Installation of the macOS latest version is quite simple. Notification regarding your mac update will pop up and at times, stating that the version is already downloaded, you just have to install it. But there are chances when the updating process goes a little pear-shaped. In this article, you’ll find some easy-to-apply methods for implementing when your mac freezes or stalls while getting updated or if an error message is displayed that indicates a certain issue.
It is specifically relevant with the macOS Big Sur that came around November 2020 and many mac users have faced problems in its installation and downloading procedure. Here, we will be giving you the alternatives if you are unable to download and install macOS Big Sur or if your mac is freezing while updating the macOS.
This article is very important for you if a warning sign is displayed on your screen showing ‘The macOS installation couldn’t be completed or a message appears showing ‘An Error occurred while installing the selected updates. Go through every section thoroughly to deal with the issue of ‘Why won’t my Mac update’.
Reasons for Mac not Getting Updated
- Incompatible MacBook
- Improper disk storage
- Wi-Fi connection is not good
- Apple servers facing some problems
Also Read: MacBook Pro Charging (BEST Guide): 7 Solutions to Fix the Problem
Go with the tips to troubleshoot the issues of mac crashing, stalling, or freezing while downloading.
Method 1: Compatibility Check
If you want to install macOS Big Sur, firstly you need to check the compatibility of your Mac. Check out the list from the official sources of Apple to know if your device is compatible or not.
Method 2: Check for Storage
The general reason for the issue of ‘Why won’t my Mac update’ is the lack of space. E.g. Updating macOS Sierra or later into macOS Big Sur needs 35.5 GB but if you are updating your macOS from an earlier version to the newest, you will need 44.5 GB storage.
To check the storage follow these steps:
- Step 1: Navigate to the Apple menu and choose the ‘About this Mac’ option.
- Step 2: Click on the option of ‘Storage’.
- Step 3: After the bar is loaded, you can check for the available disk storage.
At times, even after having enough space, Mac will show that you don’t have much. To deal with this problem you need to clean some data to create enough space.
Follow the steps to clean some old data:
- Step 1: Open the ‘CleanMyMac-X’.
- Step 2: Select ‘Large and Old Files’ and then ‘Scan’ resent on the left side of the sidebar.
- Step 3: Look for the old unnecessary files and press ‘Remove’ to delete them.
Also Read: App Store Not Opening On Mac | Causes, and Fixes for App store
Method 3: Exceeded Downloading Time
If you are trying to download the latest version of macOS on the release day itself, the downloading will take time as the Apple servers might get overloaded. To find out any known issue, you can go through the page ‘Apple System Status’. If you didn’t get any specific issue, check your internet connection if it’s stable or not using an Ethernet cable. If your internet connection is perfect, you can try to adjust the content caching as it will decrease the usage of bandwidth and will increase your installation speed.
Follow these steps to initiate the further procedure:
- Step 1: Go to the ‘Apple Menu’ and select ‘System Preferences’ to choose ‘Sharing’.
- Step 2: Click on ‘Content Caching’ and choose the ‘All content’ option in the drop-down list.
- Step 3: Restart the Mac and make another attempt.
Method 4: Installation in Safe mode
- Step 1: Switch off your Mac. Wait for up to 10 seconds before starting it again.
- Step 2: Press the ‘Shift’ button when our Mac turns on.
- Step 3: Release the ‘Shift’ button when the Apple logo appears on the display screen.
Method 5: NVRAM reset
NVRAM stands for ‘Nonvolatile random-access memory’. It stores particular settings and choices when your Mac is turned off.
To reset NVRAM:
- Step 1: Restart your Mac. Simultaneously press and hold on to the ‘Cmd + Option + P + R’ keys.
- Step 2: After the Mac is reloaded, update your Mac once again.
If your Mac freezes while getting updated, you can reconnect the Wi-Fi, restart your Mac & can also clean the junk files to clear storage by following the steps:
- Step 1: Open the ‘CleanMyMac-X’.
- Step 2: Select ‘Junk Files’ and then tap the option ‘Scan’ present on the left panel of the sidebar.
- Step 3: Look for the unnecessary files and press ‘clean’ to delete them.
Also Read: Simplistic Tips for Resolving MacBook Trackpad Problems
Conclusion
Here we have mentioned every single piece of information regarding ‘Why won’t my Mac update?’ Stop browsing through numerous websites because we have collected information from verified sources and piled it here for your convenience. If none of the methods has turned out to be your saviour, you can visit any Apple Care Centre as soon as possible to prevent your Mac from turning into a non-useful device.
