Although not common, some Mac users encounter a strange error message stating “Customizing software update failed. Please try again. when trying to update their Mac to macOS Sequoia, and sometimes even other macOS software updates Also.

This is a frustrating error because it prevents a major system software upgrade from being installed, but it is usually quite easy to fix.

The full error message that may appear in System Settings > Software Update when trying to download and install macOS Sequoia is as follows:

“Customizing software update failed. Please try again.

An error occurred while downloading the selected updates. Please check your internet connection and try again.

Of course, if you’re not online, you’ll want your internet connection to be active, which might resolve the issue. But for many users, this is neither the problem nor the solution, in which case read on.

1: Turn off Find My

Disabling Find My allows some users to be able to successfully start the software update to MacOS Sequoia.

Go to Apple menu > System Settings > your Apple ID account > iCloud, find the “Apps using iCloud” section and click “Show All” > click “Find My” > click “Turn Off”

Now go back to Software Update and try installing MacOS Sequoia again.

2: Sign out of iCloud/Apple account

The next thing to try is signing out of your Apple ID on Mac.

Go to System Settings > your Apple/iCloud account > scroll down and choose “Sign out”

Turning off iCloud can be a real pain if you use iCloud Photos because it triggers the process of download all your stuffbut if you just log out it shouldn’t be a problem.

Last resort: restoring DFU firmware

If you have another Apple Silicon Mac, you can initiate a DFU restore. This requires a double-sided USB-C cable and will erase the Mac and restore it to factory settings using Mac firmware. You can then restore your Time Machine backup and recover all your data. Of course, if you don’t have a backup or don’t have another Apple Silicon Mac, this approach isn’t possible.

This is actually a last resort for advanced users who are comfortable enough to perform these types of computing tasks. If you were to take your Mac to a repair shop, there’s a good chance they’ll initiate a DFU restore to fix the problem.

You can learn more about DFU restore process here at support.apple.com.

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Did turning off Find My or signing out of Apple/iCloud account work for you? Did you have to perform a DFU restore with the firmware? Did you find another solution? Share what you found in the comments.

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