Can't install MacOs Tahoe on Mac Studio M3 Ultra

As another data point, I also have a Mac Studio with an M3 Ultra and it does the same thing - gets to 1 minute remaining and then dumps me back to the login screen. In my case though, it generates no logs or error messages. I tried this like 8 times before finding this thread.

I also upgraded to 15.7 before installing macOS 26.

Have the exact same issue with my M3 Ultra. Wasted a good 15 hours trying every workaround until I found this page of postings. Tahoe is easily the most annoying OS upgrade since Panther wiped my external drives. :p

Same for me, M3 Ultra. ANE issue at the end of the update process from 15.7 to 26.0.

No issues updating from most recent OS version to 26.0 on following devices:

MBP Intel 2019, MacBook Air M1, AVP M2, (iPad Pro M4, iPhones, Apple Watches, ATVs, HomePods,...)

Too much time already invested without success...

Hello.

Experienced the same issue with my Mac Studio (2025) M3 Ultra.

All my other Apple items updated with no problems on Monday (15 Sep) evening UK time.

As other people have done, tried updating from a recovery USB and system settings.

Considering the cost of the Mac Studio M3 Ultra, a very poor Apple experience that one of their most expensive items can't update to its much-hyped new Tahoe OS.

My Studio M3 Ultra (96GB) was updated from Sequoia 15.6.1 to Tahoe without issue. Not sure how I avoided the problem. Just posting to point out that the problem is not emphatically universal. Hope your expected fix arrives quickly and proves effective:-)

If it helps any…

Early Studio M3 Ultra from 15.6.1 to Tahoe successfully.

System Firmware Version: 13822.1.2

Memory: 96GB

AI: always disabled (never enabled)

Early Studio Display with Firmware Version: 17.0 (Build 21A329)

I’m having the same problem all of you are but I have a strange tale to tell. I was running the Beta using an external drive before the final release and had no problem . However after trying to install the final I ran into the same problems all of you are having. I attempted all the same “solutions” mentioned in this thread. But after the ninth or tenth attempt with Recovery I reloaded a backup of Tahoe to the “new” 15.7.  The following dialog showed up (should have taken a screen shot but did write it down)

iCloud not syncing.

The operation couldn’t be completed. (BRCloudDocErrorDomain error 22. Disabled iCloud Drive database is from the future )

ckh1272 wrote:

DFU is only for firmware revives or restore. OS installation is not an option that way. Something else must have been done, namely updated firmware (another user posted that is what an Apple Store did for them) before they upgraded you to Tahoe.

Can a firmware update be done remotely, or do we all need to go to the Apple Store?

If not, I am thinking of returning this M3 Ultra 96Gb for a M4 Max 128Gb

See the post made by troponaut. They are the ones that said that Apple did that for them at the store. Not sure the other details. I believe they will remedy this through software update soon but this is still a horrible look for Apple.

Thank you for the detailed procedure and explanation of a possible solution. I do have both backups and other Macs; however, I believe this procedure should be performed by Apple remotely to support a product they price at between $4,000 and $10,000, depending on customization. I personally do not want to venture into something so involved.

What concerns me more is the nature of the problem, which seems to be rooted in the different hardware design of the M3 Ultra versus the M4 Max. It is now Thursday, and Tahoe was released on Monday. If this were a minor issue, I believe a fix would have already been provided. Although I like the additional CPUs/GPUs of the M3 Ultra, I have lost some enthusiasm for this machine.

I have the $10k version you mentioned. Unfortunately I have to agree. I've been using Apple since high school (I'm 52) and professionally since I was 26. This is a first. I hope it's a one off and not a bad sign.

Reinerkl, if no other solution appears soon I will consider trying the DFU Firmware Revive method at home. Just one question since you just did the DFU Firmware Restore. In the instructions it says that only the USB-C cable that connects to the other Mac may be connected. But I suppose it is OK to also have a monitor connected except there is no mention of this.

Did you have a monitor connected to your Mac Studio when you did the firmware update?

Thanks for a detailed description and too bad and really strange that it still does not work but did at least the firmware version number change? But maybe it is not supposed to change…

This is really confusing.

Hi RaymondIdema

I need to keep everything (files, apps, etc) on my Mac Studio Ultra M3, and just update Sequoia to Tahoe. Do you know if Revive will work? I do have an M1 MacBook Pro running Tahoe. Thanks!