Jun 08, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
The process involves a simple Terminal command, and allows you to continue using your Mac as the update downloads and the initial software installation takes place in the background.
May 05, 2017 4 Ways to Resolve Mac Freezes During an Software Update Issue Whenever there is an issue with your software installation, you will see the screen getting stuck with an Apple logo. The status bar showing the progress of the software installation will also be stuck in one place. 5 hours ago Other than the Apple Watch’s method, no additional connectivity is required other than basic Wi-Fi. Here’s how you can update all of your Apple devices: On a Mac. The process involves a simple Terminal command, and allows you to continue using your Mac as the update downloads and the initial software installation takes place in the background. Oct 18, 2019 If any updates are available, click the Update Now button to install them. Or click ”More info” to see details about each update and select specific updates to install. When Software Update says that your Mac is up to date, the installed version of macOS and all of its apps are also up to date.
Well, macOS latest version - Mojave is eventually available out there to download and install. Fortunately, updating Mac to its latest version is a truly easy, straightforward and free process. More importantly, the update process doesn’t take as much time as it takes before. Before you try to update your Mac software, we suggest you to read this article.
There are various things you need to know before you update so that everything goes smoothly while and after updating. In this article, we have covered all the things you need to know when it comes to Apple Mac software update.
Part 1: Reasons for Mac Software Update:
Have you ever wondered why it is always recommended that you should update your Mac software? Well, there are a number of reasons for this. Plus, there are a lot of situations when there is a requirement for updating Mac software. So, why upgrading Mac is so important? Here, we are going to mention the reasons you need to know:
- Security - As you also know that the new update always brings some enhancements and improvements, particularly with respect to security. Also, the new update fixes bugs and other issues you’re experiencing in your current Mac software.
- High-Efficiency Video Coding - With updated software on Mac, you can have new video standard i.e. HEVC. This new video standard is capable of preserving up to 4k resolution and at the same time, reduces file size up to 40%. Thus, it enables you to save a lot of high-quality videos on the Mac.
- Updated Photos - The latest macOS version brings a lot of advanced and interesting editing tools in the built-in Photos app for Mac. So, this will easily provide your pictures a great look and also, helps in organizing pictures in an efficient manner on Mac.
- Siri on Mac - macOS Sierra and above brings Siri, a virtual assistant to the Mac along with some new features designed mainly for desktop. On Mac, Siri is your intelligent personal virtual assistant that helps you multitask to do things easily.
- Updated Safari - With new and latest macOS version, Safari will help to keep you interest activities hidden and secure from advertisers automatically. Plus, you can prevent videos from playing automatically so to enhance browsing speed and experience.
As you can see that there are a lot of benefits to getting the latest Mac software update. If you are ready to update your Mac software, then continue reading this post.
Part 2: Preparations Before Mac Software Update
Before you update Mac, here is what you actually need to do in order to get your Mac computer ready for the software update.
1: Check Your Mac Compatibility:
Checking the Mac compatibility is one of the most crucial things you need to do before you begin with the software update process. Keep in mind that if you attempt to update your Mac software to incompatible macOS, then you can experience some problems and issues later.
Let’s take an instance - the apps quit unexpectedly, Mac doesn’t complete the starting up procedure, and much more. Thus, you need to check your Mac OS for latest macOS version compatibility. Following Mac model can be upgraded to the latest version - macOS Mojave:
- MacBook - early 2015 or newer
- MacBook Air - mid 2012 or newer
- MacBook Pro - mid 2012 or newer
- Mac mini - late 2012 or newer
- iMac - late 2012 or newer
- iMac Pro - 2017
- Mac Pro - mid 2010 or newer.
2: Backup Software Files:
It is advisable to backup your data before you start the upgrade process. It is also one of the most important things to do when it comes to the Mac software update.
Wonder how to backup software files on Mac? Well, you can easily create back up of your Mac data using Time Machine hard drive or third-party hard drive. Else, you can transfer or save your important software files to external hard drive before upgrading.
3: Check Mac Storage:
The next step is to check your Mac storage as you need enough space on the Mac in order to update its software without any trouble. Thus, ensure that you are having at least 12.5 GB of free storage and at least 2GB of memory on the Mac.
4: Check the Internet Connection:
Generally, macOS update problems and issues occur due to the weak and unstable internet connection. Thus, if you want to avoid these problems during your upgrade process, make sure that you have a reliable and strong internet connection. Otherwise, you are sure to experience connectivity issues during the process.
These are the few things you need to do before you perform the latest Mac software update. Once ensuring all the above things, you can finally move to the main part i.e. how to update your Mac software.
Part 3: How to Update Mac Software:
Well, there is no doubt that macOS updates enhance the performance, security, and stability of your Mac and it includes updates for iTunes, Safari and other applications that are present in your macOS. So, let’s begin to learn the Mac software update process thoroughly.
