Apple restricts the availability of macOS Monterey 12.7.6

Monterey 12.7.6 is available from this page -> How to download and install macOS - Apple Support. The link will take you to the App Store page for 12.7.6, where you can download it. I just tried it a few minutes ago and it's there.

Monterey is beyond the macOS 3-generation support window, there no reason to think there will be a version 12.7.7.

Each time that Apple releases a new major release of macOS, it becomes the currently available version available from the Mac App Store and in Software Update. Been this way for a very long time…

In your case, with 12.6.3, look on the Software Update panel, and near the bottom, you may see a link named Another update is available. That is where your update to 12.7.6 is located, and by selecting 12.7.6, that is the only thing updated, even if the main software update window offers a newer operating system. Simply no need to use MartinR 's link for updating your Mac from 12.6.3 to 12.7.6.

As MartinR has pointed out, Monterey is now outside of Apple's traditional three-major-release software update window. As we are fellow Mac users, we do not know if or when Apple might release a 12.7.7 version of macOS. I would not expect it at this point.

Try downloading 12.7.6 via the link from Mr.Macintosh -> macOS 12 Monterey Full Installer Database. This goes directly to the Apple servers.

Monterey 12.7.6 seems to have gone missing from Apple's own links in the App Store and Softwareupdate.

dialabrain wrote:

I think it's apparent based on your experience and the other user, that for some reason later versions of Monterey are restricted in certain countries. You can always contact Apple Support and ask.

It doesn't help that Apple is so secretive either. And not having things working properly all the time. It would also be nice if Apple would actually provide more descriptive error messages.

From time to time I've had trouble seeing some installers (sometime seeing any installers at all) when using the "softwareupdate" utility. I know when Sequoia was released that I was unable to download Sequoia for almost a month as the download would stop unexpectedly every 10% or so, before stopping completely at 85% and starting over at 0%. This was using multiple Macs two of which were unmanaged without any A/V or such apps and also using multiple ISPs. I had to resort to Internet Recovery Mode to actually install Sequoia (very frustrating & insulting since Apple forced me to upgrade a Mac to Sequoia so I could perform a DFU firmware Revive/Restore since even a fully updated Sonoma installation was not allowed to perform the DFU firmware procedure). It seems Apple sometimes has no concept of how the real world outside of the Apple campus functions. I miss the Apple from decades ago. Even Apple has forgotten its own history (even recent history) as they keep breaking the same things over & over.

It seems to be gone from the servers as well. Checked with a Late 2015 iMac.

Finding available software

Software Update found the following full installers:

* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.7.4, Size: 12117810KiB, Build: 21H1123

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.7.10, Size: 12125478KiB, Build: 20G1427

* Title: macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.7, Size: 8055650KiB, Build: 19H15

* Title: macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.7, Size: 8055522KiB, Build: 19H2

* Title: macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.6, Size: 8055450KiB, Build: 19G2021

* Title: macOS Mojave, Version: 10.14.6, Size: 5896894KiB, Build: 18G103

* Title: macOS High Sierra, Version: 10.13.6, Size: 5099306KiB, Build: 17G66

*Bump / Update

Did a clean install of 12.7.4 on a MacPro (6.1) today and then updated to 12.7.6 via software update first go. So 12.7.6 is on Apple's servers and working.

My 7.1 MacPro still stuck at 12.7.4 – reinstalled 12.7.4 and just loops with software update and will not install 12.7.6. I get the same error as others when trying to use internet recovery – (com.apple.BuildInfo.preflight.error error 21.)

Anyone else have any luck or ideas? Thank you!

I think it's apparent based on your experience and the other user, that for some reason later versions of Monterey are restricted in certain countries. You can always contact Apple Support and ask.

So the issue is, your Mac Pro is running 12.7.4 but won't update to 12.7.6? Have you tried updating while in Safe Mode?

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

Hi dialabrain, I'm the one who opened the thread on the link that you posted. I later noticed that the screenshot of the 'list-full-installers' Terminal command that you posted shows an earlier build of Monterey 12.7.6, i.e. 12.7.6 Build 21H1317 whereas the latest updated version on my Mac is 12.7.6 Build 21H1320. I also wish that Apple would be more transparent and explain why the definitive version of Monterey is not available.

Toneseeker wrote:

Apple has it on the servers somewhere, my laptop pulled it – downloaded and applied it yesterday.

You're welcome. FWIW, there's a difference between installing an update and downloading the full installer. There may only be a 12.7.6 update and not a full installer.

dialabrain – yes, exactly that. I did a clean install of 12.7.4 and the software update panel says Safari and 12.7.6 is available. It applied the Safari update, but after downloading the OS update the MacPro starts to install but restarts instead of applying it and remains stuck at 12.7.4

I've tried Safe Mode and every std troubleshooting thing I can think of – even wiped the drive and clean installed again. Same result. It's a mystery for sure.

The laptop worked exactly as I'd expect yesterday and is now running 12.7.6 – so that update build is still on the Apple servers somewhere.

I'm beginning to wonder, does your laptop have an Apple chip and the MacPro an Intel chip? Maybe there's a glitch when trying to update from a mac running on an Intel chip.