No updates were selected On Mac Update Monterey: An Error Occurred

Apple never fails to amuse its customers with its updates with all the new, incredible, and valuable features that enhance the overall user experience. Hence, downloading and installing the updates is the best thing that every customer can do with their Macs to have a smoother and better performance to make the most of the device. But there are some instances where the MacBook gets stuck in a boot loop or other similar problems during the updating process, which leads to the device malfunctioning or not working as it should.

Although there might be numerous ways to resolve this issue, most of them don’t usually work or are useless. So to deliver you solutions that are beneficial and effective, we have put together this list of notable fixes for the problems caused during the update that affected the MacBook’s performance.

Solution 1: Force Quit App

might some internet software issue your Mac can’t start the installation after download the software update on your Mac. In most case, force quit the app and Recheck the Software update works.

To force quite, From top menu > System Preferences > Force quit.

That’s it. re-open and try to download, Go to the Apple Logo > System Preferences > Software Update > Download and install. that’s it.

Solution 2: Restart the MacBook

If, while updating the MacBook, you run into some minor issue that causes the device to show a pop-up saying “No Updates were selected,” then the first thing you should try is restart your MacBook. However, this might sound like a simple and not so effective step; restarting the MacBook can fix a lot of minor issues and glitches as it forces the Mac to reload or refresh its resources to their original state. You can restart your MacBook by-.

Step. 1→ Hit the Apple logo at the top of the screen.

Step. 2→ Select the restart option from the list of available options.

Once you have restarted your MacBook, check if the problem related to the update still exists. If you still face the problem, go through the solutions described below.

Solution 3: Install the Updates in Safe Mode

Booting up your MacBook in safe mode and then installing the updates might fix the problem of “No updates were selected.” Starting up the Mac in safe mode prevents some of the background processes from running, which might be interfering with the booting up and updating process of the operating system of your MacBook. To start up your MacBook in safe mode, follow the simple steps instructed in this section.

On M1 Mac:-

Step. 1→ First, shut down your Mac if it is turned on. Now, Press and Hold on Power button until your mac see the Startup volumes and Option on screen.

Step. 2→ Select Startup volume, Now, Press and Hold on Shift key, and Click on continue in Safe mode.

m1-mac-safe-mode
m1-mac-safe-mode

Step. 3→ Wait for few minutes, and Follow the on screen instruction with macOS Recovery popup. Next, Login your Mac with administrator password. and That’s it.

Step. 4→ Now, check your Mac is start installing new macOS update under the software update [Apple logo > System Preferences > Software Update > Download and install].

On Intel Mac:-

Step. 1→ First, shut down your Mac if it is turned on.

Step. 2→ Then, press the power button like you normally do to start the MacBook.

Step. 3→ Now, tap and hold the shift key after leaving the power button.

Step. 4→ The Apple logo will appear on the screen.

Step. 5→ After that, release the shift key when the login window is visible.

Step. 6→ Finally, log in to your MacBook. (If you have FileVault enabled on your Mac, you’ll be asked to log in twice.)

After logging in to your Mac, you can see the words “Safe Mode” written at the top right corner of the screen, denoting that the device is running in safe mode. Once this is done, download and install the updates on your device to avoid all problems while updating it.

Solution 4: Reset Mac’s NVRAM and PRAM

Skip this solution for M1 Mac user

Suppose you have downloaded the updates on your Mac and now want to install them, but you see an error saying “No Updates were Selected” when you click on the install updates option, which leads to the MacBook getting stuck in a boot loop or other similar problems. In that case, the users can start up their MacBooks by resetting the NVRAM and PRAM, which contain essential information like brightness settings, sound, etc. To reset the NVRAM and PRAM, follow the simple process explained here.

Step. 1→ First, restart your MacBook.

Step. 2→ Then, press and hold the command + option + R + P keys on your keyboard after restarting the device.

Step. 3→ Keep the keys pressed until the device automatically restarts.

This process will force your Mac to reset all the changes made to NVRAM and PRAM to their default settings and automatically restart your device.

