Download fail message when downloading macOS Big Sur 11.2.3

Hey there!

Safe boot was my first thought as well.

Are you downloading it from System Preferences > Software Update?

Or from the App Store?

If from System Preferences, I’ve heard deleting that installer from the Applications folder, searching the App Store for “Big Sur” and running that may do the trick.

Otherwise, I know Big Sur requires much more temporary storage to install, can you say how much free storage you have on your Mac?

Apple > About This Mac > Storage.

If you’re already on an earlier version of Big Sur, it may not matter as much, but still may.

Otherwise, I may try disconnecting my router from power for a minute, reconnecting it.

Then, create a new network location:

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-network-locations-on-mac-mchlp1175/mac

Then try running the update again.

If no luck, sometimes running the update from another admin/user may do the trick, if there’s any conflicts in your user profile.

If all else fails, you can try another network, (Even though yours work fine on other devices), OR:

If using an Intel Mac, Boot your Mac to Internet Recovery and Reinstall the latest available version:

Startup your Mac while holding Command Option R, let go when you see the globe icon.

Once there, choose the option to Reinstall Mac OS, this would install the latest version.

If your drive doesn’t show up as an option to install to, it maybe locked via FileVault or Find My:

In that case, go to Disk Utility, click on the greyed our Macintosh HD, click File > Mount and enter an admin password. Once done you can quit the again try to Reinstall the OS.

I’d try the other steps first as there’s usually no need to reinstall an entire OS for an update, but sometimes maybe the case. Always a good idea to keep one, two or even more backups! Good luck! Hope you find an easy way to do it!

Shutdown Router. Shutdown Computer. Connect to Router via Ethernet cable. If not possible and via Wifi - disconnect all Other Devices using the Wifi. Restart Router. If using Wifi - move computer as close the Router as possible. Restart computer and Immediately hold - Shift - key. Safe Mode will do a Repair Disk, clear cache files and Only Load Apple Software and Fonts. Loads Slowly - normal. The machine will look and perform differently - Normal. Attempt the 11.2.3 update again.

Important - is there any AntiVirus Software installed ? If so, before attempting - Remove this $%^*ware before attempting the 11.2.2 update. It is totally not needed, causes havoc, interfere with the normal operation of the OS and can even corrupt the OS. Effective defenses against malware and other threats. If this does apply - disregard

Hey there! If it fails in System Preferences, try deleting the installer from your Applications and downloading it via the App Store instead.

Here’s the article, the link is the second link under section 4:

How to upgrade to macOS Big Sur:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201475

This must be the same programmers that issued 11.2.2 that took almost two hours for it to “prepare” for install. This one is taking over two hours as well. Must have hired Micro Soft programmers. Not Apple quality.

Anything is possible I suppose. Hard to believe the same on a 2015 Mac air & a 2019 Mac Air and I have fiber to the house with very fast download speeds. It has taken 3 1/2 hrs and still shows 2 minutes remaining. The same on both machines for the 11.2.2 update. I will now turn off updates.

I repeatedly had the same error when updating to 11.2.2 recently. Download failed several times in various spots, one time in the last second. Safe-mode and ethernet-only, no "cleaners" or 3rd party virus apps, router restarted. Finally by chance it succeeded. On another volume the download then worked in normal boot mode. Have not yet tried 11.2.3 update. With some earlier Big Sur update I had to use the full installer for the update. Not good user experiences lately (had to delete old Compressor install before its App Store update succeeded).

I have automatic system download off -- I wonder if turning it on would work more reliably?

> OK, this time the 11.2.2 ->11.2.3 update went very smoothly in normal boot: 4 min download, 15 min preparation, 10 min install (Mac mini 2018).

OK, the next 11.2.2 ->11.2.3 update on an external disk on the same Mac did not go so smoothly and required ten failed downloads before succeeding.

Hi,

I had to physically connect my keyboard to USB in order to be able to boot in safe Mode. Then Update 11.2.3 stop a while at 15min and 10 min but continued and finished ok. Took about 45 min to complete the install.

iMac 2017 5K. It is the first time I had to boot in safe mode since I bought it in June 2017.

I use Sophos Home (disabling all protection didn't work, Backblase, google Drive, Synology Drive Client, quite a lot of "Network" stuff.

Short answer: it officially requires 5+ GB of available diskspace. Got "download failed". Fixed when I had substantially more free diskspace.

Details:

Before being able to install it complained: it needed 5+ GB free space.

I emptied the Bin, so I had about 6GB free space.

Then when trying again it continued and did not complain anymore about not having enough space. However... it then consistently failed with a "Download failed" error.

While reading one of the answers here I came across some old versions of OSX in the Applications folder. I deleted those, emptied the Bin again and tried again. It is now downloading!

In my case the issue seems to have been caused by having enough, but not enough disk space available!

With 17 GB free space it downloaded smoothly.

Yes - I have this problem on an Air which is just a couple of months old. I cannot download 11.2.3 despite repeated attempts. I love Apple, I am a shareholder and own all manner of Apple products. BNut this problem is shocking given my Air is brand new and came with Sur11.2.1 installed.

PULL YOUR SOCKS UP, APPLE

See if it works while in Safe Mode.

How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

More than likely there is something wrong with your machine/software. Took approximately 30 mins from the start of the download until it finished the install on my Macs.