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iOS Software Download Progress in Finder

Since updating my MacBook Pro to macOS Catalina, which removes iTunes, I can no longer view the download progress of updating the software for my iPhone. When updating through iTunes there used to be a progress status bar giving me an idea of time to download. But now, since the updates occur through Finder, all I see is a spinning icon next to my phones name. Is there any way to show the download progress and time left in this new Catalina update?

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.15

Posted on Oct 26, 2019 7:56 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 29, 2019 9:40 PM

While there is no progress bar available, one potential way to estimate the progress is through Terminal, with the following command:


ls -lhrt ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone\ Software\ Updates


It will show the size of the current (*.ipsw.download) and all previous (*.ipsw) update files, which can be used to estimate progress. For example, for a 2.9G update file (can be estimated using previous update files), if we see that the current update file size is 2.3G, then the progress would be approximately 2.3G / 2.9G = 79%. By running the above command periodically, we can somewhat know how long it may still take (or at least the downloading is still in progress and not stopped because of network or other issue).


Hope this helps, thank you very much!



114 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 29, 2019 9:40 PM in response to VolsRam14

While there is no progress bar available, one potential way to estimate the progress is through Terminal, with the following command:


ls -lhrt ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone\ Software\ Updates


It will show the size of the current (*.ipsw.download) and all previous (*.ipsw) update files, which can be used to estimate progress. For example, for a 2.9G update file (can be estimated using previous update files), if we see that the current update file size is 2.3G, then the progress would be approximately 2.3G / 2.9G = 79%. By running the above command periodically, we can somewhat know how long it may still take (or at least the downloading is still in progress and not stopped because of network or other issue).


Hope this helps, thank you very much!



Nov 2, 2019 6:41 AM in response to WAYNEBKING

Agreed to the fact that Apple has removed the progress bar for software download (like in iTunes). It used to give the download percentage (as far as I remember) and an estimated time remaining. An average iOS software file is around 3-4 GB (iOS 13.2 is 3.8 GB for iPhone XR). The terminal command being the only option for now, you can use this 'while' loop on the terminal:

while true

do

clear

ls -lhrt ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone\ Software\ Updates

sleep 20

done


The "clear" command simple clears your terminal screen so you only see the latest row / value.

The numeric value after they keyword "sleep" is the number of seconds the code sleep before repeating itself again. So a value of 20 (20 secs) means, the same ls -lhrt command gets repeated after 20 seconds and shows you the most recent downloaded side of the file. So you do not have to repeatedly type the command again and again. Just set your preferred time in second after "sleep".

May 13, 2020 4:19 PM in response to olamide208

That is the output of the `ls` command, which lists the contents of a given directory. Each line of the output can be interpreted like a table. In your case there's only one line. We'll take the pieces one at a time:


`-rw-r--r--`


This indicates what the permissions are for the file. The ten characters shown are of the form `drwxrwxrwx`. Each letter means that a certain permission is "on". If a letter is replaced by a hyphen ("-") that means the permission is "off". The first one ("d") just indicates whether the item is a directory (also known as a folder). After that the letters come in three groups of `rwx`. The `r` represents read permission, the `w` write permission, and the `x` execute permission. The three groups themselves are for the file owner, the file owner's group, and finally for all other users.


In this case, `-rw-r--r--` indicates that

  • The item is a regular file, not a directory
  • The file owner has read and write permission
  • The file owner's group has read permission
  • All other users have read permission
  • The file is not executable


`mykkel`


This is the username of the file owner.


`staff`


This is the file owner's group.


`537M`


This is the size of the file (which is probably what you're interested in). The `M` indicates Megabytes (or possibly Mibibytes, I'm not sure)


`May 11 13:44`


This is the "Last Modified" date of the file.


`iphone_5.5_P3_13.4.1_17E62_Restore.ipsw.download`


This is the filename.

Jun 5, 2020 2:30 AM in response to VolsRam14

This is dumb, yes.


I always choose download only, and there's not even a progress pie. Ugh!


Anyway, I think the following is a better method than using Terminal.


  1. In Finder, open the 'Go' menu and choose 'Go to Folder…'
  2. In the window that appears, enter '~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates'

Here you'll see the download and be able to check/remove when it's done.


I did find the size slow to update. You could probably use 'Get Info' or close the window and repeat steps 1 and 2 above to force it to update.

Oct 30, 2019 9:49 PM in response to VolsRam14

we support customers all over the world....from the USA, Australia to Vietnam and Philippines. iOS download times vary from 5 minutes to 15 hours. It is now extremely difficult to position a time consuming task and call back without being able to provide ETA guidance or track download progress. In some instances this may result in customers having to leave their phone connected to their computer for over a half a day for no reason other than the download progress is not shown in Catalina.


In instances where we have to force a device into recovery, in which it will only stay in recovery mode for 15 minutes, its now difficult to provide guidance on what steps the customer will need to complete if we don't know if the download will take more or less than 15 minutes. For some customers, this step can easily confuse them if provided unnecessarily and this change seems like a drastic layer of complexity that has been added with Catalina.

Nov 10, 2019 11:47 AM in response to LD150

peter_watt wrote:

Yes the pie works for part of regular sync but iOS updates just have the circling arrows for most of the download process in my experience and with middling internet speeds can be for half an hour or more.

One not so elegant workaround for iOS updates downloads, open Activity Monitor

and select the network tab, make a note of the current "Data received"

then initiate the update download. If you are updating via Finder, the

updates will be full installs and be a few gig.


And to all here, you need to send suggestions and how the current methods

are deficient to:

Feedback - macOS - Apple


I send the same request pretty much every week.


Mar 11, 2020 11:14 AM in response to VolsRam14

I'm not saying that the following is a perfect solution - but it does give you a pretty progress bar for now until this makes itself back into the OS proper (hopefully, crossing fingers)


Free in the Mac App Store (and made my Apple) is Apple Configurator 2. The device is represented by a big iPhone/iPad icon in the interface. You can simply right click on the device a click "restore" - boom ~ ! Progress bar for download and for the restore itself.


Apple Configurator 2 is used for device management, so read up on it before doing anything else besides this restore. You've been warned (even though I love this nifty app, most of it's features aren't meant for the consumer realm)


App Store link below:


https://apps.apple.com/us/app/apple-configurator-2/id1037126344?mt=12


Keep on truckin', fellow power users! :)

Feb 3, 2020 10:41 AM in response to VolsRam14

System updates and downloading apps are done on the iPhone itself and not via the Finder. All the Finder does is backup the iPhone and sync selected photos, music tracks, files, audiobooks, books, movies, TV Shoes and Podcasts.



When backing up the iPhone or syncing there is a progress pie chart:



Apps and system updates are handled on the phone itself and app downloads have a circle progress bar:


Can't comment on the system updates as I don't watch them. Just let them proceed and go about doing something else.


Oct 29, 2019 4:28 AM in response to VolsRam14

I just updated mine to 13.2 for first time in Catalina, and you are right there is no indicator of download progress, though from memory this used to be in top RH corner of the main screen or in Launchpad, outside of iTunes.

I tend to set upgrades off and go and get on with something else and only do while-U-wait on Syncs.

The circles do change to pie chart but only for sync and backup, not software updates.

iOS Software Download Progress in Finder

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