red circle 1 won't go away

frederickfromhenrico wrote:

RED CIRCLE 1 KEEPS HAUNTING ME.....2023 Mac Mini, M2 Pro, Tahoe 26.1. I have had the red circle with the number 1 since I first fired up this CPU. I cannot find what software update it is suggesting. If I get an update for something, it goes to red circle 2 and after the update, back to the red circle 1? Is it causing me problems, not really but every time I see it it bugs me. Anybody have an idea? and it was there on Sequoia also

Do you have any Configuration Profiles? Those can result in what you see, especially if the Mac is being "managed" externally.

I assume, but am mentioning just in case, that you have carefully reviewed all the other Settings, not just Software Update. For instance, if your Apple ID is not fully set up, or there is something waiting for you in granting full disk access or some other Setting needed to be addressed, that red badge could result.

Go to System Settings, click on your Apple Account (top of the sidebar), are there any flags there? Sometimes you need to accept iCloud terms, etc. Also try going to General > Software Update and pressing Command-R to refresh the settings pane.

I had the same issue once and could not clear it but wanted the system settings icon in the dock for easy access so I just made alias for this icon and put that in the dock which eliminates the red circle update number. Remove the original icon out of the dock.

One option is to reinstall macOS. That can be done without affecting your files/data (but personally, I would make sure my backups are current, first).

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

If you find no way to kill the notification, you could always simply remove the System Settings icon from the Dock so you don't have to look at it every day.

Lawrence Finch wrote:

Or the tape over the Check Engine light.

At least a carefully cut piece of electrician's tape on a VCR was fairly unobtrusive. Not sure how one could manage that on a Check Engine light. If you have suggestions, let me know. My car, no matter how much I (or my mechanic) fuss with the tires, always shows the low inflation light.

IdrisSeabright wrote:

Lawrence Finch wrote:

Or the tape over the Check Engine light.

At least a carefully cut piece of electrician's tape on a VCR was fairly unobtrusive. Not sure how one could manage that on a Check Engine light. If you have suggestions, let me know.

Better yet was the friend's daughter (college age) who put tape over the low oil light in her car because it annoyed her. Until a while later the engine seized and melted from lack of lubrication. I guess that solved her issue, no more oil light.

My car, no matter how much I (or my mechanic) fuss with the tires, always shows the low inflation light.

I had that tire pressure light come on after owning the car for ~ 10 years but it was fixed by replacing the tire pressure sensor battery, actually replacing all four (5 counting the spare) to avoid dealing with it for another 10 years. One time it was not a false alarm, however, as one tire had a slow leak, which was repaired.

As for the original poster's System Settings red light, a more knowledgeable person than me might know which cache needs to be emptied out. Or Jeffrey's solution would work, as long as the red light doesn't return after enabling the notification again.

I know that reference! 😁

frederickfromhenrico wrote:

hahahahaha, your killing me smalls...............(movie reference if you are young)

The "tape over the flashing VCR clock" (technology reference if you're old).

IdrisSeabright wrote:

The "tape over the flashing VCR clock" (technology reference if you're old).

Or the tape over the Check Engine light.

jeffreythefrog wrote:

you've got me thinking. IIRC, the badge will reappear any time you open system settings and / or software update.

I believe you are correct.