How to Fix a macOS Update Stuck on Installation
Resolve macOS update issues. Force restart, clear cached files, and use Safe Mode to complete your installation when the progress bar stalls.
- 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.
- Check storage capacity. Ensure your drive has at least 30GB of free space. Navigate to System Settings > General > Storage to confirm available capacity.
- 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'.
- Remove incomplete update files. Open Terminal and execute 'sudo rm -rf /Library/Updates/*'. Enter your administrator password to purge corrupted or partial installation packages.
- Restart and resume update. Restart the Mac normally. Navigate to System Settings > General > Software Update and initiate the update process again.