Please take care to back up files and data before starting any update or upgrade. IT recommends backing up files to Microsoft OneDrive.

Information Technology manages and enforces deadlines for both minor updates and major upgrades on all university computers

When a macOS upgrade or update is released, the North Park IT department makes every attempt to ensure all applications necessary to our university are compatible before we make these updates available on our university devices.

macOS updates are smaller version “point” updates that are downloaded and installed periodically. These are usually available shortly after release and enforced within about 2 weeks.

macOS upgrades are major releases for the operating system. These upgrades are restricted on university devices while we test compatibility with different applications and wait for a stable release.

Once IT makes an update or upgrade available to a university computer it can be installed by using Apple System Settings.

Open System Settings by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left of your screen and selecting “System Settings…”.

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Choose General and then Software Update. Click on “Update Now” to install any available update.

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If Software Update says that your device is up to date, then no new operating system is currently available.

macOS handles notifications for Operating System updates. You can choose to install the update right away, schedule it for that night, or simply ignore it and install it later.

macOS will notify you with a pop-up window in the upper right corner of your screen once per day leading up to the deadline. 24 hours before the deadline, the notification will appear hourly and ignores Do Not Disturb. In the last hour before enforcement, you will be notified at 30 minutes and then every 10 minutes.

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If a device is not turned on when the enforcement deadline passes, the update is scheduled for 60 minutes after it is powered on and realizes it is behind its scheduled enforcement. North Park IT cannot control the contents or timing of these notifications, as both are determined by macOS.

Iru Self Service allows North Park to keep applications and operating systems updated and secure. Many applications are set to automatically update once we have verified them to be compatible.

1. When an application update is available, the Iru agent will have a red dot indicating an update is available on your computer. Select the Iru jellyfish icon to see a list of available updates.
   You can install updates individually or all at once.

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2. If the apps requesting update are open, you will be prompted to quit the app in order to install the update

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3. After starting an update via the Irui agent, you will see the installation progress.

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For managed applications, Irui will silently update in the background. If the application is open, the Irui agent will open, displaying a 5-minute countdown, giving the user time to close the application and save their work. If the apps are not closed by the end of the countdown, Irui will forcibly close those apps. If the apps are closed before the end of the countdown, the updates will start immediately.

You may have an option to delay the enforced update/upgrade by one hour for up to 24 hours. This helps prevent installations from disrupting critical activities.

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