Upgrade from Sequoia 15.6.1 to 15.7.3

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M1Flicker Author

Level 1

5 points

Upgrade from Sequoia 15.6.1 to 15.7.3

I DO NOT WANT TAHOE, but can find no way to upgrade from Sequoia 15.6.1 to 15.7.3.

Mac mini, macOS 15.6

Posted on Jan 10, 2026 1:13 AM

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Answer 1

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Owl-53

Level 10

103,051 points

Jan 12, 2026 7:58 AM in response to M1Flicker

M1Flicker wrote:

Thanks, guys. Collectively, you solved this problem (and raised and maybe answered another, lesser, one).

I wasn’t scrolling down far enough in the right pages. Once you steered me to the choices between Tahoe, Safari 26, and Sequoia 15.7.3, I was able and sufficiently informed to UNCHECK Tahoe and Safari 26 and CHECK 15.7.3 with surety that I wouldn’t accidentally and irrevocably upgrade to anything I don’t want. A generic UPGRADE button does not guarantee that.

Sorry if we parse your words

The Term upDate and upGrade do not carry the same meaning

upDating denotes updating the existing version of Sequoia to a newer version of Sequoia

Where as, an upGrade denotes moving from Sequoia 15.x.x. to Tahoe macOS 26

There are times when too many options are at one time causing a momentary Senior Moment noting think about the difference between the two

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

103,051 points

Jan 10, 2026 2:40 AM in response to M1Flicker

M1Flicker wrote:

I DO NOT WANT TAHOE, but can find no way to upgrade from Sequoia 15.6.1 to 15.7.3.

Use this Terminal Command and what does it report ?

softwareupdate --list-full-installers

If it does find Sequoia 15.7.3 - good

Then use this Terminal Command

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 15.7.3

I should pulling down the Full Version which should be about 12 - 15 GB

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Answer 3

Owl-53

Level 10

103,051 points

Jan 10, 2026 8:05 AM in response to den.thed

den.thed wrote:

Go to Apple > System Settings > Software Update > go down that panel to More or the macOS Sequoia 15.7.3 update.

Good work 👍

Long time no see

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Answer 4

M1Flicker Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 11, 2026 8:49 PM in response to M1Flicker

Thanks, guys. Collectively, you solved this problem (and raised and maybe answered another, lesser, one).

I wasn’t scrolling down far enough in the right pages. Once you steered me to the choices between Tahoe, Safari 26, and Sequoia 15.7.3, I was able and sufficiently informed to UNCHECK Tahoe and Safari 26 and CHECK 15.7.3 with surety that I wouldn’t accidentally and irrevocably upgrade to anything I don’t want. A generic UPGRADE button does not guarantee that.

The lesser question you guys hinted at concerns upgrading to Safari 26. I’d love to tap into its (supposedly) advanced AI-assisted research capabilities, but not at the expense of functionality and a gee-whizz learning curve. Sequoia’s AI search function is quite useful and benign, and “new” does not guarantee “improved”.

RANT ALERT: Feel free to stop here. The rest of this in a diatribe against snake oil purveyors of unnecessary window dressing and buggy products.

I batch programmed mainframes in the ‘60s and have owned desktops since 1985. I’m an engineer, but have never had one iota of interest in modifying computers' guts beyond one canned line of Terminal code maybe 15 years ago in desperation. I infinitely prefer to operate at GUI level and stay out of their risky weeds lest I get snake bit. “A little knowledge …”, and all that.

NOTHING I see in the description of Tahoe interests me. It looks like window dressing, and as Shania sang, “That don’t impress me much.” I use computers primarily for medical and health literature research and summaries that I can shove down the throats of oncologists and other doctors who don’t read research papers, can’t spell nutrition, and are blind to anything but their own specialty, if that. (Heads up: trust them at your and your kids’ peril. I’m alive and still athletic only because I know more than many of them do, according to three of them.)

