Now your Mac won’t automatically download new versions of macOS and prompt you to install them. A solid white box means the option is disabled. Uncheck Download newly available updates in the background by clicking on the blue box with the white checkmark. How to opt out of macOS automatic downloads from OS XĬlick the Apple () icon in the top left corner of your screen, then select and click System Preferences… from the dropdown menu.Ĭlick App Store from the System Preferences menu. It just takes up space or speeds up the upgrade process if you do want to start using the latest version of macOS. Automatic downloads will also only happen if your Mac is compatible with the macOS update that Apple is pushing. Just to be clear, Apple will not automatically install macOS updates without your permission and the automatic download doesn’t change your Mac. If your Mac has already downloaded the macOS Sierra installer and you want to remove it from your hard drive, you can do that too and opt out of future automatic downloads. If you rely on your Mac and don’t want to upgrade to a newly released operating system, you may want to opt out of the automatic download that Apple is starting to push for macOS Sierra.