Remove system settings update badge

[amok-san]

Hey!

I'm on Ventura 13.6 and I don't wanna update to Sonoma.

How do I get rid of that pesky update badge on the icon and ideally also of "softwareupdate available" in the system settings itself?

On Monterey I used

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0 && killall Dock

but sadly this doesn't work anymore...

Anybody able to figure it out?

 

[bogdanw]

At this time on Ventura, you should be able to hide Sonoma with a configuration profile.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...de-notification-forever.2367582/post-31689711

 

[amok-san]

Or better yet:

This wonderful person has updated their badge-removal app to work with Ventura!

alphascorp's Software Update Red Badge Remover.app

 

[bogdanw]

Or better yet:This wonderful person has updated their badge-removal app to work with Ventura!

You have to run that every time the badge appears. With a profile, the badge does not appear at all.

 

[designerdave72]

Hey!

I'm on Ventura 13.6 and I don't wanna update to Sonoma.

How do I get rid of that pesky update badge on the icon and ideally also of "softwareupdate available" in the system settings itself?

On Monterey I used

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0 && killall Dock

but sadly this doesn't work anymore...

Anybody able to figure it out?

I was looking for a fix of this too and after a few hours, it disappeared!

 

[Scruff1026]

I wasnt getting the badge for Sonoma until this week. Really wish I could make it go away.

 

[jennyp]

I thought that badge only appears for updates to your current macOS (Ventura), not as a sign that Sonoma is available. Have you looked underneath the Sonoma blurb in System Settings > General > Software Update and checked under "Also available" and/or "Other Updates Available" for an update to Ventura?

That's how it works on my system anyway - that is, if all the Ventura updates are installed, I don't see a badge just to upgrade to Sonoma.

 

[Scruff1026]

I thought that badge only appears for updates to your current macOS (Ventura), not as a sign that Sonoma is available. Have you looked underneath the Sonoma blurb in System Settings > General > Software Update and checked under "Also available" and/or "Other Updates Available" for an update to Ventura?

That's how it works on my system anyway - that is, if all the Ventura updates are installed, I don't see a badge just to upgrade to Sonoma.

I thought the same thing yes I did look underneath and did a Ventura update. I have actually done two Ventura updates in the past week, thinking the last might fix the badge issue. As of now the badge is still there with no Ventura updates available.

 

[bogdanw]

That's how it works on my system anyway - that is, if all the Ventura updates are installed, I don't see a badge just to upgrade to Sonoma.

If macOS Sonoma is not compatible with your Mac, you will not see a badge
"macOS Sonoma is compatible with these computers" https://support.apple.com/HT213772

 

[jennyp]

If macOS Sonoma is not compatible with your Mac, you will not see a badge

Well I'm pretty sure Sonoma is compatible with my MacBook Pro 16 inch, 2023, M2 Max. On the Mac App Store I see "Compatibility - Works on this MacBook Pro", and the machine is listed as compatible on that Apple support page (and I don't see "badge" mentioned there).

 

[bogdanw]

Well I'm pretty sure Sonoma is compatible with my MacBook Pro 16 inch, 2023, M2 Max. On the Mac App Store I see "Compatibility - Works on this MacBook Pro", and the machine is listed as compatible on that Apple support page (and I don't see "badge" mentioned there).

Then something is wrong with Software Update on your Mac. You could try to turn off Automatic updates, then turn them back on.
"Keep your Mac up to date" https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchlpx1065/13.0/mac/13.0

 

[jennyp]

Then something is wrong with Software Update on your Mac.

I don't think anything's wrong. I'm pretty sure the upgrade to Sonoma doesn't show a badge. Updates are different (and the linked info is correct — for security updates). I already downloaded it to make a bootable flash drive, and deleted it afterwards, and all was OK.

 

[bogdanw]

I don't think anything's wrong. I'm pretty sure the upgrade to Sonoma doesn't show a badge. Updates are different (and the linked info is correct — for security updates). I already downloaded it to make a bootable flash drive, and deleted it afterwards, and all was OK.

It does. This thread was not started to complain about imaginary badges.
Sometimes Apple stops pushing the new OS, especially when preparing to release a new version. If you don’t get a notification for 14.1.1, you may get one for 14.2.

