Is it possible to download macOS updates to install later?

Question

Level 7

22,428 points

Is it possible to download macOS updates to install later?

That's it . . . I want to simply download the update file to keep and use later. I don't want it to install until I am ready.

Can it be done and if so, how do I do it?

Mac mini, macOS 14.6

Posted on Oct 20, 2024 5:59 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 20, 2024 7:16 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.

Click the Information icon ⓘ to the right of Automatic updates.

Switch ON 'Check for updates'.

Switch ON 'Download new updates when available'.

Switch OFF 'Install macOS updates'.

Click 'Done' and then exit.

Your computer will download macOS updates but will not install them until you tell it to by selecting the update from the list of available updates that it presents later.

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Answer 2

lanstrad1

Level 2

480 points

Oct 20, 2024 7:16 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

You absolutely don’t need to let macOS updates or upgrades install automatically. I believe there is an option to download only.

You can opt NOT TO install updates automatically. (And in the case you do so, for instance new macOS versions, why would you download if the idea is to wait and see ? That downloaded version may just take space for no reason and the update you will finally install might be different.

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

82,714 points

Oct 21, 2024 7:52 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Depending on your internet speed and how busy the Apple Servers are, a 10 to 15 minutes download is not uncommon.

It is common for a Mac to restart several times during an update or upgrade. Generally I hit the install button, then go make cup of coffee and get something to snack on.

We do not run a lot of third-party app's or utilities on our Mac mini's.

The 2018 Mac mini took about 20 min to initially upgrade to 15 Sequoia and about 15 min to update to 15.0.1.

The 2020 M1 Mac mini took about 18 min to initially upgrade to 15 Sequoia and about 12 min to updated to 15.0.1.

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Answer 4

den.thed

Level 10

82,714 points

Oct 21, 2024 8:59 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Ian R. Brown wrote:

They haven't done until this one.

I'm not sure why that one would have taken longer.

As I said, usually I can erase the SSD and do a clean install of the OS in well under an hour.

If I was to do that, then I would spend another hour or more moving the 300+ GB of my user data back into the clean install.

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Answer 5

Ian R. Brown Author

Level 7

22,428 points

Oct 21, 2024 9:42 AM in response to den.thed

No, there's a whole bunch of people who had the same experience.

It was an "unusual" update.

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Answer 6

den.thed

Level 10

82,714 points

Oct 20, 2024 7:38 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Yes you can.

However, keep in mind that the update could quickly go stale the way Apple releases updates.

Plus you may continually be hounded by a pop-up wanting to install the update on your system.

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Answer 7

Ian R. Brown Author

Level 7

22,428 points

Oct 20, 2024 10:56 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I actually did what was suggested before posting my question and the download went ahead. After it had supposedly downloaded I got a message saying "Processing . . . 20 minutes". Some time later the progress bar was in exactly the same place as though it was stuck.

So I eventually aborted it.

However, the wording did give me the impression that it was going to automatically install if it hadn't stuck. I could be wrong. I may give it another go tomorrow.

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Answer 8

Ian R. Brown Author

Level 7

22,428 points

Oct 21, 2024 4:32 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

OK so I have managed to update from Sonoma 14.6.1 to 14.7 but what a palaver!

The whole process took an hour . . . about 15 minutes to download and the rest with the "Preparing updates " message stuck on 20 minutes for about 20 minutes whereupon it suddenly decided it would restart the computer and install the update. No asking whether I was ready to install. Just under 20 minutes later it had finished. Phew!

I can do a clean install of a new macOS in that time!

A web search revealed a lot of other people with the stuck at 20 minutes phenomenon.

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Answer 9

Ian R. Brown Author

Level 7

22,428 points

Oct 21, 2024 8:32 AM in response to den.thed

I'm not complaining about the download speed as that is dependent on my broadband but the time it took to install was ridiculous, though apparently similar to others with that particular update.

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