1: Mac Software Update from App Store:
If you are using an earlier Mac OS, such as macOS Sierra, or earlier, then all you need to do is to follow the below steps to keep your Mac up to date.
Step 1: To start with, run the App Store app on your Mac.
Step 2: Next, you need to click on the “Updates” option in the App Store toolbar.
Step 3: Now, click on the “Update” buttons in order to download and install updates if they are available for your Mac system.
Adobe flash player is a special app on Mac. How to update Flash Player on Mac.
If the App Store on your Mac displays no more updates, then your macOS version and all applications are already up to date.
2: Enable the Automatic Software Update:
Do you want that your Mac download updates automatically in the future? If so, then you can easily do that. All you need to do is to enable automatic software update option to stop yourself from downloading updates manually on your Mac.
Follow the below steps on how to turn on automatic software update on Mac:
Step 1: To start with, select “Apple Menu” and then, go to the “System Preferences”.
Step 2: Here, tap “App Store” and then, choose “Download newly available updates in the background”.
Now, your Mac system will notify or alert you when any updates are available to download and install. Thus, there is now no need to check manually if updates are available to install.
3: Install APP Update without APP Store:
Do you want to install updates for those apps you don’t come from the App Store? If so, then here are some ways you can try to install app update without app store.
- Update within the app if available - A lot of apps you download from discs or websites come with a built-in update option. You can find one in the File or Help menus. Next, follow the instructions to check for and download and install any updates that are available.
- Update via the developer’s website - Some app developers do post patches for their applications on their websites. So, go to the homepage for the app you want to update and then, check either the “Downloads” or “News” section to check if a new version is available to download and install.
- Download and install the new version - Well, there are a lot of apps you install from online sources don’t come with update options. Instead, they have to be installed freshly with their latest version.
Here is how you can do that:
Step 1: Download and install the installer for the latest version of the application from its official website.
Step 2: Drag your already existing application to the Trash from Applications folder to delete it.
Step 3: Finally, you need to run the installer you downloaded and then, drag the app to the Application folder to install its latest version.
4: Upgrade to the Latest Mac OS Version:
Wonder how to update the software on Mac to the latest Mac OS version? Well, it is easy and free to do. Follow the below steps to learn the update process:
Step 1: To begin with, run the App Store app on your Mac.
Step 2: Then, look for the page in the app for the latest version of Mac OS. This will generally appear at the top of the tab called “Featured”. If it is not, then you will see it at the top of the section “Quick Links” located at the right of the Featured page.
Step 3: Now, tap on the “Download” button to start downloading and installing the upgrade.
Step 4: Next, launch the “Install latest Mac OS” application in your Applications directory and follow the instructions to install the upgrade.
5: Get Updates for macOS Mojave:
Now, how to get updates for macOS Mojave? Well, you can easily check for any system updates available on your Mac and all you need to do is to follow the below steps: Free engineering design software for mac.
Step 1: To start with, go to the “Apple Menu” and then, open the “System Preferences”.
Step 2: Next, click on the “Software update” option and if any updates are ready to download, click on the “Update Now” button to download and install them.
Part 4: How to Recover Missing Files on Mac?
After Mac update software, you can experience terrible problems such as missing or lost files after the update process. There are a number of causes behind the missing files when updating macOS, for instance, haven’t created a backup with Time Machine, the new software installed interruptedly, insufficient storage space, etc.
What if you still lose your important files even after taking all precautions to avoid missing files situation? Then, you need dedicated data recovery software like Recoverit Mac Data Recovery that can help you get back lost data with ease. So, try this data recovery solution and recover your lost, missing or deleted files with a high recovery rate. It has a click-through and simple recovery process that will take a few moments to complete the entire process.
To learn how to recover missing files on Mac, download Recoverit data recovery on your Mac and then, follow the below steps:
Step 1: Select a location
Install and run the software and next, you need to choose a location on your Mac where you think you lost your files. Next, click on the “Start” button to continue.
Step 2: Scan the location
Now, the software will begin with the scan process to look for the lost or missing files on your selected location.
Step 3: Preview and recover missing files
In a while, the software will show the scanned results and you can preview files. Finally, select the desired ones and then, click on the “Recover” button to get back your files.
Conclusion:
We hope that you now got a clear idea about how to do a software update on Mac. Here, you will find everything you need to know about updating the software on your Mac. This guide has also provided the solution to get missing files after the update in the form of Recoverit data recovery for Mac.
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Our resident Mac Help guru, Peter Cohen, previously told us about the 'Other' storage category on Mac computers and what it catalogs: In short, you're seeing space taken up by plug-ins, documents, and caches stored by OS X.
It's worth noting that these files aren't normally harmful or wasteful to your computer's system; most are intended to help your Mac run efficiently, and ideally, you shouldn't ever have to clear out your Other files. Unfortunately, they can quickly clog up a computer low on storage — especially if you're storing a large number of iPhone or iPad backups.