"Mac computers receive update and upgrade notifications by the following methods:
A notification in Notification Centre
In System Settings (macOS 13 or later)
In System Preferences (macOS 12.0.1 or earlier)"
https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/depc4c80847a/web

defer macOS software updates and upgrades
https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/depd30715cbb/web

Catalina notification showing up in Mojave https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/system-preferences-software-update-badge.2204123/

Ventura notification showing up in Monterey https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-to-remove-ventura-upgrade-notification-forever.2367582/

 

[Scruff1026]

Now my phone is doing the same thing. iOS 16 is completely up to date, but still have a badge cause there is a iOS 17 update

 

[forrie]

I've tried running the aforementioned terminal commands on MacOS Monterey (MacBook Pro 16" Intel) and it doesn't remove the annoying badge. Recently, it has been persistent and will not go away. I can't imagine why Apple thinks this is a good thing; there are legitimate reasons for not updating the OS.

 

[Queen6]

I've tried running the aforementioned terminal commands on MacOS Monterey (MacBook Pro 16" Intel) and it doesn't remove the annoying badge. Recently, it has been persistent and will not go away. I can't imagine why Apple thinks this is a good thing; there are legitimate reasons for not updating the OS.

Easy just create a simlink or remove from the Dock. Doubtful you are spending your life in settings....

Q-6

 

[forrie]

I spoke with Apple Support today about this problem. I also brought my employer environment into the equation, as this has been a huge problem -- we've had users accidentally update systems, wreaking havoc. We can't use MDM, due to air-gapped networks.

Apple Support says "the software is operation as expected" with no further options or comment. I provided some feedback on the Apple page, not expecting much.

 

[StoneJack]

1. Create alias of System settings
2. Remove real System settings from dock
3. Put the alias in dock.
Problem solved/

 

[forrie]

1. Create alias of System settings
2. Remove real System settings from dock
3. Put the alias in dock.
Problem solved/

We may be talking about different aspects of the issue.

My beef with Apple is the System Settings badge, but also it's attached to the inability to prevent updates to a major release of the OS. We had a user accidentally apply Sonoma to a Monterey, thinking it was a Safari update -- the UI is clearly designed to steer you in that direction, and you cannot turn that notification or advertisement (which is what it is) off, which baffles me. The current system updates are in small print, under the Major OS update notice -- it's annoying, and unnecessary.

Apple doesn't appear to consider enterprise environments when making their assumptions about the UI/UX.

 

[Jim Lahey]

I had cause to double check my Ventura automatic updates settings recently which resulted in the irksome badge. In my case I got rid of it by checking the settings again while not connected to the internet. It’s stayed gone for several weeks now.

 

[StoneJack]

We may be talking about different aspects of the issue.

My beef with Apple is the System Settings badge, but also it's attached to the inability to prevent updates to a major release of the OS. We had a user accidentally apply Sonoma to a Monterey, thinking it was a Safari update -- the UI is clearly designed to steer you in that direction, and you cannot turn that notification or advertisement (which is what it is) off, which baffles me. The current system updates are in small print, under the Major OS update notice -- it's annoying, and unnecessary.

Apple doesn't appear to consider enterprise environments when making their assumptions about the UI/UX.

I understand what you mean, but its the design, so hard to get that notification off. As someone who did not upgrade to Sonoma (my desktop still in Ventura), I get the flag all the time, so best way is just to make it invisible (via using alias).

 

[bogdanw]

We can't use MDM, due to air-gapped networks.

If they are air-gapped, how does Apple push the notification and the update to them?

You can just turn off search for updates and delete the notification:

defaults delete com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs; defaults delete com.apple.systempreferences DidShowPrefBundleIDs; killall Dock

 

[Astr0minerals]

I understand what you mean, but its the design, so hard to get that notification off. As someone who did not upgrade to Sonoma (my desktop still in Ventura), I get the flag all the time, so best way is just to make it invisible (via using alias).

Or better yet:

This wonderful person has updated their badge-removal app to work with Ventura!

alphascorp's Software Update Red Badge Remover.app

I also have not upgraded to Sonoma from Ventura. What I did to remove the badge.

Sonoma update --> "Upgrade Now"
Software License Agreement --> "Disagree"

No more badge 👍

 

[StoneJack]

I also have not upgraded to Sonoma from Ventura. What I did to remove the badge.

Sonoma update --> "Upgrade Now"
Software License Agreement --> "Disagree"

No more badge 👍

Thats a great hint!! you are genius!

 

[MacTek9682]

Hey!

I'm on Ventura 13.6 and I don't wanna update to Sonoma.

How do I get rid of that pesky update badge on the icon and ideally also of "softwareupdate available" in the system settings itself?

On Monterey I used

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0 && killall Dock

but sadly this doesn't work anymore...

Anybody able to figure it out?

The solution is to Pull the preference file then restart. ~Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist - move to trash. Restart. Issue Resolved!