Software Update changes in macOS Sonoma

Apple is introducing a new method of applying software updates in macOS 14, Sonoma, that includes due dates. Going forward, you may see these types of notifications in the top-right corner of your Mac. If you hover your mouse over the notification, you'll be presented with an "Options" button:

• Install: Reboot your computer immediately and apply the update
• Try Tonight: Schedule the update to run overnight - be sure to save and close out of your work at the end of the day so your Mac can automatically reboot

What sets these notifications apart from previous ones is the inclusion of a due date. On the due date, at the defined time (device local time), the device will reboot to enforce the update. You will get daily prompts/reminders leading up to the due date, which switch to hourly reminders during the last 24 hours. We strongly recommend running the update as soon as convenient once you've been notified. The due date is set to 7 days from the release of the update by default - if there's a need to change this setting for your organization, please let us know.

For macOS 13, Ventura, and earlier, the update popups will have these options:

If you click the Options button, you'll be given three choices:

• Install
  Attempts to install the update immediately.
  
  
• Try Tonight
  Your Mac will queue the update and attempt to run it overnight. Please connect your Mac to a power source for best results.
  
  
• Remind Me Tomorrow
  Silences the notification until tomorrow. By default, you'll be given 5 deferrals for any given update before it will be automatically installed.

This new framework gives users more flexibility by encouraging them to run the updates as soon as convenient, including scheduling them to run overnight. Always remember that you can run your updates manually anytime and you may still receive nudges when new patches are released.