Every year, Apple releases a major new version of macOS (like Sonoma, Sequoia, or whatever comes next). The moment it is released, your Mac will start displaying an aggressive, permanent red badge on your System Settings icon. Every few days, a notification will pop up urging you to upgrade.
If you are a music producer using legacy audio plugins, or a video editor reliant on highly specific software, upgrading your operating system immediately can completely break your entire workflow. If you want to safely remain on your current, stable version of macOS without being constantly harassed by the operating system, you can use the Terminal to bypass the upgrade reminders.
How to Safely Bypass Mac OS Upgrade Reminders
You must use the `softwareupdate` utility in the Terminal to forcefully ignore the major OS upgrade.
- Open the Finder, go to Applications, open the Utilities folder, and double-click Terminal.
- First, you must find the exact internal name Apple is using for the upgrade. Type this command and press Enter:
softwareupdate --list - The terminal will scan for a few seconds. Look for the massive upgrade name, usually formatted like `macOS Sequoia 15.0`.
- To forcefully block this specific upgrade from ever bothering you again, carefully type the following command (replacing “macOS Sequoia” with the actual name the terminal gave you), and press Enter:
sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Sequoia" - The terminal will ask for your administrator password. Type it (the characters remain invisible) and press Enter.
- Finally, type this command to restart the Dock and clear the annoying red notification badge:
killall Dock
macOS will now completely ignore the major OS upgrade. The pop-ups will cease, and the red badge is gone forever. Your Mac will still safely download minor security patches and bug fixes for your current operating system, ensuring you stay secure without breaking your essential workflow apps.