Neither its man page or usage information are complete or correct. Here’s how to check for available updates and install them using softwareupdate.
softwareupdate
Opening the settings runs a partial check for updates, but omits important updates, and almost immediately loses its help button.
Why some report macOS updates as being more than 1 GB smaller than the figures given here. Don’t believe the size given by softwareupdate.
When you know an update has been released, but your Mac can’t find it, or you try to install the update but it fails with an error.
How to get prompt security data updates, RSRs, macOS updates, App Store updates, and those for third-party apps distributed independently.
Three phases of updating, download, preparation and installation, are now fully integrated. They also involve updating Cryptexes, as revealed in the log.
How Ventura 13.0.1 played hard to get for some, and ongoing problems successfully installing security data updates make for the fortnightly nightmare.
How to use SilentKnight to download and install two security data updates without updating macOS. Explains its settings in full, and how the app works.
Changed installers, post-update security mayhem, Stage Manager for those sensitive to motion, memory leaks, an Endpoint Security bug, and more.
macOS updates currently install to both System and Data volumes, although Apple claims the Data volume is unmounted during updating. Can an update cause problems with your Data volume, then?
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