Following successful installation, data can be moved to the volume using the Migration Assistant in the Utilities folder. Like AppleInsider, I have been unable to duplicate this issue on my 2018 MacBook Pro. The public version of MacOS Mojave is running just fine on my machine, as is a partition that uses a beta version.

This article explains how you can fix the software update problem. More specifically, the focus of this article is on what you can do to when your Mac won’t update to the latest version of macOS.

Some Mac users, unfortunately, have been and continue to be affected by various macOS software update issues where they may experience a stalled macOS update. By stalled, we mean that macOS updates won’t download and install successfully.

Sometimes, you may see an error message saying “The macOS installation couldn’t be completed” or “macOS could not be installed on your computer”.

Mac Won’t Update?

  • It says “Can’t download the additional components needed to install Mac OS X.” when I use macOS Recovery. I have macOS 10.7.5 and want to update it to a newer version as possible. Currently I’m trying to gradually upgrade it to 10.8 to download a newer version then.
  • This will download macOS Mojave into your Applications folder. Once completed, the installer will open, and you can follow the onscreen instructions to install macOS Mojave on your Mac.
  • All you need to do is to download the macOS Mojave App directly from the Mac App Store, and you will receive the 6.1 GB installer App. With that said, this guide is for those who have found the 22 MB app in the Applications folder and are in quest of finding the full-size installer application. As earlier mentioned, two methods come in play.

Please try the tips belove if you are unable to update your computer:

It is important that you back up your Mac before you do anything.

There could be a variety of reasons for this. Before you do anything:

  • Make sure there is enough space to download and install an update. If not, you may see error messages. To see if your computer has enough room to store the update, go to the Apple menu > About This Mac and click the Storage tap. You can easily free up storage space on your Mac.
  • If you see a “Update Not Found” error, see this article.
  • Make sure that you have an Internet connection to update your Mac. You can troubleshoot your connection.
  • Be patient. An update may take some time. Just waiting may fix your problem. Sometimes more than a few hours. Do not put your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Also ensure than your Macbook, if it is a Macbook, it is plugged it into AC power.
  • If the update does not complete, your computer may seem stuck or frozen, for an extended time, try to restart your computer by pressing and holding the power button on your Mac for up to 10 seconds.
  • If you have any external hard drives or peripherals connected to your Mac, try removing them. And try to update now.
  • Reset PRAM on your Mac and then try again. To reset PRAM, turn off your Mac and then turn it on and immediately press and hold the Option, Command, P, and R keys together for about 20 seconds.
  • It is possible that your Mac may unable to reach the update server. There could be two reasons for this:
    • You may have a slow internet connection. You may want to restart your router and modem to fix this problem. If you are using a Wi-Fi connection, try a wired connection, if possible.
    • Or there could be issues with Apple servers. It is possible that Apple servers are overloaded as a lot of people may be trying to update. You can check if Apple servers are experiencing issues.

If you are still having issues, then you may try the followings:

Safe mode

Try updating your Mac in safe mode. Here is how:

  • Startup your Mac in safe mode. To do that, turn off your Mac and then turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the Shift key until you see the login screen. Then release the Shift key. And login.
  • Now your computer is in safe mode. Try to update now.
  • Then exit safe mode when you are done (in either case). To exit safe mode, restart your Mac normally, without pressing the Shift key.
Can

Combo update

You can use a combo update to install Mac updates. Please note that before you continue, you may want to back up your Mac. You can back up with Time Machine or you can use iCloud.

Please note that combo updates let you update your Mac from a prior version of macOS within the same major release. A combo update is a combined update that means that it contains all of the changes since the original release of that major version. This further means that, using a combo update, you can update from macOS 10.15 directly to Mac OS X 10.15.2, skipping the 10.15.1. But you cannot go from, let’s say, 10.14.x to 10.15.x. For example, using a combo update, you cannot upgrade from macOS Mojave to macOS Catalina.

