Forced upgrade to macOS Sonoma

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Earlier today I was forcefully upgraded to macOS Sonoma without my consent. This is startling, as I have set macOS to only check for updates and only download security updates automatically, never regular updates or upgrades. Yet, earlier today, it decided to install macOS Sonoma without prompting me.

I use a 13-inch 2020 MacBook Pro, Intel-based, four Thunderbolt 3 ports. I’ve not had any issues with macOS updates (thankfully) but I generally wait until April before installing new macOS upgrades. Previously, I was on macOS Ventura 13.6.3, the latest security update available for Ventura. I was still waiting on some software to fully support Sonoma before upgrading. While using my computer as normal, I got a notification promoting macOS Sonoma and encouraging me to upgrade. I simply dismissed the notification and kept working. About half an hour later, I got a notification telling me that my Mac would restart in one minute to finish installing updates. I wasn’t even prompted for my password. At this point, I had the bad feeling that my Mac had decided to upgrade to Sonoma without asking me.

I restarted my Mac, and sure enough, macOS Sonoma was waiting for me when it rebooted. I’m not entirely happy with that, though, because I never gave macOS permission to upgrade. One of the reasons I switched from Windows to Mac was how it was easier to control updates and upgrades, with a simple option to simply check for updates without the button implying that I also wanted to install the updates right now. This incident, however, has shaken my faith in that. Not very happy with Apple over this, but knowing them, why this happened is probably going to remain clear as mud.

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Hailstorm, Sky, hyppolyte

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To me the exact same thing happened yesterday. I also hadn’t turnded on automatic updates and dismissed the Sonomo update notification numerous times, because i also wanted to wait a couple of month. Yesterday i saw an alert telling the mac had to be restarted to install some updates. I proceeded and Sonoma was installed. This is a terrible nogo.

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I’m seeing others in the apple forums indicate similarly.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Myst

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To downgrade from Sonoma to Ventura you can restore from a Time Machine backup, using Recovery Mode, or a Bootable Installer according to two links I found.

https://macpaw.com/how-to/downgrade-macos-sonoma

https://www.easeus.com/computer-instruction/downgrade-macos-sonoma-to-ventura.html

MacOS iPadOS and sometimes SOS

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The same thing happened to me today. I am very careful about when I take major upgrades; making sure that all the bugs are shaken out and that all the software I use has resolved their incompatibilities. I’m disappointed in Apple for this one; as it happens it appears to have worked out OK but this this NOT the timing that I would have chosen. I also always run a full system backup just before a major OS upgrade and this surprise upgrade meant I didn’t get a chance to do that. Good thing it worked, but I’m still upset at Apple.

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Myst

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I received the same notification last night, clicked ‘find out more’ which took me to the “wonders of Sonoma website”, saw nothing I particularly wanted and closed Safari. Nothing further yet but feels like a sword hanging over my head.

Last year from MacOS Monterey, with the same settings to check only for updates and download only security updates, I found the ~12GB Install MacOS Ventura on both my Macs had been downloaded overnight. This occurred several times over several months but at least didn’t self install. I eventually upgraded to Ventura a little earlier than I would have liked, because of the unrequested downloads.

As we live in remote rural Australia, our internet is mobile only, expensive and limited. I was planning to download and create the 13.6.3 install USB after the 19th when the monthly allowance turns over. Purpose is for emergencies, not for a forced destructive “clean” install.

While I maintain a Windows PC to give us real-time updates for our APC-UPS, our house is set up for Apple. The ability to tell Microsoft that internet is limited is a useful feature, but isn’t that what the Apple update settings are supposed to achieve?

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https://www.laptopmag.com/how-to/set-wi-fi-data-limits-on-mac-and-pc

..Set a data limit on Mac’s Wi-Fi

Unlike Windows, macOS doesn’t offer a built-in tool to control your network’s bandwidth. You will have to turn to a third-party app called Tripmode.

Tripmode allows you to manage the available data bandwidth precisely how you wish to. You can not only block off apps from spending too much of your internet plan but also gain insights into your total usage and figure out where you need to cut corners. ..

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hyppolyte

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This just happened to me and I’m pissed!

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I am so annoyed at this having just happened to me—critically sagging my slow ISP connection to do it during a key time. As an Avid Pro Tools user I have been specifically avoiding system updates like this. Apple, and their quest for total user control, suck.

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This happened to me too… 20mins before a job interview!!!

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Same thing happened to me a couple of days ago. Most upsetting!

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Worst of all: LibreOffice (even the newest 7.6.4.1)  now makes forever to load and then is too slow in responding to be useful at all.

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This happened to me on 2024-01-16.  I restarted my iMac because it was running slowly.  I walked away to take a break.  When I came back, the login screen was different.  I logged in and I had been upgraded without having kicked off the process.  I have never experienced this in 20 years of owning a Mac.

