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Notifications : Suppress upgrade but keep updates

I have a macbook air runnning Catalina. System Preferences notifies me there is an upgrade to Big Sur available, but I do not want to install it. How can I tell Apple to stop notifying me about this upgrade but still give me Catalina updates?

MacBook Air 11″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Feb 20, 2022 2:20 PM

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Posted on Feb 25, 2022 1:17 AM

I disagree because this behaviour is inconsistent with the behaviour of most notifications in most apps. Usually the 'flag' that indicates that there is a new notification is cleared when the notification has been read. Leaving it on in this case defeats the purpose of the flag and is annoying because I now cannot tell whether there is a new notification or not other by opening the app and reading it. It is a design fault.

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Feb 25, 2022 1:17 AM in response to PRP_53

I disagree because this behaviour is inconsistent with the behaviour of most notifications in most apps. Usually the 'flag' that indicates that there is a new notification is cleared when the notification has been read. Leaving it on in this case defeats the purpose of the flag and is annoying because I now cannot tell whether there is a new notification or not other by opening the app and reading it. It is a design fault.

Feb 21, 2022 3:11 AM in response to AndyEdinburgh

Uncheck the options is the two pictures below.


It may still Notify of an upgrade but will not download or attempt to install the upgrade.


You will need to verify when any additional Catalina Updates are available.


That should end in the next couple of months if Apple holds to their schedule of offering Security Update for approx. 3 years from date of Release.



Feb 26, 2022 5:16 AM in response to AndyEdinburgh

AndyEdinburgh, I fully understand your point. In my case I have many Macs, and this wrong and sticky notification of an upgrade,

which hides real useful updates is a real pain:

  • many errors about updates available,
  • a global confusion about the landscape of updates versus upgrade.


I can easily make the backups about an update, the CCC of the running version, then the update, the tests, and finally the final switch.

I cannot do this about an upgrade. Usually an upgrade is more or less 3 full days of tests. Most of the time,

with the version 0, then the version 1… They are not at all on the same scale of risk in real work.

Feb 24, 2022 2:39 AM in response to AndyEdinburgh

User wrote " I have a macbook air runnning Catalina. System Preferences notifies me there is an upgrade to Big Sur available, but I do not want to install it. How can I tell Apple to stop notifying me about this upgrade but still give me Catalina updates? "


That was answered earlier.


The " Notification from Apple " will not stop nor can it be Turned Off - that feature is Built into the Operating System and is not an " Error " but a design by Apple.



Feb 27, 2022 3:27 AM in response to Zorba_le_grec

In my bug report I said that the 'new notification' flag should be removed when the message has been READ. That is the standard behaviour of notifications in most apps these days. It should not depend on whether any further action is taken, such as downloading an update or an upgrade.


I agree that an upgrade should be treated differently from an update. One should be able to opt out of an upgrade without any further consequences. There might be a case for reminding users if they get far behind on updates. Personally I always keep my system UPDATED to the latest version of the OS it is running. However I have two other older computers running Catalina that are not able to upgrade to Bug Sur, and I prefer to keep them all the same, so I do not want Big Sur on my MacBook air. Why should I? I have tried it and did not particularly like it anyway.



Feb 27, 2022 5:34 AM in response to AndyEdinburgh

While I agree with many of the points you have made, I don't believe much will change. Apple use to be the "It Just Works" company. Lately, not so much. I keep my iMac, currently on Catalina, at least two full OS upgrades behind. The iMac is the machine I depend on for my day-to-day livelihood, and I can't be beta testing Apple's latest OS releases while I'm trying to make a living. I see very little, if anything, in Big Sur or Monterey that would make me want to upgrade.

Notifications : Suppress upgrade but keep updates

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