Preparing macOS Sequoia Stuck

Why is macOS Sequoia update stuck

If macOS Sequoia is stuck on preparing its update, it’s usually caused by the following factors:

• Not having enough free disk space available on your device
• An unstable or weak internet connection
• Outdated software files
• Conflicting App or old software files
• Delays from Apple’s servers
• Having an incompatible Apple device

Luckily, you can fix most of these problems by simply checking your device’s compatibility or freeing up more RAM and disk space. These quick solutions should be able to help you upgrade to Sequoia or wait until you’ve familiarized yourself with the rest of our troubleshooting tips, still to come.

A note from our experts: 

 

We know it’s not ideal when your Mac keeps getting stuck and nothing seems to help. That’s why MacKeeper’s Premium Services are here—our experts can step in with handy solutions to once again help get your laptop running smoothly.

 

Here’s how MacKeeper’s Premium Services can help you fix stuck macOS updates:

1. Download MacKeeper.
2. Open the app and go to Premium Services.
3. Click on Chat Now.
4. In the chat, tell our advisor about the installation issue you're dealing with, and they’ll walk you through personalized steps to get your Mac back on track.

How to fix macOS Sequoia preparation stuck

Is your Mac still stuck on preparing macOS Sequoia? We recommend carrying out the following checks, as these common issues are often behind download problems:

• Restart your Mac to quit all running background processes.
• Make sure your internet connection is stable.
• Free up enough space for the download to install.
• Boot into Safe Mode and then try reinstalling macOS Sequoia.

If those checks didn’t work, it’s time to troubleshoot your MacBook on a deeper level. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. We’ll now walk you through our most effective fixes step-by-step:

1. Ensure your Mac is compatible with Sequoia.
2. Check your internet connection.
3. Free up and optimize disk space.
4. Check Apple’s system status page.
5. Use macOS Recovery Mode for reinstallation.
6. Reset PRAM and SMC (Intel Macs only).
7. Download macOS Sequoia from the App Store.
8. Install macOS Sequoia using Terminal.
9. Get macOS Sequoia directly from Apple servers.
10. Create and use a bootable installer for Sequoia.

1. Ensure your Mac is compatible with Sequoia

Before anything else, you need to make sure your Mac supports macOS Sequoia. Apple has an official compatibility list on their support page to help you find out if macOS Sequoia is stuck on preparing updates because it can’t download on your device.

Here’s how to cross-check if your Mac is compatible with macOS Sequoia:

1. Click the Apple Icon.
2. Select About This Mac.
3. Check your MacBook model and year.
4. Visit Apple’s Sequoia compatibility list and see if your device type is listed.

2. Check internet connection

A stable internet connection is essential to download macOS Sequoia. Sometimes your connection can drop without you even noticing and be behind the preparing macOS Sequoia stuck error. Both wireless and wired connections can suddenly lose connection. Here’s how to check your connection is stable before you continue…

1. Open System Settings.
2. Go to Wi-Fi.
3. Check that there is a Green Dot next to Connected.
4. If you use a wired connection, check that all cables are securely plugged in.

3. Free up and optimize disk space

Another common culprit, second to poor internet connection, is insufficient disk space. Not having enough free space on your drive can cause macOS Sequoia to get stuck. To make room, we recommend checking your Storage and following the custom Recommendations to reclaim space and let macOS Sequoia install smoothly.

Here’s how to find your Storage Recommendations to free up space:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Go to General > Storage.
3. The chart shows how much storage is used and what for, as well as what’s available.
4. You can follow the advice under Recommendations to optimize your disk.

If you’re unsure how much space macOS takes up, it’s quite a bit! For exact details and other installation requirements, our supporting blog has plenty of helpful info.

4. Check Apple servers

Sometimes macOS installation issues come from Apple’s servers, not your Mac or internet connection. To check for any outages on their end, we recommend visiting Apple’s System Status page.

5. Use macOS Recovery Mode for reinstallation

Still seeing the preparing macOS Sequoia stuck error on your Mac? We now recommend trying to reinstall the operating system in macOS Recovery Mode. This will allow you to repair and download the software safely.

Here’s how to reinstall macOS using Recovery Mode:

1. Go to the Apple Icon and choose Shut down.
2. Turn it on and immediately press and hold Command + R.
3. Release the keys when you see the Apple logo.
4. In macOS Utilities, select Reinstall macOS Sequoia and click Continue.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

6. Reset PRAM and SMC

Resetting your Mac’s PRAM and SMC are two more quick fixes that are known to help resolve software glitches known to prevent important downloads from progressing as usual.

