The High Sierra installation package is distributed as a DMG (Disk Image) file, which is a compressed file format used by macOS. The DMG file contains the installation package and can be mounted as a virtual disk image on a Mac.

: Replaced the aging HFS+ as the default for flash storage . It provides 64-bit architecture , making common tasks like copying files nearly instantaneous, and adds native encryption and crash protection .

Designed to optimize SSD storage for better responsiveness.

Replaced the legacy HFS+ format. APFS optimizes flash/SSD storage, speeds up file copying, and includes built-in crash protection.

Click the macOS High Sierra 10.13 link. This will automatically open the App Store on your Mac.

Once you have the in your Applications folder, follow these steps: How to Download Full High Sierra Installer from App Store?

Apple delivers the official download as an .app file, not a .dmg . If your project specifically requires a DMG file (such as for a Windows-based virtual machine), you must convert the downloaded application using Terminal. How to Convert .app to .dmg: Open .

Once you get the legitimate installer via Apple’s support page:

Apple does officially provide public DMG downloads for old macOS versions. The safest and only legal method is to download from Apple via the App Store (if you’ve previously purchased it) or from Apple’s official support page for older installers.

hdiutil create -o /tmp/HighSierra -size 8000m -volname HighSierra -layout SPUD -fs HFS+J Use code with caution. Mount the newly created blank image to your system:

: Useful for downloading the full installer even on "unsupported" Macs. How to Create a Bootable USB (Terminal)