Configure a Software Update setting in Apple Business Essentials
Using Software Update setting, you can have a Mac install operating system updates automatically. You can also enforce both operating system upgrades and updates, all on a recurring schedule for iPhone and iPad devices and Mac computers.
Important: Any Software Update settings created before February 15, 2024, are supported but can’t be edited.
Before you begin
Before you configure software updates for devices, you should review the following information:
Types of updates
Features and enrollment types
Enforcement schedule
User notifications
Types of updates
Apple operating systems use a version numbering scheme to distinguish major upgrades (such as iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS 14) from minor updates (such as iOS 17.1, iPad OS 17.1, and macOS 14.1). macOS also may add a name—in this case, Sonoma. Upgrades typically make important changes to your system in functionality, user interface, and general appearance over the previous version. Upgrades are released much less frequently than updates, and can take a while to install because of their large size. Also, older devices may not be eligible for upgrades because they don’t have the space or power to support the new software.
Updates are more frequently released software patches that help secure or enhance the current operating system and are designed to protect your device against security or privacy vulnerabilities. Updates use a second and sometimes a third number to denote increments. For example, iOS 17.1 is an update from iOS 17.
There are also app updates, which are updates to apps installed from the App Store by the user or through volume purchasing, and security updates, which may include system files, Safari, XProtect, and Gatekeeper.
Features and enrollment types
Certain features are available depending on how the device was enrolled in Apple Business Essentials.
Feature | Automatic upgrades and updates | Delaying software upgrades and updates | Date and time enforcement of software upgrades and updates |
|---|---|---|---|
Device Enrollment | Mac | Mac | Mac |
Account Driven Device Enrollment | Mac | Mac | iPhone (See note below) iPad (See note below) Mac |
Automated Device Enrollment | Mac | iPhone iPad Mac | iPhone iPad Mac |
Note: Date and time enforcement of software upgrades and updates for iPhone and iPad devices don’t require supervision. (Supervision generally denotes that the device is owned by the organization, which provides additional control over its configuration and restrictions.) For more information, see About Apple device supervision in Apple Platform Deployment.
Enforcement schedule
Apple Business Essentials has two options for setting a recurring schedule for visibility and enforcement for all upgrades and updates:
A recommended schedule: This is the default behavior in Apple Business Essentials. Users are notified about upgrades for 14 days and updates for 7 days. At 5:00 p.m. device local time on the last day, the upgrade or update is automatically installed. Neither upgrades nor updates are hidden from users at any time. They can choose to install them whenever they become available instead of waiting for Apple Business Essentials to automatically install them.
A custom schedule: You can set how long each upgrade and update is hidden from users and how long users are asked to upgrade or update their devices before it’s automatically installed at the time you selected. A custom schedule can be set by selecting the Schedule menu.
Note: Hiding updates isn’t supported without setting the enforcement delay and time.
The installation countdown begins after the setting is successfully received by the devices. This happens when the setting is first assigned to a Collection and the devices check in with Apple Business Essentials. If any device is offline (for example, turned off), countdown begins as soon as the device is turned on, accesses the internet, and checks in with Apple Business Essentials.
After the (optional) delay period, the enforcement countdown begins. For example, if a delay is set to 7 days and enforcement is set to 7 days, the installation automatically happens 14 days after the setting is received by the devices. Users can, however, always begin the installation earlier. If a change is made to the setting, the countdown begins again after the setting is successfully received by the devices.
A Mac checks for upgrades and updates, even if the laptop lid is closed. When an upgrade or update becomes available, it’s downloaded and prepared for installation. To install an upgrade or update, a Mac laptop must a minimum battery percentage of 50%.
User notifications
When the enforcement countdown begins for an upgrade or update, users are informed about the deadline in a notification. They’re also informed in Settings (iPhone and iPad) and in System Settings (Mac). The notification provides the option to install immediately or to install later that night. If the user doesn’t immediately begin the upgrade or update, the operating system posts an “Updates Available” notification every day until 24 hours before the deadline. Notifications then appear every hour. One hour before the deadline, the notification appears every 30 minutes, then every 10 minutes.
To make sure users don’t miss the alerts, these notifications ignore Do Not Disturb. This allows users to select the most appropriate time for them to have the upgrade or update performed.
If the deadline was missed because a device was either turned off or offline, when the device is back online, the operating system posts another notification telling them an update is past due, and the upgrade or update is tried within the next hour.
If the user hasn’t installed the upgrade or update before the local enforcement date:
iOS and iPadOS force the user to enter their passcode if one is set (unless it was provided earlier).
macOS force quits all open apps and performs a restart (if necessary).
Note: For Mac computers, this may result in data loss.
Create your Software Update setting
In Apple Business Essentials, sign in with a user that has the role of Administrator.
Select Settings
in the sidebar, then select All Settings.Select the Add button
next to Software Update 
, then choose either Recommended or Custom for upgrades and updates.See the table below for operating system requirements and descriptions.
Setting and types of updates
Minimum supported operating system
Description
Automatic updates, when turned on, allow the following:
Upgrades
Updates
App updates
Security updates
macOS 12.0.1
On devices with macOS 12.6 or earlier, if this option is used without the “Automatically install all updates” option, in System Preferences > Software Update, users can’t individually change “Install macOS updates,” “Install app updates from the App Store,” and “Install system data files and security.” Users can change these settings only by selecting “Automatically keep my Mac up to date.”
Recommended schedule:
Delay before the following are made available prior to enforcement:
Upgrades
Updates
iOS 17
iPadOS 17
macOS 14
Users are notified about upgrades for 14 days, and about updates for 7 days. At 5:00 p.m.device local time on the last day, the upgrade or update automatically installs.
Custom schedule:
Enforce a date and time for the following:
Upgrades
Updates
iOS 17
iPadOS 17
macOS 14
Choose a date and time for the enforcement of an operating system upgrade or update. If the user hasn’t installed the upgrade or update by the date and time selected (device local time), apps quit and a restart is performed to automatically install the upgrade or update.
Custom schedule:
Delay before the following are made available for installation:
Upgrades
iOS 17
iPadOS 17
macOS 14
Choose how many days an upgrade is hidden before the user is notified and can install it.
Custom schedule:
Delay before the following are made available prior to enforcement:
Upgrades
iOS 17
iPadOS 17
macOS 14
Choose how many days the user sees the upgrade before they’re automatically installed.
Custom schedule:
Delay before the following are made available for installation:
Updates
Security updates
iOS 17
iPadOS 17
macOS 14
Choose how many days operating system and security updates are hidden before the user is notified and can install them.
Custom schedule:
Delay before the following are made available prior to enforcement:
Updates
Security updates
iOS 17
iPadOS 17
macOS 14
Choose how many days the user sees the operating system and security updates before they’re automatically installed.
Select Save.