Reset PRAM

We understand that the thought of resetting PRAM might sound complicated, but in our experience, it's a fairly straightforward way of clearing all your system settings and helping fix weird software glitches. It’ll only take a few seconds to reset your PRAM and hopefully get your macOS Sequoia download back on track.

Here’s how to correctly reset PRAM on your Mac to help fix macOS Sequoia issues:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn it back on and immediately press and hold Command + Option + P + R.
3. Hold down the keys for 20 seconds and then release them.

Reset SMC

If your Mac feels sluggish and macOS Sequoia updates are still not progressing, we recommend trying an SMC reset. It'll help clear out any hardware-related nuisances, like your battery or fans, preventing important updates.

Here’s how to safely reset SMC in case your device needs troubleshooting:

1. Power down your Mac.
2. Hold Shift + Control + Option along with the power button for 10 seconds.
3. Release all keys and turn your Mac back on.

7. Download macOS Sequoia from App Store

You can also try to download macOS Sequoia directly from the App Store for a clean copy. This is helpful if the usual Software Update in Settings isn’t working.

Here’s how to find macOS ready to download via the App Store:

1. Click on the App Store icon in your Dock.
2. Search for macOS Sequoia.
3. Click the Get button to initiate download.

An extra help from our team: 

 

Changed your mind about macOS Sequoia now? There’s no need to worry whether you can go back to Sonoma from Sequoia or not, as our attached blog has all the advice and preparation steps to guide you through the macOS Software downgrade.

 

However, we would not recommend downgrading your software, as not having the latest OS can affect your Mac’s stability in the long run, as new updates resolve glitches and security patches; downgrading your software could leave you vulnerable to malware or threats.

8. Install macOS Sequoia from Terminal

Are you still having issues with your Sequoia installation? In case downloading a clean version of the OS from the App Store didn't resolve your stuck problem, it might be time to try some more advanced options like Terminal commands. Terminal is usually for more advanced Mac users, but you can follow our steps below to help make the process more straightforward to follow.

Here's how to install macOS Sequoia from Terminal:

1. In Finder, go to Applications > Utilities.
2. Click on Terminal to open it.
3. Type in the following command into Terminal: softwareupdate-- list-full-installers.
4. Press Enter.  
5. Note the version number of the latest macOS Sequoia you want to download.
6. Then run the following command (replacing version_number with the one you want): softwareupdate-- fetch-full-installer-- full-installer-version version_number.
7. Wait for macOS Sequoia to download.
8. Look for the installer in Applications and run it to update your Mac.

9. Get macOS Sequoia directly from server

If you can’t find macOS Sequoia in Terminal or the App Store download source is also not working, you can try an alternative solution—going to Mr Macintosh's database website that has downloadable pkg files for all the versions of macOS (resources pulled from trusted Apple servers). This should allow you to download a clean, compatible version of macOS Sequoia.

Here’s how to get macOS Sequoia pkg files to download:

1. Go to the Mr Macintosh database and click on the InstallAssistant.pkg next to the version of macOS Sequoia you want to download.
2. Once downloaded, open the pkg file and save it in your Applications.

Downloading your preferred version of macOS this way should allow you to get a clean installation of macOS Sequoia and be a workaround for the stuck on preparing macOS Sequoia.

10. Install macOS Sequoia using the bootable installer

If none of the steps above have worked to fix your macOS Sequoia installation issues, not only would this be extremely annoying, but it also leaves very few remaining options to try. However, we’ve one more step you can try—try installing the operating system using a bootable installer. For this, consider a few hints from us:

• You’ll need a USB stick with at least 15GB of space.
• We also advise backing up all your important files before starting.
• After preparing the bootable USB, you can restart your Mac, boot from the USB, and run a clean installation of macOS Sequoia.

Fixing macOS Sequoia stuck issues with MacKeeper’s help

Getting stuck on Preparing macOS Sequoia during an update can be frustrating, but don’t worry, it’s usually something you can easily fix. We’ve gone through the main causes, like a shaky internet connection or not enough space, and shared 10 troubleshooting steps to get your download back on track. This includes handy fixes like resetting your Mac’s PRAM and SMC, and grabbing a fresh copy of macOS Sequoia straight from the App Store.

If you want a little extra peace of mind or a helping hand, MacKeeper’s Premium Services can come to your rescue. Our team of experts is ready to guide you with smart tips for prepping your Mac for big updates and uncovering the reasons behind any stalls, but that’s not all. With MacKeeper in your corner, you can get professional support plus useful tools to keep your laptop running smoothly.