About
ITS has begun an initiative to improve security of computing at UVA known as the Device Security Initiative. As a partner in this endeavor, the Educational Technologies Office (ETO) will begin assisting faculty and staff at EHD in keeping their macOS computers up to date proactively via Managed Updates beginning in the Summer of 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact the ETO at 434-924-7086, [email protected], or at our office in Ridley 121.
Software compatibility
At the School of Education, major version updates are delayed for 90 days after release to give ITS and third-party software vendors time to update their software for compatibility.
If you have concerns about software compatibility with the latest version of macOS, please consult the following resources:
Note: You may also want to consult your software vendor's support page if you are using software not officially supported by ITS or ETO.
macOS Managed Updates
Managed Updates will be the primary method ETO uses to push updates to macOS computers at EHD.
The way Managed Updates function is straight forward; the computer receives the push to update with a predetermined mandatory deadline. If the update is not installed before the deadline, the computer will restart to install the update as soon as it can. We encourage everyone to update before the deadline if possible to prevent an untimely restart.
When the computer receives the update push, a notification will appear on your desktop that looks like this:
Selecting Details will bring you to this Software Update window where a download progress window is shown if your computer has not already downloaded the update.
If your computer has already downloaded and prepared the latest macOS update you will be given the option to Update Now. Please press Update Now if it is convenient for you or later when you have time. You can get back to the upgrade window by going to System Settings > General > Software Update.
Your computer will send you periodic reminders between the time it received the push and the mandatory update time.
If the update is not installed by the scheduled time, the update will install automatically and may restart while you are using the computer so we encourage you to install the update before the scheduled time.
Your computer will restart as part of the update, and it takes approximately 30-45 minutes.
How to Manually Update macOS
The steps to initiate a macOS update have changed somewhat over the years, but the basic process remains the same.
Apple instructions for macOS Ventura (13.x) and above
- Open System Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Software Update.
- Click Upgrade Now.
Apple instructions for macOS Monterey (12.x) and below
- Open System Preferences.
- Select Software Update.
- Click Upgrade Now.