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What and When

Beginning March 25, 2026 we will begin requiring OS updates to be installed on all university owned Macs. When prompted to update you will be able to snooze the update for 1, 2, or 4 hours the same way you can on a University-owned Windows computer. Macs will be updated to the latest supported operating system, currently macOS Tahoe. Updates usually take between 30 and 45 minutes to complete once started. Your Mac will be unavailable during this time and will need to stay plugged into power and connected to the internet.

Why

Keeping the operating system and software up to date on our university owned computers keeps our network safe and protects our data. Updates are released regularly and address security vulnerabilities that could otherwise be used to gain unauthorized access to data and resources. Applying these updates is already standard practice on university owned Windows computers and is being expanded to macOS.

How

You will be prompted to restart your computer when updates and upgrades are ready to be installed. The process takes approximately 30 minutes. You can defer by 1 hour, 2 hours, or 4 hours. You will be reminded again at the time you choose or be reminded the next day depending on how long is left in the day.

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When you choose to install the updates you will be prompted for your NetID and password. Your NetID should already be filled in, though you can enter another username (helpful for IT support). Enter your password and click continue.

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Once you begin the upgrade your screen will be blurred and a progress bar will appear. Once the installer is ready it will automatically restart your computer. Please make sure to keep your computer plugged into power and open (if it is a laptop) during the upgrade.