Updates -- so many---all necessary?

[LeahSam%]

Ok, I have used, and loved, Mac laptop for long time- in fact just bought new MacBook Air.
I note constant "updates" often with their own bugs! Must we upload EVERY update?
I am a now retired woman, do a lot of writing, some research.... each update seems to come with gobs of scary Pop-ups...like the latest "Security Response."
I'd appreciate some "truth in advertising" from Apple, a company that touts all its security features already!
How can we consumers differentiate the really essential update from an optional or really selectively needed?

 

[AlixSPQR]

People have older macs with High Sierra and they get by just fine. Only a few are subjects of targeted attacks from governments or other professionals/criminals. Also, staying totally updated isn't really secure, you must always assume there is a security hole that Apple doesn't know about or yet hasn't released an update for. But, of course, staying totally updated is the best thing you can do.

 

[Realityck]

Ok, I have used, and loved, Mac laptop for long time- in fact just bought new MacBook Air.
I note constant "updates" often with their own bugs! Must we upload EVERY update?
I am a now retired woman, do a lot of writing, some research.... each update seems to come with gobs of scary Pop-ups...like the latest "Security Response."
I'd appreciate some "truth in advertising" from Apple, a company that touts all its security features already!
How can we consumers differentiate the really essential update from an optional or really selectively needed?

Treat this as just prevention instead of any concern. As with Windows 11, you have an ongoing routine to MacOS updates to correct any issues, as well as continuously harden the MacOS to being effected by anything you connect to via the internet. Most of us just accept these updates and use the computer normally for years until it is no longer supported. It good you have a new Mac Book Air you should derive many years of pleasure with it.

PS it's a wise idea to have an external storage connected to the Mac periodically so you can do incremental backups via Time Machine. Thats the only fallback you need to have in case something odd happens. Most do that that have been using computers for years.

How to back up your Mac - Official Apple Support

Learn more about all of the ways you can backup your Mac computer. Backing up your Mac is simple, important and recommended for everyone.

support.apple.com