How to Fix a macOS Update Stuck on Installation

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Perform a hard restart

   Press and hold the Power button (Touch ID sensor) until the machine shuts down completely. Wait 30 seconds, then press the Power button again to reboot the system.

   Note: This clears transient system processes that may have caused the update stall.
2. 2 min

   Check storage capacity

   Ensure your drive has at least 30GB of free space. Navigate to System Settings > General > Storage to confirm available capacity.

   Note: macOS requires significant overhead to unpack and install system updates.
3. 3 min

   Enter Safe Mode

   Shut down the Mac. Press and hold the Power button until 'Loading startup options' appears. Select your volume, press and hold the Shift key, and select 'Continue in Safe Mode'.

   Note: Safe mode disables third-party kernel extensions that may conflict with the update process.
4. 2 min

   Remove incomplete update files

   Open Terminal and execute 'sudo rm -rf /Library/Updates/*'. Enter your administrator password to purge corrupted or partial installation packages.

   Note: This forces the Software Update utility to re-download a fresh copy of the installer.
5. 30 sec

   Restart and resume update

   Restart the Mac normally. Navigate to System Settings > General > Software Update and initiate the update process again.

   Note: Maintain a steady power connection throughout the entire installation cycle.