If you're sick of waiting for the progress bar to complete every time you reboot after a macOS software update, then you'll be pleased to learn there's another way to update your Mac that could potentially reduce your downtime.

How to check for macOS software updates in Mojave macOS Mojave changes how you update macOS. No more visiting the Mac App Store everytime you want to check for something new. Jul 04, 2019  How to Update Outlook on PC or Mac - Using Outlook for Mac Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer. Click the Help tab. Click Check for Updates. Select Manually in the AutoUpdate window. Click the Check for Updates button.

The process involves a simple Terminal command, and allows you to continue using your Mac as the update downloads and the initial software installation takes place in the background. In our tests, we found that this method was capable of shaving off several minutes of idle time during installation restarts, but that the time-saving depends on the machine and the update in question.
Users with older Macs in particular will likely appreciate this tip, as it saves having to fire up the Mac App Store altogether, which can be slow-going and sometimes even downright unresponsive. Read on to find out how it's done.

How to Update macOS From the Command Line

Before following these steps, ensure you have a full backup of your system, which should be par for the course when performing any update. Note that the following procedure only lists stock Apple system updates (iTunes, Photos, printer drivers the like), but not updates for other Apple apps that aren't installed with macOS (Xcode, for instance), and not third-party updates from the Mac App Store.

1. To update macOS from the command line, first launch Terminal, which can be found in the Applications/Utilities folder. This will open a Terminal window and a command prompt for you to begin typing.
   
2. Input the following command and press Enter: softwareupdate -l
   
3. Wait as your Mac searches Apple's servers for any macOS software updates currently available for your system. If no updates are available, you'll be returned to the command prompt.

Now let's take a look at the command's output. Available updates always appear as items in a list. In our example, only one update is available at this time, but every item follows the same format, as shown:
The asterisked line denotes the individual software update package that's available for your Mac to download. This line is also known as the identifier.
The second line offers a more detailed description of the update, including the version number (usually in brackets) and the download file size in kilobytes. [Recommended] means the update is recommended for all users, and [restart] indicates that your Mac needs to reboot for installation to complete.
To download and install a specific update in the list, use the following format, but replacing NAME with the update's identifier:
softwareupdate -i NAME
Or:
softwareupdate --install NAME
Note that if the package name you’re trying to install has spaces in it, you'll need to enclose the whole thing in single quotes. So for example:
softwareupdate --install 'macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 Supplemental Update-'
Also, be alert for spaces at the end of the package names. If present, they also need to be included within the quotes.
Moving on, to download a specific update for your system without also installing it then and there, you can use:
softwareupdate -d NAME
Updates downloaded in this way can be subsequently installed with the same -i or --install command above, or even through the Mac App Store. These updates are downloaded to a folder located in /Library/Updates, but they aren't designed to be installed by double-clicking the packages in that directory. You'll need to use the --install command or visit the Mac App Store to actually initiate the install.
Lastly, to download and install all available updates for your system, type the command:
softwareupdate -i -a
Using these commands, you'll be able to leave the update to download and continue to install in the background while you get on with other things. All being well, Terminal will eventually prompt you to restart your machine manually so that the full installation procedure can complete. (Note that the softwareupdate utility requires admin authentication for all commands except the -l or -list command. If you run softwareupdate as a normal admin user, you will be prompted for a password where required.)
As some users will no doubt be aware, there are several additional options that can be used in conjunction with the softwareupdate utility. For example, -schedule on/off enables/disables your Mac's scheduled background check for updates. More adventurous readers can use

How To Check For Mac System Updates

man softwareupdate and softwareupdate -h for a summary list of commands.

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You can update your Mac computer in a few different ways, and the method you need will depend on the operating system your device is currently running. It's a good time to update your Mac now that the new macOS Catalina is out.If your Mac is running macOS High Sierra or earlier, you should update through the App Store; if you're running macOS Mojave or later, you should update through System Preferences.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.In many ways, Macs are built for convenience: They have backlit keyboards, there's the option to use split-screen viewing for different apps, and they come with a wide assortment of shortcuts that can speed up your work.When you're in the thick of an important assignment (or just in the middle of streaming a good movie on Netflix), the option to put off an automatic software update is just another convenience.Unfortunately, doing so also means working with outdated apps that don't have the latest software patches in place to protect your Mac. And if you put those off long enough, it may even slow you down.With macOS Catalina, the newest and fastest Mac update yet, now out for all users, it's a good time to update your Mac computers. Here's your quick guide to doing so.Check out the products mentioned in this article:MacBook Pro (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy)How update your Mac computerThere are two major ways to update your Mac, and which one you use will depend on what macOS version you're currently running. For information on how to check which macOS version you currently have, read our article, 'How to check which version of macOS your Mac computer is running in 3 simple steps.'And remember that before going forward with updates, it's a good idea to backup your computer to ensure no data is lost in the process. After that, keep in mind that the updates may take several minutes to install, depending on how many of your apps are due for updates.Update a Mac running macOS Mojave or later1. In the top-right corner of your screen, click the Apple icon to open a dropdown menu.2. Click 'System Preferences' and then click 'Software Update.' 3. If an update is available (and an update to macOS Catalina should be available if you're running macOS Mojave), click 'Update Now.' You can also choose to enable automatic updates from this screen by checking the box 'Automatically keep my Mac up to date,' if for some reason you had previously disabled the feature.Update a Mac running macOS High Sierra or earlierIt's a simple three-step process that should take less than a minute to complete:1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen.2. Select 'App Store…'3. Click 'Updates' in the left sidebar of the App Store.From the above screen, you'll be given the option to update your Mac. Any Mac computer released in 2012 or later can host and should feature an update to macOS Catalina. And, for future reference, don't worry about accepting an update and then having your computer unexpectedly restart — you'll be notified beforehand if a restart is required.Product Embed: Product Name: Apple Macbook Pro 13-Inch Display with Touch Bar Card Type: small https://produktor.businessinsider.com/productCardService?id=5d24b242a17d6c09cf06abe8&type=small&live=true Width: 100% Height: 150% Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:How to hide the dock on your Mac computer in 2 different ways, to get rid of the application icons on your screenHow to use Parental Controls to block websites on a Mac to help protect children or to increase productivityHow to set a password on your Mac computer and lock it, in 5 different waysHow to take a screenshot on a Mac, and find that screenshot on your computer later