How to Update Your Mac

Updating your macOS helps improve the stability, performance and security of your Mac, and they include updates for Safari, iTunes and other apps that are part of macOS.

Before updating your macOS, it is highly recommended that you back up your Mac

How to get updates for macOS Mojave or later:

  1. Go to the apple menu () > System Preferences > then click ‘Software Update’ to check for any updates.
  2. If updates are available, click the ‘Update Now’ button to install. If you would like to see the update details click the ‘more info’ button.

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. That includes Safari, iTunes, Books, Messages, Mail, Calendar, Photos and FaceTime


You can have your updates install automatically as well! To do so tick the box that says ‘Automatically keep my Mac up to date’. Your Mac will notify you when updates require you to restart your Mac, so you can always choose to install them later.

How to get updates for earlier macOS versions:

If you’re using High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan or earlier, these are the steps to follow:

  1. Open the App store on your Mac
  2. Click ‘Updates’ in the App Store toolbar.
  3. Use the ‘Update’ buttons to download and install any updates listed.

To automatically download these updates in the future click on the apple menu () > System Preferences, click App Store, then select ‘Download newly available updates in the background’. You mac will now notify you when there are new updates to install.

If you are unsure on how to do these steps, below is an instructional video:

If you have any problems, concerns or questions please don’t hesitate to contact us!