Mac Will Not Update

To get the latest features and maintain the security, stability, compatibility, and performance of your Mac, it's important to keep your software up to date. Apple recommends that you always use the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.

Update 2:14 PM ET: If you couldn’t tell already, Facebook’s apps and services are coming back online. Instagram and WhatsApp are now loading for us. Instagram and WhatsApp are now loading for us. While hiccups rarely occur while installing updates, it is always good to know what to do if a Mac update will not finish downloading. Hopefully, the above steps helped you to get the installation back on track. But if macOS update will not finish downloading even after attempting the. This will check for available updates, and download the latest software update on your computer. On some versions, this option may also be named Install Updates. Make sure your PC is up to date before updating Outlook 2010. If your Windows system is not up to date, you'll be taken to the Microsoft website. If you're having issues updating or installing Discord on your shiny Macintosh machine, we can help! Though not intentional, there are various issues that can cause the install or update.

While the issue with Big Sur was live on 12 November Apple had the following text on the site indicating that there was a problem: 'Users may not be able to download macOS Software Updates on Mac.

Learn how to upgrade to macOS Big Sur, the latest version of macOS.

Check compatibility

If a macOS installer can't be used on your Mac, the installer will let you know. For example, it might say that it's too old to be opened on this version of macOS, or that your Mac doesn't have enough free storage space for the installation.

To confirm compatibility before downloading, check the minimum requirements for macOS Catalina, Mojave, High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, or Yosemite. You can also find compatibility information on the product-ID page for MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook, iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Pro.

Make a backup

Before installing, it’s a good idea to back up your Mac. Time Machine makes it simple, and other backup methods are also available. Learn how to back up your Mac.

Download macOS

It takes time to download and install macOS, so make sure that you're plugged into AC power and have a reliable internet connection.

Safari uses these links to find the old installers in the App Store. After downloading from the App Store, the installer opens automatically.

macOS Catalina 10.15 can upgrade Mojave, High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks
macOS Mojave 10.14 can upgrade High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion
macOS High Sierra 10.13 can upgrade Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion

Safari downloads the following older installers as a disk image named InstallOS.dmg or InstallMacOSX.dmg. Open the disk image, then open the .pkg installer inside the disk image. It installs an app named Install [Version Name]. Open that app from your Applications folder to begin installing the operating system.

macOS Sierra 10.12 can upgrade El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion, or Lion
OS X El Capitan 10.11 can upgrade Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard
OS X Yosemite 10.10can upgrade Mavericks, Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard

Install macOS

Follow the onscreen instructions in the installer. It might be easiest to begin installation in the evening so that it can complete overnight, if needed.

If the installer asks for permission to install a helper tool, enter the administrator name and password that you use to log in to your Mac, then click Add Helper.

Please allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart, show a progress bar, or show a blank screen several times as it installs macOS and related firmware updates.

Learn more

You might also be able to use macOS Recovery to reinstall the macOS you're using now, upgrade to the latest compatible macOS, or install the macOS that came with your Mac.

Apple’s MacBook lineup is the perfect example of the company’s ‘It Just Works’ philosophy. Unlike iOS, macOS is open for more customization to end-users. For example, you can download and install an application from the Mac App Store and the web. I would advise sticking with the Mac App Store to download apps on the Mac for security and convenience. Installing software from the Mac App Store usually only takes a few clicks. But what happens when something goes wrong?

Sometimes you might run into issues while downloading apps from the Mac App Store. You might encounter files that say they’ve downloaded despite evidence to the contrary, or face verification errors or other installation difficulties.

Whether apps fail to download, you get errors while purchasing apps, or even experience App Store page, we'll show you how to solve common Mac App Stor downloading problems.

Before we start with troubleshooting steps, it’s always advisable to backup your Mac in case something goes off the tracks.

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1. Check Internet Connection

Most Mac apps range from hundreds of MBs to a couple of GBs. If you are using a slow or poor internet connection, you might encounter download issues on the Mac App Store. First, launch Safari or your preferred Mac browser and check if you can access any website without issues. If you can access several webpages on the browser, then your internet connection is fine. Otherwise, turn off your Mac's Wi-Fi and re-enable it.

Macbook Air Not Updating Os

You can also check Speedtest or Fast.com to check the current internet speeds. You can also reboot the Wi-Fi router or implement some of the Wi-Fi signal troubleshooting tips to boost your router's network signal.

2. Empty Mac App Store Temporary Download Cache Folder

You can try emptying the Mac App Store temporary download cache folder and try downloading the app again. Follow the steps below to empty the Mac App Store download cache folder.

Step 1: Go to the Apps folder and find the Terminal app. Alternatively, you can use Command + Space keys and search for Terminal.

Step 2: Copy the command below.

Step 3: It will open the Mac App Store download cache folder.

Step 4: Select them and move the folders to Trash.

Step 5: Once you’ve closed the folder, you can re-download any apps that were causing problems.

3. Force Quit Mac App Store

If your Macbook fails to download apps from the App Store, force quitting and relaunching the app can restore it to regular functionality. There are several ways to force quit the App Store on your Mac. Check them out below.

Use Keyboard Shortcut

The easiest way to Force Quit an active application (the App Store in this case) is using the Command + Option + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut. Hold these four keys together while the App Store window is open and the app and other related processes will be stopped till you relaunch it.

Use the Force Quit Applications Menu

Step 1: With the App Store window open in the foreground, tap the Apple icon on the menu bar, and select 'Force Quit' or 'Force Quit App Store.'

That will launch the 'Force Quit Applications' menu.

Step 2: Make sure the App Store is highlighted and tap the Force Quit button.

Step 3: Select Force Quit on the confirmation prompt to proceed.

Force Quit Using Activity Monitor

Step 1: Tap 'Command + Spacebar' to get launch the Spotlight search.

Step 2: Type Activity Monitor into the search field and double-tap Activity Monitor in the result pane.

Step 3: Select the App Store from the list of processes and tap the 'x' icon at the Activity Monitor's top-left corner.

Step 4: Select Force Quit from the pop-up.

You can check now if the downloading starts working again or not.

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4. Disable VPN

If your Mac is connected to a VPN, it will fail to download region-locked apps from the App Store. You can either shut down your VPN or modify your VPN's Split Tunneling settings to exclude the App Store.

5. Check Apple’s System Status Page

Sometimes the issue may not be a problem on your end. Check out Apple's System Status Page. Here, you can see information about the status of Apple's services, such as iCloud, the App Store, and more. If a particular service has a red icon next to it, then it's down.

In such cases, you have no option but to wait for Apple to fix the issue on their end.

6. Error While Purchasing Apps

You might see a peculiar 'We could not complete your purchase: Unknown Error' message when buying apps. This problem occurs when you use multiple Apple IDs.

Make sure to prefer the same Apple ID you used to purchase apps on the Mac App Store.

7. Update macOS

Mac App Store failing to download apps issue might be due to a buggy build released by Apple. Usually, the company is quick to troubleshoot such critical issues. You should go to the System Preferences menu and update macOS to the latest version.

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Start Downloading Apps Again

Go through the steps above and fix the Mac App Store’s problematic download behavior. Whenever I run into such issues, the Force Quit trick does the job for me. What about you? Which trick worked for you? Share your findings in the comments section below.

Next up:Looking to stay organized on your new Mac? Read the post below to find the best Mac apps to keep things organized.

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