iOS Software Download Progress in Finder

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!

this download can be monitored by opening Activity Monitor to the "Network" tab. Look for a process called "AMPDevicesAgent" in the "Rcvd Bytes" column and watch the GB’s count up

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! :)

Whereas the script is useful for people with a good technical knowledge, this download can be monitored by less technically minded people by opening Activity Monitor to the "Network" tab. Look for a process called "AMPDevicesAgent" in the "Rcvd Bytes" column and watch the GB’s count up

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.

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".

I wrote a script based on timkuo313's answer that keeps running and updating the size of the files. (You can exit it by ctrl+c)

for (( ; ; ))
do
  ls -lhrt ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone\ Software\ Updates && sleep 2 && clear;
done

Save this in a shell file, run

chmod a+x path/to/your/file.sh && path/to/your/file.sh

FWIW I do the opposite. Because I have 30GB a month cap on WIFI and 100GB a month on the phone I tether the Mac to the phone hotspot and use Mac Finder to download the update. I know the update is around 3GB so I follow it on Activity monitor watching network Received bytes on AMPDevicesagent. . More accurate than a progress bar.

As soon as the download completes the phone changes to update and the tether drops.

Bottom line is Finder can be used to download major updates on WIFI and activity monitor will, erm, monitor activity.

No problems

The easiest way is to go in finder, go to the search bar and type itunes, locate the Itunes folder, find the subfolder iphone software updates, the IPSW file is there and you can see the file size (in list view).Hint expanding and collapsing the subfolder with refresh the file size.

Easier to use Activity Manager and look in Network.

AMPDevicesagent will give a running total of received bytes in real time, no need to refresh, get info or otherwise nudge anything

Thank you. This download can be monitored by

opening Activity Monitor to the "Network" tab. Look for a process called "AMPDevicesAgent". the "Rcvd Bytes" column

Another useful alternative to using the terminal is to open Activity Monitor to the "Network" tab. Look for a process called "AMPDevicesAgent". the "Rcvd Bytes" column should be an approximate representation of the download size, provided you haven't downloaded multiple things in one session.

It wasn't any use, and calculating time remaining was totally inaccurate.

Since the thread started they added progress bar for sync and we have rotary pie for backup.

Check activity monitor/network for a really accurate progress.

It is a nothing problem

Actually, there are NO indicators when the software is being downloaded. When it's finally downloaded, then the two arrows circling appear in Finder next to the iPhone indicator. Grrrrr. Fix this APPLE! Why is there no longer an indicator to even show the download is happening?????

You know what “Assume” makes of u and me.

It is a design change. Only a problem if you don’t like it. So without a problem there is no solution.

Howeve one workaround is to use Apple Configurator 2 for which has a progress bar for some data movements if that floats your boat.

There is no workaround for Sync. Just observe the circular arrows and the pie.

Make a feature request at Apple.com/feedback for replacing the progress bar - I have.

They will read that, but not this thread.