Can T Download Macos Mojave

Please note that combo updates are huge. Here is how you can use them:

  • Visit Apple’s combo updates site: https://support.apple.com/downloads/macos
  • Find the right combo update. And download it. As stated above, they can be huge. The combo will download as a .dmg file.
  • Now quit all apps on your Mac.
  • Double-click the downloaded file, if it does not start automatically.
  • Follow the onscreen instructions.

Using macOS Recovery to update your Mac

If you still could not update, you may try this. To do this, you need to restart your Mac from macOS Recovery. Using the method below, you will be able to upgrade to the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac. Here is how:

  • Turn off your Mac.
  • Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the Option-⌘-R keys together until you see the Apple logo or the spinning globe icon.
  • Login.
  • Click Reinstall macOS and follow the onscreen instructions.


See also: How to fix Catalina update problems

Apple unveiled macOS Mojave 10.14 at their Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 18) on June 4, and the initial beta of the upcoming Mac operating system has been available to developers since that day.

If you’re wanting to see what all the hullabaloo is about, and want to try out Mojave’s new Dark Mode, the Home app, Stacks, and improved security features on your Mac, there are ways to try it out before the official release this fall.

Be advised, using a beta isn’t for the faint of heart, and we definitely don’t recommend installing it on your daily-use Mac. But, if you’re up to it, you can try out the beta now.


How to Get macOS Mojave

As mentioned above, the developer beta of macOS Mojave is available now. But you’ll need an Apple Developer Program membership, which requires an Apple ID and $99.

In a few weeks and a few beta seeds from now, Apple will release a free beta version of the new macOS to members of Apple’s Beta Software Program. You can visit the site and sign up for the beta program, and you’ll be able to download the public beta of macOS Mojave when it becomes available. (You’ll also get access to iOS 12 when it becomes available to public beta testers.)

While there are ways to obtain the Mojave beta download, we don’t recommend them, as you run the chance of installing malware on your Mac, or worse, the file may not be validated and could corrupt your install.

Check your Mac’s Compatibility

Before doing anything, make sure your Mac is compatible with macOS Mojave 10.14. The new OS is compatible with Macs introduced in mid-2012 or later, plus 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models with Metal-capable graphics cards.

To check your Mac, click the Apple icon in the upper-left hand corner of your Mac’s Desktop and click the “About This Mac” menu option. A window will appear, telling you the model year of your Mac, and it’s core specs.

Be Careful

Once again, we warn you not to install macOS Mojave on the Mac you use every day. If you must install it on your daily driver, install it on a separate partition on your Mac.

Backup! Backup! Backup!

Before you install macOS Mojave, be it on your second Mac, your daily driver Mac, or on a new partition, backup your hard drive. Use Time Machine or your favorite backup utility, but have a recent backup before doing anything listed below.

Create a New Partition and Install macOS Mojave

To create a new partition on your Mac, do the following:

  • Launch the “Disk Utility” app.
  • Select the disk you want to partition from the left-hand panel (it’s usually the top option and is likely named “Macintosh HD”).
  • Click the “Partition” button at the top of the window.
  • Click “Partition” (as opposed to Add Volume) if Disk Utility doesn’t automatically make that choice.
  • Click the “+” button below the Partition Layout diagram.
  • Choose a size for the new partition by dragging to resize the wedge of the pie chart that represents your hard drive (MacOS Mojave is said to be 4.8GB, but give your new OS some elbow room, and set up a larger partition, whatever you feel you can give up from your macOS High Sierra installation) give the new partition a name, like, macOS Mojave Beta Test.
  • Leave the Format as “Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)”.
  • Click “Apply” and wait for the new partition to be created, it should only take a few minutes, tops..

Use a Virtual Machine

If you’re not feeling bold, but you still want to play with the upcoming new version of macOS, you can always install it in a virtual machine. You can use Virtualbox, VMware, Parallels Desktop Lite, or other virtual machine solutions.

You’ll find that the performance of macOS Mojave in a virtual machine isn’t quite up to the speeds of it running on a physical Mac, but it’ll give you a taste of Mojave without needing to put your current Mac install and its data at risk.

Good Luck

Can T Download Macos Mojave

However you choose to install and run macOS Mojave 10.14 on your Mac, we wish you luck. Enjoy!