How to Install Older Versions of QGIS
What you'll learn
- Specific cases where you need an older version of QGIS
- How to install older versions of QGIS on Windows and Mac
- Things to keep in mind when using an older version
Recommended for
- Anyone who wants to use a plugin that is not compatible with the latest QGIS
- Anyone whose project requirements call for a specific QGIS version
- Anyone who wants to use the SAGA tools that were removed in QGIS 3.30 and later
Introduction
QGIS keeps evolving, and regular updates continually improve its features. In real work, however, you cannot always use the latest version. If a plugin you use in a specific project does not support the latest version, or you need to stay compatible with an existing workflow, you may have to keep using an older version of QGIS.
This article covers when you need an older version of QGIS and the steps to install one.
When you need an older version of QGIS
Plugin compatibility
Some plugins are guaranteed to work only with specific QGIS versions. Updating QGIS to the latest version can therefore cause bugs in a plugin.
In that case, the most reliable fix is to use an older version of QGIS in which the plugin works correctly.
To help improve the plugin, report the bug to its developer. In the plugin manager, select the plugin and click bug tracker.
Using SAGA tools
QGIS used to ship with SAGA GIS (System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses), an open-source GIS application, as a standard component. SAGA GIS offers a rich set of tools specialized for terrain and hydrological analysis, and many users have relied on it.
However, because of compatibility issues between QGIS and SAGA GIS versions, SAGA tools have been removed from the Processing Toolbox in QGIS 3.30 and later.
How to install an older version on Windows
Download the installer
The QGIS download page lists only the latest version and the long-term release (LTR) version. To get an older version, click Archive in the menu.
Then select QGIS.org hosted downloads to reach the download page for older QGIS installers.
The list of QGIS installers appears. Open the windows folder at the top of the page.
The windows folder contains installers for every version, from QGIS 0.1 to the latest.
Windows installers have the extension .msi or .exe. Click the version you want (3.28.15 in this example) to start the download.
Install and launch
When the download finishes, move on to the installation. A major advantage of QGIS is that you can install multiple versions side by side on one PC.
This means you can use an older version and the latest version at the same time, without uninstalling the version you currently use as your main one. You can switch versions depending on the project or plugin, so you keep your work running and can still try new features.
For details on installing multiple versions, see the following article.
Installing an older version of QGIS follows basically the same flow as installing the latest version. You can use the same steps as the standard QGIS installation described in the following article.
After the installation, type “QGIS” in the Start menu or the search bar to confirm that the older version is installed.
How to install an older version on Mac
Download the installer
The QGIS download page lists only the latest version and the LTR version. To get an older version, click Archive in the menu.
Then select QGIS.org hosted downloads to reach the download page for older QGIS installers.
The list of QGIS installers appears. Open the macos folder at the top of the page.
The macos folder contains several more folders. This example downloads a point release (PR) of version 3.28.15, so open the pr folder.
There you can find and download the .dmg installer file for version 3.28.3.
Install and launch
When the download finishes, move on to the installation. A major advantage of QGIS is that you can install multiple versions side by side on one PC.
This means you can use an older version and the latest version at the same time, without uninstalling the version you currently use as your main one. You can switch versions depending on the project or plugin, so you keep your work running and can still try new features.
For details on installing multiple versions, see the following article.
Installing an older version of QGIS follows basically the same flow as installing the latest version. You can use the same steps as the standard QGIS installation described in the following article.
After the installation, open the Applications folder from Finder. If QGIS.app is listed, the older version of QGIS is installed.
Notes on installing an older version on Mac
Notes on downloading the installer
The structure of the Mac installer folders is a little confusing, so keep the following in mind. The root folder of the QGIS installers has no .dmg files directly in it. To reach the Mac installers, open the macOS or macos folder.
The macOS folder contains installers for versions 2.14 to 3.8.
The macos folder contains installers for version 3.20 and later. Long-term releases (LTR) are in the ltr folder, and regular releases are in the pr folder.
In other words, Mac installers are not available for versions 3.10 to 3.18 or for versions before 2.14.
Notes on installing
On Mac, the application name does not include the version number. For an LTR version, for example, the application is named QGIS-LTR.app. If a version is already installed, Finder shows a warning: “Do you want to replace it with the older one you’re copying?” To keep your latest QGIS version, click the Keep Both button.
When the installation finishes, the older version appears in the Applications folder as QGIS-LTR 2.app.
To avoid confusion, it is a good idea to rename the application to something like QGIS-LTR 3.xx.app.
Notes on using an older version
Plugin compatibility
If you install an older version, plugins that are not compatible with it stop working. The plugin manager shows these plugins in red.
OS compatibility
An older version may not be compatible with your current OS. For example, QGIS 2.14 was released in the Windows 8 era, and its operation on the latest Windows (Windows 11 at the time of writing) has not been officially confirmed. Unexpected problems may occur, so use it with care.
Conclusion
This article explained how to install older versions of QGIS. Choose the version you need from the QGIS download archive page and install it as usual, and you can use an older version without trouble.
QGIS supports installing multiple versions side by side, so you can keep your current environment and use an older version when you need it. Choose the version that fits your project requirements and keep your GIS work running efficiently.
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