How to Check for Updates on a Mac

Keeping your Mac up to date is one of the simplest things you can do to maintain performance, security, and app compatibility. But the exact steps — and what those updates actually cover — vary depending on your macOS version, your hardware, and how your Mac is configured. Here's a clear breakdown of how the update process works and what to expect.

What macOS Updates Actually Cover

Before diving into the steps, it helps to understand that "updates on a Mac" isn't a single thing. There are several distinct layers:

• macOS system updates — Core operating system updates from Apple, including security patches, bug fixes, and feature releases
• App Store app updates — Updates to apps you downloaded through the Mac App Store
• Third-party app updates — Apps installed outside the App Store (like browsers, creative tools, or productivity software) manage their own update cycles
• Firmware and driver updates — Often bundled with macOS updates, these affect hardware components at a low level

Understanding which layer you're dealing with matters, because each one is checked and applied differently.

How to Check for macOS System Updates

On macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Later

Apple moved the update settings in macOS Ventura (released 2022). Here's where to find them:

1. Click the Apple menu (🍎) in the top-left corner of your screen
2. Select System Settings
3. In the left sidebar, click General
4. Select Software Update

Your Mac will check for available updates automatically when you open this panel. If an update is available, you'll see its name, version number, and size, along with a brief description of what it includes.

On macOS Monterey and Earlier

The location is slightly different on older macOS versions:

1. Click the Apple menu
2. Select System Preferences
3. Click Software Update

The same information appears — available updates, version details, and install options.

Using the Notification Badge

If a software update is waiting, you'll often see a badge (a red number) on the System Settings or System Preferences icon in your Dock. This is macOS nudging you without requiring you to go looking.

Checking for App Store App Updates 🔄

Apps downloaded from the Mac App Store update through a separate channel:

1. Open the App Store app (found in your Applications folder or Dock)
2. Click Updates in the left sidebar

This panel shows all available updates for App Store apps, along with version notes. You can update apps individually or click Update All to apply everything at once.

App Store updates and macOS system updates are independent — installing one doesn't trigger the other.

Checking for Third-Party App Updates

Apps installed outside the App Store — think software downloaded directly from a developer's website — don't appear in either of the above locations. These apps typically handle updates one of two ways:

• Built-in updater: Many apps (browsers, for example) check for updates automatically and prompt you, or offer an option under a Help or app-name menu
• Manual check: Some apps require you to visit the developer's website to download the latest version

This is worth knowing because third-party apps are a common source of security vulnerabilities when left outdated. No single dashboard shows you all of them at once.

Automatic Updates: What Gets Updated Without You Asking

macOS includes an option to apply certain updates automatically. In Software Update settings, you'll find toggles (or a single "Automatic updates" option depending on your version) that control:

Rapid Security Responses are a relatively recent addition — small, targeted patches Apple can push between major updates to address active security threats. These apply faster than a full update and often don't require a restart.

Whether to enable automatic updates across the board or stay in manual control depends on your situation — more on that below.

Factors That Affect the Update Experience

Not every Mac user has the same experience checking for and installing updates. Several variables shape what you'll see and what's actually available to you:

Hardware age and compatibility — Apple sets minimum hardware requirements for each macOS version. Older Macs may not be able to install the latest macOS release, which means they also stop receiving certain feature updates (though security patches may still be delivered for a time).

Available storage — macOS updates can range from a few hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. If your startup disk is nearly full, updates may fail to download or install. macOS will typically warn you, but it's worth keeping headroom available.

Network connection — Large updates over slow or metered connections can take significant time. Some users on limited data plans prefer to download updates manually rather than let automatic downloads run unchecked.

Managed or enterprise Macs — If your Mac is managed by an employer or institution through Mobile Device Management (MDM), your IT team may control when and which updates are applied. In that case, the Software Update panel may show different options or restricted controls.

Beta software — If you've enrolled in Apple's beta program, you'll see pre-release versions of macOS offered in the Software Update panel. These behave differently from stable releases and carry more risk on production machines.

What the Update History Shows You

macOS keeps a log of every update that's been applied. To view it:

• In System Settings (Ventura+): Go to General → Software Update → Update History (click the "i" or "Info" button)
• In System Preferences (Monterey and earlier): Click More info or check via the App Store app under Updates → Purchased

This is useful for troubleshooting — if something broke after a recent update, the history helps you pinpoint timing.

The process of checking for updates is straightforward once you know where to look, but how often you should update, which updates to prioritize, and whether automatic updates make sense comes down to how you use your Mac, what software you rely on, and how much control you want over when changes are applied.