Automatic downloads have been available for a long time for application updates available on the Mac App Store, however now Apple takes this concept much further and also extends it to its new operating system, macOS Sierra.
Since yesterday, coinciding with the launch of a new beta version of the next update, Apple's own desktop operating system, macOS Sierra, becomes part of automatic downloads for all those users who are still using the previous system, OS X El Capitan.
macOS Sierra will download without you noticing
Apple has always wanted all its users to keep their devices updated to the latest version of the operating system in force, and the truth is that its degree of achievement is enormously high. The platforms of the bitten apple, whether mobile or desktop, do not have that very serious fragmentation problem that other systems have. Apple users quickly update our computers and devices to the new operating systems in order to be able to try and enjoy all the new features and functions that Apple brings us with each new major update. Or to quickly resolve errors and failures that have been previously detected. But the company wants these figures to be even higher and for this reason it already allows macOS Sierra to be available as an automatic update.
As we said, the objective is obvious. Make things easier for users? Yes, that too. But the main purpose is that the equipment is updated. With automatic updates to macOS Sierra, users who are still using OS X El Capitan will now feel more encouraged to update their computers.
How macOS Sierra automatic updates work
If we already have automatic downloads enabled for the Mac App Store on our Mac computer, macOS Sierra will start downloading on its own to your computer as soon as it is available. For users of OS X El Capitan, the download will have already started if they haven't updated yet. Of course, despite the fact that the download is automatic, its installation will require the express permission of the user.
Apple shared this news with the website The Loop and the company claims that macOS Sierra It will only be downloaded to those computers that have the required technical specifications by the new operating system and that, in addition, they have the free amount of storage space necessary.
Apple is being smart about the download, too. If your computer is low on space, macOS Sierra won't download. Also, if it has been downloaded and your computer space begins to shrink, the download will be automatically deleted.
Therefore, for this feature to work properly, it will be necessary to have enough space on our Mac. In this way we should not worry because updating will never leave us out of storage space.
What if you don't want to use macOS Sierra's automatic download?
The automatic download option is just that, an option, so you can disable it whenever you want. Users who do not want macOS Sierra to download automatically to their computers and then the system asks them if they want to install now or later, they just have to disable the automatic downloads function from System Preferences.
To do this, open the "System Preferences" application on your Mac, click on the "App Store" section, and download the box corresponding to "Download new updates available in the background".
From that moment on, if you want to update, you must follow the usual procedure until now: open the Mac App Store and go to the "Updates" section in the top menu. Personally, I recommend that those users who have a "regular" internet connection, deactivate this option Well, if the download starts while you are doing important work or watching the episode of your favorite series, you could experience interruptions.
Automatic macOS Sierra downloads will roll out to all users throughout the week.