I don’t need no steenkin’ ostentatious graphics developed for their own sake. The necessity of forums like this (and the hundreds of man-hours it took AND STILL TAKES me to de-bug my conversion from Spectrum to Dish) prove that marketeers from TV-land, computer-land, automobile-land, cell-land, etc. are pushing envelopes just because they can and usually before they work, whether they improve our lives or not.

“If it ain’t broke …”, and all that. Apple even admits that Tahoe is for a subset of their users, and that even if converts want to go back, they can’t. “Forewarned is …”, and all that.

Whew! Anybody who read this far maybe DOES have time to wrap their GUI in yet another layer of superficial bling. As I very seriously told 5 neurologists who thought I might die within days in 1996, several oncologists who expected my demise by 2010, and then many oncologists who later prescribed treatments that would guarantee my demise by 2019, “I’d rather go windsurfing.” (Don’t feel uncomfortable; I’m still enjoying the **** out of life as long as I don’t let marketeers and scammers overload it.)

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Answer 5

den.thed

Level 10

91,522 points

Jan 10, 2026 7:56 AM in response to M1Flicker

Go to Apple > System Settings > Software Update > go down that panel to More or the macOS Sequoia 15.7.3 update.

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Answer 6

Limnos

Level 10

428,015 points

Jan 10, 2026 8:10 AM in response to M1Flicker

Scroll down all the way in the Settings updates panel.

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Answer 7

Owl-53

Level 10

103,051 points

Jan 10, 2026 8:02 AM in response to M1Flicker

ONLY, as a Illustration of what my colleague @ den.thed has mentioned

This is from an earlier posting though important factors remain the same

Scroll Down , as there might be the Sequoia 15.7.3 also offered

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Answer 8

Owl-53

Level 10

103,051 points

Jan 13, 2026 1:57 AM in response to M1Flicker

Even with " Automatic Updates " turned OFF

Apple will still alert the user ( you ) of the potentials to upGrade to Tahoe

You can Delay the notification for up to 90 Days provided you enrol the computer in a Mobile Digital Management Service ( MDM for short )

But Stopping the Notification on a Permanent Basis - No

Some methods require MDM or enterprise tools — many home users won’t have that.

The “delay” via configuration profile is time-limited (commonly up to 90 days). After that period, the option may re-appear. HCS Tech

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Answer 9

Owl-53

Level 10

103,051 points

Jan 14, 2026 1:08 AM in response to M1Flicker

In regards to Downgrading from an existing version of macOS to a previous version of macOS

Downgrade Apple Silicon computer

User Risk Assessment: macOS Downgrade Procedure

Before initiating any downgrade from say macOS 26 (Tahoe) to an earlier version such as macOS Sequoia, assess the user’s tolerance for potential risks. The following checklist must be completed before proceeding.

Primary System Dependency

Determine whether the affected Mac is the user’s primary or only computer.

If the user cannot function without this system for several days in the event of a failed downgrade, the risk level is high.

The downgrade should be postponed or avoided until proper contingency measures are established.

Availability of a Secondary macOS System

Confirm that the user has access to another Apple computer currently running macOS 15 or macOS 26 (Tahoe).

This secondary system must be capable of performing a Revive or Restore operation on the target Mac’s firmware if required.

Lack of a secondary Mac significantly reduces the ability to recover from firmware corruption or boot failures.

Firmware Compatibility and Secure Enclave Risks

Be aware that upgrading to macOS 26 (Tahoe) likely includes a firmware update affecting the logic board and Secure Enclave Processor (SEP).

Downgrading to an earlier version (e.g., Sequoia) may introduce firmware mismatch issues, leading to instability or loss of functionality.

There have been about 2 documented cases where downgrading from Tahoe to Sequoia resulted in Secure Enclave malfunctions, requiring full system restoration or hardware servicing.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/256132169?answerId=261559734022&sortBy=oldest_first#261559734022

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/256125704?answerId=261544017022&sortBy=oldest_first#261544017022

Backup Integrity and Recovery Preparedness

Verify that the user has at least three complete backups created before the macOS 26 (Tahoe) upgrade.

