on Windows or on unsupported Mac hardware, you will need the ISO version of the installer. Use the provided link to download the macOS 10.12 ISO file for use with VirtualBox or VMware.

Download macOS Sierra 10.12 ISO for VirtualBox/VMware

A macOS Sierra VMDK file is also available for virtual machine installations.

How to Create a Bootable USB Installer with macOS Sierra DMG?

A bootable USB installer is often required when performing a clean installation, upgrading or downgrading macOS, or setting up a virtual machine.

Use iBoysoft DiskGeeker to Create Boot Media

Instead of manually creating the bootable installer, you can use iBoysoft DiskGeeker to create macOS Sierra boot media with fewer steps.

Step 1: Download and install iBoysoft DiskGeeker.

Step 2: Select Create boot disk from the left-hand panel.

Step 3: Select your external storage device and click Select > Continue.

Step 4: Choose macOS 10.12 Sierra and click Create boot disk.

Once the installer is created, continue based on whether you are using a compatible Mac or a Windows PC.

Creating a macOS Sierra bootable installer is not supported on an incompatible Mac, although this restriction does not apply to macOS High Sierra or later versions.

If you are using a Windows PC, follow the guide for creating a macOS bootable USB from Windows.

Creating the installer manually on supported systems

If you are using a Hackintosh or a Mac that supports macOS High Sierra or later, the latest version of macOS Sierra, or OS X El Capitan, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Add the macOS Sierra installer to the Applications folder

Open InstallOS.dmg, then double-click InstallOS.pkg and follow the on-screen instructions. The installer will verify whether your Mac supports macOS Sierra before proceeding.

If the Mac is not compatible, the process will stop with an error message stating that macOS 10.12.6 cannot be installed on the computer.

Step 2: Format the USB storage device

Prepare an external drive with at least 8 GB of storage space. Be sure to back up the drive first, as formatting will erase all existing data.

Step 3: Create the macOS Sierra bootable installer using Terminal

After formatting the drive, open Terminal and run one of the following commands:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.apporsudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Enter your administrator password when prompted, confirm if required, and wait for the process to complete.

Step 4: Boot from the macOS Sierra USB installer

Insert the USB drive into the Mac you want to start. Power on the Mac and immediately hold the Option key until the startup volumes appear. Select the macOS Sierra installer and continue.

When the macOS Utilities window appears, choose Install macOS Sierra to begin the installation.

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Not enough space to download macOS Sierra 10.12 installer?

Downloading the macOS Sierra installer requires enough available storage space. To prevent download failures or installation errors, it is recommended to remove unnecessary files beforehand.

Disk cleaning tools such as iBoysoft DiskGeeker can help analyse your internal drive and display files and folders in descending order by size. This makes it easier to identify large or unused items and remove them efficiently.

You can also use the Clean Junk feature to locate and delete junk files, including app caches, log files, preference data, email files, and items in the Trash.

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FAQs about macOS 10.12 download