Since the macOS Sonoma is publicly available, the Apple Servers might be facing downtime or outage, or there could be an issue with your Mac, MacBook. There are plenty of possibilities behind being unable to download the macOS Sonoma update on Mac, MacBook; we’ll take a look and try few workarounds that will check upon the error and fix it. Problems like slow update downloading, macOS Sonoma stuck on downloading, macOS Sonoma update failed, etc., are encountered by Mac users.
However, before going with the solutions, make sure the Mac is connected to a stable Wi-Fi Network and, if possible, connect Ethernet cable to avoid network disruptions in between the software update. Next, let’s see the errors with MacOS Sonoma and fixes for them.
Fix Errors with MacOS Sonoma Download
1. “Update not found – the requested version of macOS is not available”
While there are several ways to download and update the Mac, like from the Preferences window, Mac App Store, etc., if you’re getting an Update not found error message, give it a try to Mac App Store and download it from the Mac App Store. Click on the MacOS Sonoma/Ventura Mac App Store link and download the update from there.
2. “Forbidden – An error occurred while installing the selected updates.”
The reason behind the forbidden-An error that occurred while installing the selected updates is hard to detect. However, it doesn’t mean there is no solution for that; we’ve also dealt with such errors and, of course, fixed earlier significant updates as well as macOS Sonoma.
The first fundamental trick is rebooting the system and downloading the macOS Sonoma update again. Secondly, if you still have a beta profile installed, remove it from the system and download the update. And if none of the tricks works for you, then consider it as an Apple Server error. In such cases, you cannot do anything but wait for few hours and try again.
Furthermore, the Mac running macOS Sonoma and/or T2 security chip, then make sure all the security updates and BridgeOS updates are installed and up to the mark before downloading the macOS Sonoma. So Turn on Full Security Mode in Recovery mode. Follow the below steps,
- On Apple Silicon Mac:- Shut down your Mac, wait for 10 seconds, and Press and Hold on the Power button until you see startup volume with Option.
On Intel Mac:-Turn on your Mac, And Quickly Press and Hold on “Command+R” Key from the Keyboard after apple logo appears on the screen. - Next, your Mac startup in recovery screen and Enter your Mac login password if asked.
- Now, You are on the MacOS Utilities window screen, From top Tab > Choose Utilities > Startup Security Utilities.
- Again if you ask for Mac login password then, Enter and Select “Full security“.
- That’s it. Restart your Mac and check are you able to download macOS On Mac software Update.
3. “Installation failed” – an error occurred while installing the selected updates.
Well, Installation failure is most likely due to Apple Server outages, so we cannot do anything until Apple fixes their problem. You can keep checking the Apple Server Status Page, where Apple’s all services are listed with their real-time running status. If the macOS Software Update is green, then it is active and working.
4. “The package %@ is missing or invalid” Error Message
The package missing or invalid error message appears when the update package is incompletely downloaded or download paused/stopped for some or other reason. Alternatively, pending software/security updates could cause this error; therefore, make sure all the pending updates are installed in your device and then try to install macOS Sonoma. Here’s one more catch, do you have an alternate internet connection? If yes, then connect Mac to other Wi-Fi and try your luck.
Still are you getting Error on macOS Sonoma installation,
5. Reinstall MacOS in Recovery Mode
Are you stuck installing macOS after downloading the Software update to your Mac? So, I recommend these two methods,
First is Delete Downloaded setup file and Re-Download New Software Update file then install to your Mac. if you are failed this try then use Recovery mode reinstall given as second solution.
- Open Finder on Mac. Go to the Applications folder and find downloaded MacOS file.
- Delete the file and Re-Download Software update file.
- Try again. hope it will fix.
Second is, Reinstall macOS in Recovery mode. Put your mac in recovery mode and Find option “Reinstall MacOS”. During this process, your Mac downloads MacOS latest copy of Software Update on your Mac. and install it automatically. Follow the below steps for M1 or Intel Mac.
For M1 Mac,
- Turn off your Mac. After 20 seconds, Press and Hold on the Power button [Touch ID] button until you see the apple logo and then Startup volumes screen with Options.
- Click on Options > Reinstall MacOS in MacOS Utilities screen. and Follow the on screen steps to complete Download and install Latest macOS update without any error and Affecting the Data & settings.
For Intel Mac,
- Turn off your Mac. After 10 seconds, Turn on your Mac. Quickly Press and Hold on Command + R Key from keyboard until you see the MacOS Utilities window on screen.
- Select Reinstall MacOS Option and Install Copy of MacOS without any error.
- That’s it.
6. “Download Failed: An error occurred while downloading the selected updates”
If download and Update are slow or stop/Stuck then I recommend restarting your Mac or Trying in Safe mode on Mac. Make sure you have enough storage on your Mac [12 to 14 Gas of Free space]..
Restarting Download or Turn on pushed download, will be continue from when you left.
Download Failed is the most common error message that appears while installing major updates on Mac. Here what you can do is, don’t use VPN while downloading software updates, close all the background applications, and then install MacOS Sonoma. Our objective is to keep the Mac as light as possible by closing the programs and apps that you don’t need while updating the Mac.
7. MacOS Sonoma downloads extremely slow
When MacOS Sonoma slowly downloads, choose a time when people don’t update their Mac, like you can try downloading the update overnight or wait for a few hours and retry. This is the only solution when Mac downloads updates slowly.
Jaysukh Patel is the founder of howtoisolve. Also self Professional Developer, Techno lover mainly for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and iOS, Jaysukh is one of responsible person in his family. Contact On: jaysukh.pharma@gmail.com [OR] admin@howtoisolve.com
