Cannot download Catalina from App store

I just found something online that says you can just download it here: https://support.apple.com/downloads/macos

I downloaded the combo update for Catalina if you click on Mac OS.

Its currently downloading, so I'll keep you update and give it a try to see if it works.

This is Apple's advice;

If you're using OS X El Capitan v10.11.5 or later and your App Store preferences or Software Update preferences are set to download new updates when available, macOS Catalina will download conveniently in the background, making it even easier to upgrade. A notification will inform you when macOS Catalina is ready to be installed. Click Install to get started, or dismiss the notification to install later. When you're ready to install, just open the file named Install macOS Catalina from your Applications folder.

ASC - Late 2012 Mac mini, macOS 10.15.4; Watch, series 5 GPS/cellular, watchOS 6.2; iPad Air 2, ipadOS 13.4; iPhone 8+, iOS 13.4; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 13.4;  HomePods, audioOS 13.4 and Airport Express w/ Airplay 2

The macOS Catalina Installer app is a 5 GB file. It will take a considerable amount of time to download, even in the background and depending on your ISP download speed. If it downloads in the background, when the download finishes, the app will open by itself and present front & center for you to allow it to install Catalina or to quit the app to install later. As His Foulness, the Croc God has said, the Installer app will appear in the apps folder when the download completes.

Believe it or not, we get this type of cry for help often because these are huge files and take a long time to download, especially if your ISP has restrictions or throttling for downloads. Keep in mind that Sierra or High Sierra* are also huge files and will take a long time to download.

Meanwhile, have you prepared for the upgrade? Have you made a backup in case disaster prevails? Have you perhaps run 1st Aid on your hard drive to make sure that there are no issues before you install. Have you surveyed your 32 bit apps for replacements since none of them will function on Catalina?

*If your Mac will run Sierra, it will run High Sierra as well.

I tried two different machines from two different networks. I would click download and there was no progress bar showing up. I think they are having issues with their servers distributing the install. They just issued a supplemental update to 10.15.4 which might be creating a higher demand at the moment.

But the weird thing is I let it downlown during the night and woke up to see that nothing was downloaded. I'm on a macbook air early 2015. When I tried to download Catalina, the download button is just darker and nothing happens.

But, Catalina won't download on my laptop. The download button just gets dark and nothing happens.

You may say that is takes a while to download, but I let in run last night and nothing happened. I let it run for the past 3 hours and nothing happened.

From that page;

macOS Recovery exceptions

The version of macOS offered by macOS Recovery might differ in certain circumstances:

• If macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later has never been installed on this Mac, Option-Command-R installs the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. And Shift-Option-Command-R isn't available.

• If you erased your entire disk instead of just the startup volume on that disk, macOS Recovery might offer only the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. You can upgrade to a later version afterward.

You and the other interlopers who have commandeered Ebedgert's thread are offering bad advice and confusing the issue. Proper Apple Support Communities ettiquet is to start your own topic with your issues.

So download failed, I had to install an update to Mojave even though I just downloaded the latest version 🙄.

After that update finished, I went to software update and it gives the option to upgrade to Catalina, so I’ve started to download it again. 8.23GB

It’s in response to this thread, as I have the same problem, couldn’t download Catalina from the App Store. I’m posting my solution so far which is to download Mojave first. As stated, the download failed, etc

There is no full installer on that site, they are all updates and won't install. The only place to get the full installer is Mac AppStore.

I found out how to do it after contacting apple support many times!

Follow this link they sent me:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204904 

You won't find it in the app store since Apple likes to hide older operating systems. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210190 go to number 4 and then that will redirect you in the app store.

Look in your Applications folder for "Install Mac OS Catalina". If it is there delete it and then restart your Mac and download it again.