Implement the 3-2-1 Backup Strategy:

3 total copies of essential data

2 different backup methods or storage media

1 copy stored offsite (for protection against natural or human-caused disasters)

Each backup should reside on a dedicated, single-purpose external drive.

For enhanced backup and cloning capabilities beyond Time Machine, refer to:

🔗 https://bombich.com

Recommendation Summary

If the user answers NO to any of the above questions:

Downgrading the Mac is not recommended.

Proceeding without proper contingency plans, verified backups, and recovery tools may result in:

Data loss

Firmware corruption

Secure Enclave failure

Complete system inoperability

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Answer 10

den.thed

Level 10

91,522 points

Jan 10, 2026 8:32 AM in response to Owl-53

Yeah' that's the way it looked on the wife's M1 Mac mini that we are holding back on Sequoia.

This is the way that it now looks after updating to Sequoia 15.7.3.

Also note: that Safari 18 will also want to Update to Safari 26 if it has not already.

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Answer 11

Owl-53

Level 10

103,051 points

Jan 10, 2026 8:58 AM in response to den.thed

den.thed wrote:

Yeah' that's the way it looked on the wife's M1 Mac mini that we are holding back on Sequoia.

This is the way that it now looks after updating to Sequoia 15.7.3.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/e09ae5b8-ba2b-450a-93db-90fc49890717

Also note: that Safari 18 will also want to Update to Safari 26 if it has not already.

Great additional info visa vie Safari 26 update

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Answer 12

M1Flicker Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 12, 2026 8:44 AM in response to den.thed

I notice that you turned off Automatic Updates. I did that did that, too, when AU rendered my wife's cell phone all but useless and especially since I read that Tahoe description. The key word in "my stuff" is "MY".

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Answer 13

M1Flicker Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 13, 2026 9:48 AM in response to Owl-53

Sorry --- parsing, which I fully support, does not always work.

Re "The “delay” via configuration profile is time-limited (commonly up to 90 days). After that period, the option may re-appear. ":

I don't mind notifications of options. What I strongly fear and resent is getting up some morning to find my computer bombed against my will and my pony (i.e., many thousands of hours of research notes, bookmarks, etc.) hidden under layers of "new and improved" pony crap.

Another example. The VA's and other government sites' "new and improved" access protocols allow veterans access to their medical, financial and tax records only via Edge and Chrome browsers because of their "superior security".

SERIOUSLY?

MICROSOFT, no less, has for a year now strongly urged the world to avoid their Chrome because global hackers have thoroughly penetrated it. No less than Google has issued warnings to avoid their Edge, because it is essentially a Crome clone with similar vulnerabilities. As long as the VA and the Air Force keep sending me more cash than I can possibly spend, I won't be doing any more business with them (or with websites that demand I turn off my ad blockers and firewall.)

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Answer 14

Owl-53

Level 10

103,051 points

Jan 13, 2026 12:46 PM in response to M1Flicker

To stay Strictly On Topic and not getting bogged down in others issues

If you have used or are using Time Machine Backup Utility you maybe able to Restore the Deleted Files

For future purposes

To truly protect your non replaceable Data

Have a 3-2-1 Rescue Plan in place and always current

3 Backups using 2 methods and 1 off site incase of natural disaster or un-natural disaster.

Each of the above should be done to a Dedicated Single Purposed External Drive

Below link is intended to augment what TM Backup does

https://bombich.com

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Answer 15

M1Flicker Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 13, 2026 3:54 PM in response to Owl-53

I, for one, consider asking about reverting to Safari from Tahoe relevant to this thread. If reverting were not just feasible but easy, I probably wouldn't have asked my opening question in the first place. To me, irreversibility is important to why I inquired about updating to 15.7.3 INSTEAD OF upgrading to Tahoe. But to specifically answer rankifyed's question and the reason I don't want to even go near Tahoe on a trial basis ... Apple says "No". But, then, sideways seldom bothers me.

OTOH, I must admit that my generalization from Tahoe to marketeering window dressing across the board could easily be branded as slip-sliding or worse, even though its purpose was to highlight the perils of window dressing as it relates to Tahoe.

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