How To Check For App Updates On Mac Youtube

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If there’s one thing in the technology world that never changes, it’s that everything changes. My shiny new device gets covered in greasy fingerprints, my charging cable frays, and my pristine new headphones tangle into an impossible white knot.

I’ve noticed that a similar thing happens inside my computer, too. What started out as a great app starts to run slow, or starts asking me for my password every time I try to open it, or stops responding and gives me the candy-colored pinwheel treatment.

And that’s just the stuff I can see. The older apps get, the more vulnerable they are to security issues and the more likely they are to be incompatible with newer software. Really, it’s a hassle I don’t need.

The key to avoiding frustration and lost productivity for me has been to keep my applications as up-to-date as possible. Sometimes, though, this is easier said than done. Out of the box, my Mac doesn’t have a great way to update apps from third-party developers. And it’s not like I can do my job with just standard apps in the Dock.

Some of these updates are more straightforward than others, which is why a one-stop tool like CleanMyMac X has been a lifesaver for me. Below, I’ll walk you through how to update different kinds of apps on your Mac, and recommend some easy fixes to frustrating problems.

How to update apps on Macbook

The most straightforward way to update apps on your Mac is to use the Mac App Store. This feature collects updates to any app you’ve downloaded, as well as your Mac OS operating system.

When you open the update tab, you’ll always see the most recent available versions of your applications, so there’s no need to compare. Plus, the App Store’s updater makes it a snap to download and install all the updates you need at once.

Here’s how:

  1. Click the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen.
  2. Select “App Store” from the drop-down menu (If you have updates waiting, that menu will show you how many).
  3. You can also open the App Store from the Dock and click the Updates tab to see which of your applications are out of date.
  4. Click the Update button beside each app to start downloading and installing the update, or hit Update All to do them all at once.

You can have the App Store remind you when it’s time to update your OS. In System Preferences, click Software Update and check the box that says “Automatically Keep My Mac Up To Date.” The app will prompt you with a pop-up alert the next time there’s an update ready to install.

Mac AppStore not updating applications? Here’s what to do

Unfortunately, the App Store method only works for software distributed by Apple and other developers through that store. That means that if you want to update any application that you downloaded from another source, you’ll need to find another method.

Some popular third-party apps like Spotify have their own update prompts that appear when new versions are available. Some even have background installers that can auto-update, leaving you one less thing to worry about.

Here’s an example of how to update a third-party app popular with Mac users, Google Chrome:

  1. Click the Chrome drop-down menu in the top left corner.
  2. Select “About Google Chrome”.
  3. Chrome will scan for new versions and let you know if you’re running the most up to date version.
  4. If your version is out of date, click the update button.

Mac Os Check For Updates

Some smaller third party applications might not have a built-in update check. You’ll have to visit the developer’s website periodically to check for new versions. Or, you can install an RSS tracker to monitor the developer’s website for updates, which should make the whole process easier.

Updates don’t always make your life easier. For example, the new Mac operating system Catalina no longer supports 32-bit applications. Many Mac users are finding that older apps don’t work after they install the new OS. If you’re worried about having to choose between apps you rely on and a new OS, it’s better to go without the update for now.

How to update apps on Macbook with CleanMyMac X

If all of the above sounds like a bit of a hassle, you’re right (I’ve tried it). Trying to keep everything up to date ended up sapping my productivity. That’s when I decided to try CleanMyMac X. I was already using this powerful tool to cleaning junk off my hard drive and protecting my Mac from malware, but I decided to give the Updater tool a try.

Right off the bat, Updater felt different. It had the same smooth Mac-style interface as the app store, but it showed updates for all the apps I had installed. It also imported developer notes and preview screenshots from the App Store and from other sources so I could see exactly what was going to change.

Mac App Store Software Updates

Having it all in one convenient place saved me a lot of time–I can see myself adding an update check to my normal work routine easily.

Here’s how it works:

Check
  1. Open CleanMyMac X — download a free version here.
  2. Select the Updater feature from the left-hand panel.
  3. Check the boxes next to the apps you want to update, or click “Select All.”
  4. Click the large “Update” button.

That’s all it takes! I already rely on CleanMyMac X to handle other tasks, and now I can add app updates to the list.

Recent changes to the Mac operating system mean that software not distributed through the App Store must pass Apple’s notarization process before it will run on macOS Catalina. CleanMyMac X is already notarized by Apple and will work with Catalina, so it’s a great tool for getting your other apps up to date.

© Apple It only takes a few clicks to find your current macOS version. Apple
  • To check which macOS version you're running, you'll need to open your 'About This Mac' menu.
  • The 'About This Mac' menu lists what type of Mac you have, its serial number, processor, version, and more.
  • You can open this menu by clicking the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen, and then selecting 'About This Mac.'
  • Aside from checking what version of macOS you have, you can update your Mac from this menu too.
  • Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

It's been nearly 40 years since Apple released the first version of Mac OS, the operating system inside all of their computers. And as the years have gone on, Apple has switched their naming scheme a few different times.

In the early years, each OS version had a number — System 1, System 2, and so on. You knew which operating system was newer because it would have a larger number.

Once they reached the 10th version, however — 'Mac OS X' — they started naming their software after big cats, like Mac OS X Lion, and Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

Nowadays, Mac OS is known as 'macOS,' and each version is named after a location in California. The most recent version as of this writing is macOS Big Sur, released in November 2020.

Unless you're a programmer or tech journalist, you probably don't need to know the name of every Mac operating system ever. You just need to know what the latest is, how to check which macOS version you currently have, and how to update it if you need to.

How to check which macOS version your Mac computer is running

To check your Mac's current OS version:

1. Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen.

2. In the drop-down menu that appears, click on 'About This Mac.'

© William Antonelli/Business Insider From the menu bar, click 'About This Mac.' William Antonelli/Business Insider

3. A new window will appear. It should open to the Overview tab by default, but if it doesn't, click 'Overview' at the top of the window.

On this page, you'll be able to see what macOS version your computer is running, right down to the build number (something like 10.14.6).

© William Antonelli/Business Insider Your current macOS version will appear at the top of the window. William Antonelli/Business Insider

Underneath the OS name, you'll find a collection of basic information about your computer, including its serial number, processor, and model name. If you click 'System Report…' at the bottom of the window, you'll be able to explore even more information about your device.

How to update macOS

If you think your macOS version might be outdated, try to update it.

1. Again, open the 'About This Mac' screen from the Apple logo in the top-left corner. And again, go to the 'Overview' page.

2. At the bottom of the window, next to the System Report option, click on 'Software Update…'

How To Check For App Updates On Mac Youtube Free

3. Your Mac will connect to the internet to check if there's a more current version of macOS for you to install. If there is, it'll prompt you to restart your computer to install the update. If you have the most current version, it'll let you know that, and you can close both windows without worry.

© William Antonelli/Business Insider Your Mac might take a few moments to find the new update. William Antonelli/Business Insider

For more information, check out our full article on how to update any Mac computer.

How To Update Os On A Mac

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