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Apple dropped support for my Mac Mini Late 2012 to upgrade to BigSur.

With it I can't download GarageBand (I already have iMovie) software compatible with my macOS version Catalina.

"We could not complete your purchase. Garage band can't be installed on because macOS version 11 or later is required."

Apple forums say you can't do it. SOL: I never purchased Garage Band for High Sierra 10.13.6 and now I would like to install it (MAR 2021)

What official (or unofficial) options do I have to download GarageBand for macOS unsupported in App Store?

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    I can see issues other than obtaining iLife itself [which was never free, btw] The apps themselves first were available with new Macs then totally free to download an any Mac [from 2017]. iLife [GB v6] itself will not run at all on Catalina, it's 32-bit. Trouble is, Apple have never supported 'retrospective' installs, though sometimes there's a workaround. You need GB 10.3.5 but I can't as yet figure out where you'd get that… still looking. The old 'trigger an update' trick you're looking for only ever worked to the latest version[which you can't run]
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Apr 3, 2021 at 14:22
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    support.apple.com/kb/DL1574?locale=en_US works for iMovie 9, not sure there is something similar for GB.
    – nohillside ♦
    Commented Apr 3, 2021 at 14:35
  • I've updated my question following Tetsujin's comment. GB is what I want to install and it is free. GB is included in iLife, but evidently not free in other contexts--which means I can't refer to the suite of apps as iLife and not cause confoosion.
    – xtian
    Commented Apr 3, 2021 at 14:41
  • The licensing and pricing of iLife and Garageband changed over time. According to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilife and macworld.com/article/209905/bundles-3.html it wasn't free in 2012 when you bought your Mac (unless you already had an earlier version of iLife and wanted to upgrade).
    – nohillside ♦
    Commented Apr 3, 2021 at 15:16
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    I did the 'fake' iLife method a lot of years ago - when it became free but only on new Macs. I've just tried again on a Mac with El Cap. App Store of course says 'needs macOS 11'. Copying in an old 6.0.5 [iLife version, I never throw anything away;) which will run on El Cap… App Store shows 'no updates'."Check for Updates" from within the app takes you to the main Apple web page, which goes to the App Store 'needs OS 11' & round we go again. I'm getting the feeling you're stuck.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Apr 3, 2021 at 15:33

4 Answers 4

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There are currently two entirely different GarageBand apps in the macOS App Store:

  1. GarageBand 6.0.5 aka GarageBand '11
    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/garageband-6-0-5/id408980954?mt=12
    This was the GarageBand app released with iLife '11 package back in 2010, in the 6.0.1-6.0.5 version range, and is probably what a lot of long-time Mac users have already. It is a 32-bit app and so won't work on 64-bit-only operating systems like macOS Catalina, Big Sur and Monterey.
    This app has the Package ID: com.apple.garageband
  2. GarageBand
    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/garageband/id682658836?mt=12
    This is the modern GarageBand app that was released with OS X 10.9 Mavericks back in 2013, currently in the 10.0.0-10.4.4 version range.
    This app has the Package ID: com.apple.garageband10

Because it has a different Package ID, GarageBand 10.x is not considered to be an upgrade from GarageBand 6.0.5 by the Mac App Store, but an entirely different app. If you never "purchased" the free GarageBand 10 app before Big Sur came out you're not going to be able to click the Get/Install buttons for it on Sierra-Catalina now due to the store validation logic throwing the error message:

We could not complete your purchase.

GarageBand can't be installed on "Macintosh SSD" because macOS version 11 or later is required.

To get around this you need to get some screen time on a Big Sur or Monterey system:

  • Open the Mac App Store there.
  • Sign In using your Apple ID.
  • Get/Install the GarageBand (10) app. You don't need to let the download finish, you can cancel it.
  • Sign Out of the App Store.

Back on your own Mac App Store (on Sierra through Catalina) you should be able to go to your App Purchase History (click on your Apple ID in the bottom-left corner of the window) to see the new GarageBand app at the top of the list, being your most recent purchase. You may need to Sign Out/Sign In a couple of times, or even reboot your Mac, but it should appear within a few minutes.

Now, there are two ways you cannot install GarageBand 10:

  1. You cannot click on the download button from the app Search results.
  2. You cannot click on the download button from the GarageBand app page.

If you try either of the above methods you'll be greeted with the same error message as earlier:

We could not complete your purchase.

GarageBand can't be installed on "Macintosh SSD" because macOS version 11 or later is required.

There's only one way to install it:

  • From the App Purchase History page click the download button.

You'll be greeted with a different dialog window:

Download an older version of GarageBand?

The current version requires macOS 11.0 or later, but you can download the last compatible version

Click the download button. On macOS Catalina when the download completes you'll have GarageBand 10.3.5, which is the last compatible version. GarageBand 10.4 and later require macOS Big Sur.

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I prefer the last option of another answer.

There's only one way to install it:

  • From the App Purchase History page click the download button.

Indicated " ...But you can download the last compatible version."

The other parts of that answer did not work for me on macOS 10.15.7 2012 mbp

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This warning is received for applications that have not been installed before. If you had installed it on previous version macOS it would allow not to install a compatible previous version. However, there is a solution.

So here's what needs to be done.

  1. Find a (close) friend with GarageBand installed on their macOS.
  2. Add him/her to your family group. (Apple Family Sharing)
  3. Open the App Store
  4. Click on your own profile
  5. You should see your own name in the Buyer section. Now click the arrow next to it and view your friend's account
  6. Find GarageBand and click the Download from iCloud icon

Another option is to log into your computer with your friend's Apple credentials. This solution also works for iPhones and iPads.

That's it. I hope that will be useful.

While it is possible to install an old version, I do not think it ethical to not offer the install older version option. In this case, someone who buys the old mac of someone who is not interested in music will have no choice but to be upset.

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  • We cannot condone stealing it.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Apr 23, 2022 at 22:37
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yes, for OSX Catalina, if you have ever downloaded and older version of Garagaband, open the app one your Mac and click on your name bottom-left with the 2-char prefix (MB in my case) and then manually scroll until you find Garageband and after download you get the option to "DOWNLOAD an older version" which will likely work

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    Commented Aug 9 at 7:56

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