Whether you're looking to free up space on your hard drive or just want to do some spring cleaning, here are some simple steps to get your Mac free and clear.
A note on what happened to 'Other' space in macOS Sierra and higher
When Apple added its storage management feature to macOS Sierra, called Optimize Storage, it reorganized what 'other' storage is and where it's located on the Mac. Much of it has been divided out through other categories so it's easier to find and remove.
The 100GB of Other storage I used to carry on my iMac is whittled down to just 5GB. You can still clean out old and unnecessary content from your Mac with macOS Sierra and High Sierra by using Optimized Storage. It's just a little easier to find those unused files than it was before.
A lot of the features of Optimized Storage remove content from your Mac and store them in iCloud. If you're concerned with how much storage you're using up in iCloud, you can customize or disable some Optimized Storage features to keep a balance between what's on your Mac and what's in iCloud.
What's this 'Purgeable' category all about?
If you check your system storage graph in macOS, you'll probably discover a category called Purgeable. This is part of Apple's Optimized Storage service. When you move your Documents into iCloud (part of the Store in iCloud component) and your hard drive gets low on storage, only recently opened files are kept on your Mac. Older documents are stored in iCloud, while a shortcut icon is kept on your Mac (files are automatically re-downloaded to your Mac as soon as you open them). The Purgeable files are what Optimized Storage will move to iCloud and delete from your hard drive only if your hard drive starts to get full. Purgeable files also include caches and temporary files that used to fit into the Other category, which will also be deleted as your hard drive starts to fill up.
Though your Other storage might have been spread out across categories in macOS Sierra and higher, you can still follow the below steps to manually clean up your Mac and get rid of unnecessary files.
How to check your storage space on your Mac
If you are concerned with how much storage space you have remaining on your Mac computer, you can check its usage folder to see how much space each category is taking up, including Other.
- Click on your desktop or the Finder icon from the Dock.
- Select the Apple Menu icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Click on About This Mac.
- Select Storage.
Your Mac breaks down its storage categories as follows: Apps, Movies, Photos, Audio, Backups, and — that annoying, undescriptive category — Other.
How to remove cached files
Now that you know how much space your Other files are taking up, it's time to reduce their footprint on your Mac. You can start by removing items you don't need, including caches for your web browser, saved Apple Music streams, and photo previews.
A note on deleting cache folders: You only want to delete old and unnecessary files, as current cache files store your preferences. We strongly recommend only deleting cache files from old apps.
- Click on your desktop or select the Finder icon from the Dock.
- Select the Go menu in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Click on Go to Folder.
- Type ~/Library/caches into the text box. A list of caches from active apps will appear on your desktop.
- Select the app folder you wish to remove the cache from.
- Right-click (or control-click) on the app folder.
- Select Move to Trash.
How to remove downloaded files
Chances are, your Downloads folder is stuffed with Other-type files, including installer packages, documents, and folders you have already made copies of somewhere else. If you want to make some room on your Mac, it may be time to clean out your Downloads folder.
- Click on your desktop or select the Finder icon from the Dock.
- Select the Go menu in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Click on Downloads.
- Select the file you wish to remove.
- Right-click (or control-click) on the file.
- Select Move to Trash.
If you want to save a file from the Downloads folder but don't want it clogging your drive, consider moving it to an external hard drive or flash drive, or uploading it to an online storage option like Dropbox.
How to delete old device backups in iTunes
If you tend to get new iOS devices fairly regularly, you may have unnecessary device backups stored on your computer via iTunes. Backups take up 4-5GB each, on average; there's no need to hold on to older device backups if you no longer have the device or have it stored in iCloud.
Third-party software that can help
While you don't need any third-party app to 'clean' your Mac, there are some very handy system access tools out there that make it easier to regularly remove unwanted files.
CleanMyMac 3
With CleanMyMac, you have easy access to a list of features that help you keep your Mac free of unnecessary junk. It scans your entire system and recommends files you should delete based on how old they are and whether they are considered unnecessary to your workflow. It's a lot like Apple's Optimized Storage, but with a few additional features. My favorite is the recommendation to delete all content related to an application. Sometimes, you'll end up with a couple of files left behind by an app when you delete it. CleanMyMac provides a one-button purge of everything associated with that app.
DaisyDisk
How To Update Mac Software 2019
DaisyDisk scans your Mac and gives you a pie chart that makes it easy to see what files are using up the most space. You can identify files that are in the Other storage category and drag them to the delete box.
Onyx
Onyx is a robust Mac system access tool that, in-part, can delete caches, logs, temporary items, and other files that find their way into the Other storage category.
Cocktail
Cocktail is another useful system access tool that you can use to clear caches, purge memory, and manage hidden Apple app settings, which might be automatically sending files into the Other category abyss.
Questions?
Still having trouble with Other? Let us know in the comments.
Updated June, 2018: Updated the section on deleting iPhone and iPad backups in iTunes to direct people to the article about doing that. The rest of these steps are still correct.
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