So, a new version of macOS has just been released and youβre eager to experience it for yourself β but resist the urge to install this update straight away!
Although updating your Mac is usually pretty straightforward and error-free, thereβs always a chance that you might be one of the unlucky few who do encounter a problem. Maybe your Mac runs out of disk space halfway through installing the update; you lose Internet connectivity, or your Mac crashes before the installation is complete.
In this article, Iβll show how to reduce your chances of encountering any issues when updating your Mac, so you can install the latest and greatest version of macOS, without any worries!
Be prepared! Always create a backup
Throughout this article, weβll be looking at steps you can take to avoid all of the most common errors that can occur when updating your Mac. However, even if you follow all of our advice, you may still encounter an issue thatβs completely beyond your control. Perhaps Appleβs servers go offline midway through the update process, or maybe you install an early access preview, only to discover that itβs riddled with bugs.
To make sure youβre prepared for any scenario, you should always create a full Time Machine backup before updating macOS.
- Select the βAppleβ logo from your Macβs menu bar.
- Navigate to βSystem preferencesβ¦ > Time Machine.β
- If this is your first Time Machine backup, then click βSelect Backup Diskβ¦β and follow the onscreen instructions.
- Once Time Machine is configured, navigate back to βSystem preferencesβ¦ > Time Machine,β Control-click the disk icon, and then select βBack Up Now.β
If you do encounter a problem with your update, then you can revert to this backup without losing any of your important files, documents or data.
Check your third party software
Before installing system-level updates, it never hurts to check that all of your third party apps are up to date. Thereβs a chance that outdated or buggy apps might interfere with the update process, plus out-of-date apps might stop working once you update to the latest and greatest version of macOS.
To update all of the applications that you installed via the App Store:
- Open a new βFinderβ window.
- Open the βApplicationsβ folder, and launch the βApp Storeβ application.
- Select the βUpdatesβ tab.
- Work your way down this list, selecting the βUpdateβ button for every application that you want to update.
When it comes to applications that you downloaded from outsideΒ the App Store, you may have to do some research! You can often find information about potential updates over at the applicationβs website, blog or social media pages. Itβs always worth launching the application in question, to see whether it prompts you to intall any available updates. In addition, many applications have a setting that lets you check for updates manually, so be sure to explore the appβs various menus, particularly any βHelp,β βSettingsβ or βAboutβ menus.
Run Disk Utility
Itβs always a good idea to check your Mac for obvious issues, before installing any major updates.
You can get an insight into your Macβs general health, using Disk Utility:
- Open a new βFinderβ window.
- Navigate to βApplications > Utilities.β
- Launch the Disk Utility app.
- In the left-hand menu, select your startup drive.
- Click the βFirst Aidβ button.
- When prompted, select βVerify.β Disk Utility will now scan your startup drive.
If Disk Utility does discovers a problem, then youβll need to boot into a different volume before you can perform the necessary repairs:
- Power down your Mac.
- Boot into Recovery Mode by restarting your Mac while holding down the βCommand+Rβ keys.
- When you see the Apple logo, release these keys.
- In the βmacOS Utilitiesβ window, select βDisk Utility.β
- Follow the onscreen instructions, to perform the recommended repairs.
Do you have enough disk space?
Apple recommend that you have at least 8GB of free space available before installing a major macOS update.
To check how much disk space is remaining on your Mac:
- Select the βAppleβ logo from your Macβs menu bar.
- Choose βAbout This Mac.β
- Select the βStorageβ tab.
macOS will now calculate the remaining space. If thereβs less than 8GB remaining, then check out our article on how to free up some space, or tryΒ Sierraβs optimized storage.
Always use a secure, private network
You should only ever download system updates when youβre connected to a secure, reliable network. If youβre unsure, then you can double-check your networkβs security protocols:
- Select the βApple logoβ from your Macβs menu bar.
- Navigate to βSystem Preferencesβ¦ > Network.β
- Select your network interface from the left-hand menu, such as βWi-Fi.β
- Click the βAdvancedβ¦β button.
- Make sure the βWi-Fiβ tab is selected.
This screen contains a list of all the nearby Wi-Fi networks, with each networkβs security protocol listed in the βSecurityβ column. If youβre unsure about any of these protocols, then entering the name of the protocol into your favourite Internet search engine will usually return all the information you need.
Donβt rely on battery power
Depending on the speed of your Internet connection and your Macβs specifications, downloading and installing a new version of macOS can be a time-consuming process.
Even if you have a full battery, itβs always best to play it safe, and make sure your Mac is connected to a reliable power source before starting the update process.
Installing macOS
Once youβve completed all of these steps, youβre ready to upgrade to the latest release of macOS.
- Launch the App Store.
- Select the βUpdatesβ tab.
- The latest version of macOS should appear under βSystem Updates.β Click its accompanying βUpdateβ button and then follow the onscreen instructions to download the installer.
- Once the installer has finished downloading, youβll typically encounter a popup prompting you to continue with the update process. If you want to go ahead with the update, then click βContinueβ¦β and follow the onscreen instructions. Alternatively, you can return to the update at any time, by navigating to your βApplicationsβ folder, double-clicking the launcher, and then selecting βContinueβ¦β
Before you go
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