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gogreen1

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 20, 2017
271
15
I just updated Mojave with a security update, and now Mojave is pestering me to upgrade to Catalina. How do I remove the red-circled "1" (as shown), and get update to stop bothering me about upgrading to Catalina? 🙄
Screen Shot 2020-05-26 at 6.07.17 PM.png
 
Open Terminal and type the following command and hit enter. Then enter your admin password when prompted.

sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina"

To clear the notification badge. Enter the following in Terminal. Hit enter after each command.

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0

killall Dock


You can copy and paste the commands. Terminal is located in the Applications > Utilities folder
 
Apple has removed the ability to ignore the next major update beginning with today’s security updates and 10.15.5 update. You’re stuck with the badge now.

“Major new releases of macOS are no longer hidden when using the softwareupdate(8) command with the --ignore flag”
 
That worked. Easier than I thought it would be. Thanks, velocityg4! Hope it sticks when I restart.
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Thanks, chrfr. Any idea how long Apple will support Mojave?
 
Any idea how long Apple will support Mojave?
Apple issues security updates for the previous two macOS versions, currently Mojave and High Sierra.

When macOS 10.16 comes out in this fall, macOS Catalina 10.15 (2019 release) will start only receiving security updates. At the same time macOS High Sierra 10.13 (2017 release) will stop receiving security updates.

Therefore macOS Mojave 10.14 (2018 release) will stop receiving security updates in autumn 2021 when macOS 10.17 comes out.
 
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Open Terminal and type the following command and hit enter. Then enter your admin password when prompted.

sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina"

To clear the notification badge. Enter the following in Terminal. Hit enter after each command.

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0

killall Dock


You can copy and paste the commands. Terminal is located in the Applications > Utilities folder
A slightly different version that works on my iMac 2012, this version was found on this forum, but I can't remember who posted it to give credit where it is due ....
1) QUIT System Preferences
2) in terminal run:
sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina"
3) in terminal run:
defaults delete com.apple.preferences.softwareupdate LatestMajorOSSeenByUserBundleIdentifier
4) in terminal run:
softwareupdate --list

For me badge disappeared immediately after step 4 and survives after reboots
 
Open Terminal and type the following command and hit enter. Then enter your admin password when prompted.

sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina"

To clear the notification badge. Enter the following in Terminal. Hit enter after each command.

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0

killall Dock


You can copy and paste the commands. Terminal is located in the Applications > Utilities folder

I tried the command this morning on a brand newly installed Mojave and I got

Ignoring software updates is deprecated.

The ability to ignore individual updates will be removed in a future release of macOS.


Any other trick that could possibly work on Mojave 10.14.6? I do not care for the badge, but I do for Catalina not pestering with the update
I know, before it worked for me too. My disk failed, I had to reinstall all and now I'm stuck with it
any suggestion is welcome! Thanks
 
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Ignoring software updates is deprecated.
The ability to ignore individual updates will be removed in a future release of macOS.
Talk about arm-twisting. 🙄
 
Do you guys really need System Preferences in the dock? I removed it long time ago because you have quick access to it from the Apple menu.
 
Talk about arm-twisting. 🙄
Probably it happened because of the latest security update ...oh Apple!
It is defending itself from us, the users/customers
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Do you guys really need System Preferences in the dock? I removed it long time ago because you have quick access to it from the Apple menu.
I do not mind having the badge, I hate the reminder that I have to close so many times
because more we go ahead with updates less systems are working as they should!!
 
Open Terminal and type the following command and hit enter. Then enter your admin password when prompted.

sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina"

To clear the notification badge. Enter the following in Terminal. Hit enter after each command.

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0

killall Dock


You can copy and paste the commands. Terminal is located in the Applications > Utilities folder
After copy/paste sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina" , it doesn't accept my admin password...

or rather, it says: sorry, try again
 
I tried the command this morning on a brand new installed Mojave and I got

Ignoring software updates is deprecated.

The ability to ignore individual updates will be removed in a future release of macOS.


Any other trick that could possibly work on Mojave 10.14.6? I do not care for the badge, but I do for Catalina not pestering with the update
I know, before it worked for me too. My disk failed, I had to reinstall all and now I'm stuck with it
any suggestion is welcome! Thanks

That really is a load of BS that they did that. Removing that option is not a security update by any means. As it's not an issue which would crop up unless a user purposefully went out of their way to stop getting pestered about an upgrade (not an update) they don't want. For many it's because they can't upgrade due to software compatibility or legacy peripherals. It's supposed to be automatic updates not automatic upgrades.

All I can suggest is reinstall and disable automatic updates. Manually install updates and skip the 2020-003 security update. For any future security update. Check to see if the feature returned or just skip it. Also check periodically for a work around. This is a new update. Someone will probably find a workaround.

