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Software update required to update your iPhone

This message pops up when trying to update an iPhone 11 to IOS 14 on Mac running Mojave using iTunes.

iTunes is up to date.

Apple Support says my OS must be updated to Catalina to work with IOS 14.

Has anyone seen this message using an OS earlier than Catalina?

If so, did you select the option to do the Install?

Was is possible to determine what was to be updated before install began?

Did the install update your OS to Catalina?

iPhone 11, iOS 13

Posted on Sep 19, 2020 3:22 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Sep 20, 2020 9:46 AM

That is normal and will not install Catalina. See:


If you see "Software update is required to connect to your iOS device" on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


I had that this week when I upgraded an iPad to iPadOS 14 using iTune on my iMac running Mojave.


The download ins NOT a system software upgrade. I had Mojave when I allowed the patch and I still have Mojave. No problem.


The dowload is small and took two minutes to install. I believe it patches iTunes to allow you to continue to do backups, upgrades, and synching of your device through iTunes as before.

4 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Sep 20, 2020 9:46 AM in response to mostlyalex

That is normal and will not install Catalina. See:


If you see "Software update is required to connect to your iOS device" on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


I had that this week when I upgraded an iPad to iPadOS 14 using iTune on my iMac running Mojave.


The download ins NOT a system software upgrade. I had Mojave when I allowed the patch and I still have Mojave. No problem.


The dowload is small and took two minutes to install. I believe it patches iTunes to allow you to continue to do backups, upgrades, and synching of your device through iTunes as before.

Sep 19, 2020 8:26 PM in response to mostlyalex

You should be able to update your iPhone directly from the iPhone.

Settings > General > Software Update.


If you want to use that iPhone with your Mac, then you will probably need to upgrade your OS on your Mac.

Catalina won't run any 32-bit applications. Try checking your apps with Go64.

If you have 32-bit apps you cannot update or replace with another 64-bit app, then you probably shouldn't upgrade to Catalina.

Sep 30, 2020 7:09 AM in response to Allan Jones

Thank you, Allan. Your answer provided the assurance I needed to upgrade my iPhone.

Your assumption about the required software update just patching iTunes also appears to be correct. There is a small ~Library/Logs/iPhoneUpdaterNN.log file which only contains a few iTunes log entries which was made at the time I installed the "Software update."


Software update required to update your iPhone

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