MacBook users who are still rocking OS X El Capitan should know that Apple has started to deploy its latest macOS 10.12 Sierra, but there is a way to schedule the update to your liking.
Those who sport automatic downloads on their Macs will receive a hefty 5 GB file, and the process will happen seamlessly in the background, throttling their internet bandwidth. According to Apple, the procedure is crafted with users' best interest in mind, so as many people as possible are keeping up with the company's desktop OS release.
On the bright side, you should know that the update only installs after you give it the green light. As macOS Sierra completes its download, users who are using OS X El Capitan (10.11.5 or newer) will get notified that macOS Sierra is install-ready.
Clicking the Install button deploys the newest OS on your Mac.
Keep in mind that the automatic update feature is tailored so that the file only lands on computers that have:
a. A sizeable amount of free storage
b. The tech specs required to run macOS Sierra.
Should the installer detect that the Mac is running low on space, it will delete the update file.
For the few users who want to have full control over the moment of the update, the automatic update could be a source of annoyance.
Those who want to download the Sierra at a later date (or not at all) must get rid of the Sierra installer manually, thus making sure that no notification about the install ever appears.
To do that, go to Finder and locate the Applications tab, then search for an app dubbed "Install macOS Sierra." Once you found it, place the application into Trash. Don't forget to Empty the Trash to make sure that Sierra is gone from your system, for good.
Some users might have to input their Mac login password to wrap up the action.
Those who want to save the previous 5 GB of downloaded installer from their hard drive have to switch off automatic downloads from the App Store. For that, go to System Preferences, then into App Store, then find "Automatically check for updates." The final step is toggling off "Download newly available updates in the background."
Having completed these steps, your computer will be macOS Sierra free. Should you choose to enable automatic downloads later on, backtrack the aforementioned steps.
Until you decide which course of action fits you best, check out the five best features of macOS Sierra.