Unfortunately one of my Mac's is in Catalina and the other uses High Sierra. So, I can't test any workarounds for Mojave. Here's a couple suggestions.

If you just don't want the badge but want System Preferences in the dock. Make an alias of System Preferences and put the alias in the dock instead.

If you don't like notifications in general. Set Do Not Disturb for 3:00AM to 2:59AM or some other interval where there is only one minute of notifications. Whenever you are likely to be asleep.
 
Probably it happened because of the latest security update ...oh Apple!
It is defending itself from us, the users/customers
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I do not mind having the badge, I hate the reminder that I have to close so many times
because more we go ahead with updates less systems are working as they should!!


I understand. I have a Mac Pro 3,1 and don't recieve the notification, just the badge :)
 
For some reason, the Catalina is not showing up on my iMac which is great. (Have not install the security update 2020-003 yet)
But that crap is showing up on my other family member's iMac and I cannot ignore that. To make matter worse, Office 2011 does not support Catalina and we are not interested in paying for the new SW just because Apple is being annoying (this family member is not tech savvy at all and will easily install that crap by mistake).

Edit:

All right...the same crap is happening to my iMac now that I have installed the security update 2020-003.
Catalina showed up on mine too...
Apple is really making it easier and easier to move to Windows 10 every single freakin' day...
 
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For some reason, the Catalina is not showing up on my iMac which is great. (Have not install the security update 2020-003 yet)
But that crap is showing up on my other family member's iMac and I cannot ignore that. To make matter worse, Office 2011 does not support Catalina and we are not interested in paying for the new SW just because Apple is being annoying (this family member is not tech savvy at all and will easily install that crap by mistake).

Edit:

All right...the same crap is happening to my iMac now that I have installed the security update 2020-003.
Catalina showed up on mine too...
Apple is really making it easier and easier to move to Windows 10 every single freakin' day...
See the other, similar thread, it has a temporary solution. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/system-preferences-software-update-badge.2204123/
As you know, Apple has moved away from supporting 32 bit apps, which is why Catalina does not support Office 2011, and aside from the mess MS made of the new 365 version of Word (haven't tried the new Excel or Powerpoint) paying again for an update (downdate?) has put off many of us (you and your family are not alone!).
I am beginning to think it is time to take the red-badged System Prefs Icon outof the dock!
 
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See the other, similar thread, it has a temporary solution. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/system-preferences-software-update-badge.2204123/
As you know, Apple has moved away from supporting 32 bit apps, which is why Catalina does not support Office 2011, and aside from the mess MS made of the new 365 version of Word (haven't tried the new Excel or Powerpoint) paying again for an update (downdate?) has put off many of us (you and your family are not alone!).
I am beginning to think it is time to take the red-badged System Prefs Icon outof the dock!
As long as it does not pop-up in her iMac...otherwise, I am screwed...since there is no turning back to Mojave which she accidentally installed from High Sierra...
I got lucky with the Office 2019 when they still offered the for home use program and paid only $15 for it. Only good for one computer though. Apple is really doing a great job of screwing their customers over lately.
 
The temporary solution works. I wonder if there's a way to automatically implement the command in Terminal as the last item in a login routine. 🤔
 
The temporary solution works. I wonder if there's a way to automatically implement the command in Terminal as the last item in a login routine. 🤔
Little script here #84 , another solution edit com.apple.dock.plist here #71 and potentially another by editing com.apple.ncprefs.plist here #18 but I don't have time to test it.
 
Open Terminal and type the following command and hit enter. Then enter your admin password when prompted.

sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina"

To clear the notification badge. Enter the following in Terminal. Hit enter after each command.

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0

killall Dock


You can copy and paste the commands. Terminal is located in the Applications > Utilities folder
Thanks! It worked for me. My attempt from a previous thread was not successful. I don't remember if the commands were similar. I hope that it holds through a Restart.
 
As long as it does not pop-up in her iMac...otherwise, I am screwed...since there is no turning back to Mojave which she accidentally installed from High Sierra...
I got lucky with the Office 2019 when they still offered the for home use program and paid only $15 for it. Only good for one computer though. Apple is really doing a great job of screwing their customers over lately.

Doesn't she have a backup schedule on her Mac? (Time Machine and/or CCC (or other cloning software))? If she does go through the number of various prompts and installs by mistake the just clone back.
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Doesn't she have a backup schedule on her Mac? (Time Machine and/or CCC (or other cloning software))? If she does go through the number of various prompts and installs by mistake the just clone back.
Or better still - change her account from an Admin (which she obviously shouldn't be using) to a normal user, then she won't be able to.
 
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