Solution 5: Verify the Drive in Disk Utility

If even after repeatedly trying to start up your MacBook, you are getting stuck on the restart screen, then it can be a result of a corrupted drive. This issue can be easily fixed with the help of the MacBook’s recovery mode, which verifies the disk integrity and repairs it if needed. In recovery mode, the users can restore the time machine backups, repair corrupted disks and related issues, etc. So to verify the drive in disk utility mode, stick with the solution given below.

Step. 1→ First, turn off your MacBook if it is already booted up. Suppose the Mac is stuck on a white, grey, or blue screen; tap and hold the power button on the keyboard for a few seconds until the Mac shuts itself down.

On M1 Mac,

  • Step. 2→ Then, press the power button until your mac show the startup volume and Options. Select Options, and Select Disk Utility Option in MacOS Recovery popup.
  • On Intel Mac,

    • Step. 2→ Then, press the power button again while holding the Command + R keys on the keyboard until you enter recovery mode.

    Step. 3→ In the recovery mode window, click on Disk Utility > System Drive > Verify Disk.

    This method will allow your MacBook to verify the system drive for errors and repair it if some problem is detected. Once this is done, try starting up your MacBook normally to check if the problem is solved.

    Solution 6: Check your Hardware and Supported Device

    Are you facing the same problem of getting stuck on the restart screen after verifying and repairing the system drive? It would be best to get your MacBook and supported devices checked by a professional for damages. Sometimes the problems with the devices’ hardware cause issues like black screen and getting stuck in the boot loop, among others.

    Hence, to resolve the problem of “No updates were selected” on Mac, it is advised that you check your Mac’s hardware and supported devices as a damaged disk or motherboard can also end up giving errors like this.

    Solution 7: Check for Free Space and Re-check for software updates.

    The problems like “No Updates were selected” often result from the storage of your Mac being full or your device running low on storage. If your Mac does not have sufficient storage to install the update, you might run into various start-up problems. Hence, check for the storage available on your device and delete some unwanted files to create extra space before installing the update.

    Once you have freed the desired space on your computer’s hard drive, check for the software updates again and try to install them. If you still run into problems, then go to the next solution in this post.

    Solution 8: Reinstall in Recovery mode

    Suppose you have ample storage in your Mac for the update to be easily installed, but you are still facing trouble with the updating part. In that case, try installing the software update in recovery mode. By reinstalling the update in recovery mode, all the bugs and glitches will be fixed, and the Mac will constantly look for errors to repair them. To start your MacBook in recovery mode, take note of the method described below.

    • For Macs with an M1 chipset

    Step. 1→ First, power off the MacBook if it is up and running.

    Step. 2→ Then, long press and hold the power button.

    Step. 3→ Now, you will see the Apple logo with instructions underneath saying that if you continue pressing the power button, you will be able to examine the start-up options. So keep the power button pressed.

    Step. 4→ After that, open the Recovery mode by clicking on Options > Continue.

    Step. 5→ Finally, select the option “Reinstall macOS Monterey” and follow the instructions given by the system to install the update.

    • For Macs with Intel Chipset

    Step. 1→ The first step is to restart your MacBook.

    Step. 2→ Once the device starts to power up, tap and hold the Command + R keys until a spinning globe or the Apple logo appear on the screen. (Spinning globe suggests that the MacBook is trying to start the macOS Recovery using the internet as it is unable to start with the help of the built-in recovery mode.)

    Step. 3→ After that, the recovery mode utilities window will show up with the different options. Click on “Reinstall macOS” to install the update in recovery mode.

    Solution 9: Check Server Status

    If the Apple servers are down, the users might face difficulty downloading and installing the software updates on their MacBooks. Hence, it is crucial to check whether the Apple servers are up or not before getting into the update process. The users can check the real-time status of the servers by visiting the Apple website and deciding when to download the software updates.

    Check Apple System Status in any Country

    Although computers can process billions of operations in a second, the best thing anyone can do while updating a computer’s software is to be patient. Let your Mac take the required amount of time to download and install the software updates correctly and if the device runs into any problem during the update process, try out the solutions given in this post.  

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    Karly Wood

    Karly Wood is a journalist based in Ohio who specializes in covering Apple and technology trends. With a varied experience in reporting on public safety, government, and education, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, providing readers with a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at karlywood.ohio@gmail.com or through (Facebook)

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