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30 year mac user – I lost a half hour with Apple Care (AC didn’t know this would happen) and the work that had not yet been saved. I wonder if Apple will have an explanation for such a selfish move. Don’t count on it; the Steve Job’s polish is off the apple.

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I had problems with our internet wifi Monday night. Shut down my computer Monday night.

When I opened it on Tuesday morning I found all my files had disappeared. All the files backed up on icloud were empty and Time Machine was wiped. All my apps had also disappeared.

Now rebuilding my computer.

Is it an issue with Sonoma.

Anyway not a happy bunny.

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https://talk.tidbits.com/t/apple-just-force-upgraded-me-to-sonoma/26342/74

Apple support says its a bug.

…I got the notification, used the hidden* action button to get “Info”, it didn’t upgrade. (*) hidden until you mouse over it..

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Interesting to note that many others have experienced this. A “bug” seems like a too convenient explanation—or perhaps, excuse—for this, though.

Hard to believe that dismissing a notification could ever be interpreted as consent for the action, but selecting “More Info” isn’t.

Fortunately for me, the upgrade process was smooth and I have not had serious issues with Sonoma. In fact, there were a number of bugs in Ventura that have been resolved with the Sonoma upgrade! But that’s still not an excuse to upgrade someone’s computer without their consent.

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hyppolyte, Sky

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Czar Hey wrote:

Hard to believe that dismissing a notification could ever be interpreted as consent for the action

We saw that with Microsoft’s Windows 7 to Windows 10 where clicking the the X started installation.

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Sky

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Happen to me also. I was on Macos Monterey and then, without my permission, it has been updated to Sonoma immediately when I restart my macbook.

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Late to the party, but…

There’s no way this is an accidental bug. I’ve had my MacBook nag me twice this week prompting me to install Sonoma, which is a crafted nag that can’t come about by accident.

Even if you believe that it is an accidental bug, on top of this I’ve had the Settings icon in the dock have a 1 on it indicating a new update for the past few months, even when I’m running the latest version of Ventura (prior to this, running the latest version of a previous MacOS major release version has never given me this prompt).

And on top of all of this, over the past month both my iPhone and iPad have started giving me regular full screen nags to update, which has never happened before in my 10 years of using iOS devices.

One thing that I’ve always appreciated about Apple products is that they allow the user to control when they update, which allows for software stability, but putting these three things together, this is clearly a new policy to nag and/or force users into updating to the latest versions of things in the same way that Microsoft does. Microsoft doesn’t care about the user experience, just making money from subscriptions, so I expect it from them, but this seems a very unwise step from Apple who rely on its users having a good premium user experience to justify its prices.

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Sonoma is a horrible update. There is a huge long megathread on Reddit about it. Took me 3 days to figure out why a 6-month M1 iMac was running like sh!t on Sonoma, when Ventura it shipped with was great.  Had to wipe and reload from Ventura in Recovery Mode, then restore user data from Time Machine.

I will never upgrade to Sonoma and have turned off all Automatic Updates.

I am super disappointed in Apple’s QC in the last year.  iOS 17 is junk.  Just weird stuff like tones aren’t playing for messages and emails.  All sorts of wonky stuff.   PLEASE JUST MAKE IT WORK.

Will J Stewart
Independent IT 25 years
Austin, Texas

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This just happened to me too – shocked.

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Running a Mac Pro 5,1 3.33 2010 on Open Core. Did NOT want to upgrade to Sonoma as all my apps run perfectly on Monterey. Forced an update and it took me four hours to get Sonoma running using Open Core as USB had stopped working. Luckily I had a legacy mouse and keyboard to get it working. What is wrong with Apple in doing this? So very very mad.

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I go way back to OS9 with Apple on Mac’s. I have mostly used Windows PC’s but always dabbled in Mac’s. last year I bought a M2 15″ MacBook Air. It replaced a M1 13″ MacBook Air. I have been impressed mostly with Apple silicon but like the Power PC switch to Intel it is not without some negatives. Sonoma just irks me in how it continues the transitional move to a hybrid model of IOS/MacOS that seems to cater more to a all Apple ecosystem person then one like myself with a variety of platforms and devices. Sonoma sort of negates the performance gains on my MacBook Air. Maybe I should have bought more RAM than 8GB. Apple said 8GB was perfectly fine and I am thinking that is not being truthful. All my Windows PC’s are now at 16 GB of RAM. MacOS is more about form than function which is why I could never switch to it completely. Its like a boutique sort of OS with more flare then practicality. Stage Manager is just one example. That’s my two cents  thanks for reading.

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WSbobby-p

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Never had such an issue in before and it prompts me to install new  update when available. It does not force you to do that, but it reminds me from time to time and have notification in the Settings. Sometimes, you have to install the new update for getting rid of the annoying pop-up notifications.

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