'Set Up' of Macbook Air M5 continues after OS27.0 update. Every time I reboot now, I get the 'Software Update Complete' screen followed by needing to 'find' my wifi network and then entering my apple account password. Sometimes typing of keys is not recognized when trying to do the latter.
MacBook Air 15″, macOS 27.2
MacBook Air M5 repeatedly displays “Software Update Complete” after restarting
Device: MacBook Air 15-inch, M5
macOS: 27.2 (Golden Gate)
Following the macOS upgrade, your Mac repeatedly displays “Software Update Complete” whenever it restarts. It then requests Wi-Fi selection and your Apple Account password. Occasionally, the keyboard fails to register keystrokes during password entry.
This is not normal after a successfully completed update. The Mac should start directly to its usual login screen.
I suggest working through these checks in order, starting with the simplest possibilities.
1. Complete Setup Assistant
First, establish whether every screen in Setup Assistant has actually been completed. When the message appears, carefully follow all instructions, including Wi-Fi selection and Apple Account authentication. Allow each screen time to finish.
Once you reach the desktop, restart the Mac. If the same setup sequence returns despite completing every screen, Setup Assistant may not be retaining its completion status.
If possible, photograph the exact screen and wording.
2. Check Wi-Fi
Connect to your usual Wi-Fi network and confirm that Safari can access websites. If the problem persists, try another network, such as a mobile hotspot. This helps rule out a router or network configuration problem.
Apple reference: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points - Apple Support (CA)
3. Check the keyboard
Use the built-in keyboard during setup. Check Caps Lock and the keyboard layout. Click directly inside the password field and try typing. If it stops responding, wait briefly and try again.
If necessary, test with a USB-C wired keyboard. Also confirm whether the prompt requests your Apple Account password or your Mac login password.
4. Verify macOS
From the desktop, select Apple menu > About This Mac and confirm macOS 27.2. Then open System Settings > General > Software Update and check for any available supplemental updates.
5. Try a complete shutdown
Select Apple menu > Shut Down. Wait until the display is completely off, leave the Mac powered down for 30 seconds, then restart.
6. Try Safe Mode
Shut down. Hold the power button until startup options appear. Select your startup disk, hold Shift, then select Continue in Safe Mode. Log in and check whether the problem persists. Restart normally afterwards.
Apple instructions: Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support (CA)
7. Run Disk Utility First Aid
If the problem continues, enter macOS Recovery by holding the power button until startup options appear. Select Options → Continue, open Disk Utility, choose View > Show All Devices and run First Aid on the startup volumes and containers.
8. Reinstall macOS if necessary
If all previous steps fail, consider reinstalling macOS through Recovery. Make a Time Machine backup first if possible. Select Reinstall macOS and your existing Macintosh HD volume.
Important: Do not erase the disk or select Erase Mac. Reinstallation normally preserves personal files and settings.
Apple instructions: How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support (CA)
9. Contact Apple Support
If the problem persists, contact Apple and explain that Setup Assistant repeatedly requests Wi-Fi and Apple Account authentication after every restart, despite completing setup. Also mention the intermittent keyboard problem.
My recommendation: First establish whether Setup Assistant has actually been completed. If it has, but the same screens return after restarting, investigate the remaining possibilities before attempting a macOS reinstall or factory reset.
It would be helpful to know whether the Mac reaches the desktop normally, whether all Setup Assistant screens have been completed, and whether you can provide a photograph of the recurring screen.
MacBook Air M5 repeatedly displays “Software Update Complete” after restarting
Device: MacBook Air 15-inch, M5
macOS: 27.2 (Golden Gate)
Following the macOS upgrade, your Mac repeatedly displays “Software Update Complete” whenever it restarts. It then requests Wi-Fi selection and your Apple Account password. Occasionally, the keyboard fails to register keystrokes during password entry.
This is not normal after a successfully completed update. The Mac should start directly to its usual login screen.
I suggest working through these checks in order, starting with the simplest possibilities.
1. Complete Setup Assistant
First, establish whether every screen in Setup Assistant has actually been completed. When the message appears, carefully follow all instructions, including Wi-Fi selection and Apple Account authentication. Allow each screen time to finish.
Once you reach the desktop, restart the Mac. If the same setup sequence returns despite completing every screen, Setup Assistant may not be retaining its completion status.
If possible, photograph the exact screen and wording.
2. Check Wi-Fi
Connect to your usual Wi-Fi network and confirm that Safari can access websites. If the problem persists, try another network, such as a mobile hotspot. This helps rule out a router or network configuration problem.
Apple reference: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points - Apple Support (CA)
3. Check the keyboard
Use the built-in keyboard during setup. Check Caps Lock and the keyboard layout. Click directly inside the password field and try typing. If it stops responding, wait briefly and try again.
If necessary, test with a USB-C wired keyboard. Also confirm whether the prompt requests your Apple Account password or your Mac login password.
4. Verify macOS
From the desktop, select Apple menu > About This Mac and confirm macOS 27.2. Then open System Settings > General > Software Update and check for any available supplemental updates.
5. Try a complete shutdown
Select Apple menu > Shut Down. Wait until the display is completely off, leave the Mac powered down for 30 seconds, then restart.
6. Try Safe Mode
Shut down. Hold the power button until startup options appear. Select your startup disk, hold Shift, then select Continue in Safe Mode. Log in and check whether the problem persists. Restart normally afterwards.
Apple instructions: Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support (CA)
7. Run Disk Utility First Aid
If the problem continues, enter macOS Recovery by holding the power button until startup options appear. Select Options → Continue, open Disk Utility, choose View > Show All Devices and run First Aid on the startup volumes and containers.
8. Reinstall macOS if necessary
If all previous steps fail, consider reinstalling macOS through Recovery. Make a Time Machine backup first if possible. Select Reinstall macOS and your existing Macintosh HD volume.
Important: Do not erase the disk or select Erase Mac. Reinstallation normally preserves personal files and settings.
Apple instructions: How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support (CA)
9. Contact Apple Support
If the problem persists, contact Apple and explain that Setup Assistant repeatedly requests Wi-Fi and Apple Account authentication after every restart, despite completing setup. Also mention the intermittent keyboard problem.
My recommendation: First establish whether Setup Assistant has actually been completed. If it has, but the same screens return after restarting, investigate the remaining possibilities before attempting a macOS reinstall or factory reset.
It would be helpful to know whether the Mac reaches the desktop normally, whether all Setup Assistant screens have been completed, and whether you can provide a photograph of the recurring screen.
You are experiencing an issue where macOS incorrectly treats the post-update Setup Assistant as incomplete and continuously forces you through it at boot. The lag or unrecognized key-typing happens because the Setup Assistant is crashing or freezing while trying to handle background network authentication.
Follow these steps to break the loop on your M5 MacBook Air:
Force a Safe Boot to bypass the Assistant
Safe Mode clears system caches and disables third-party startup items, which usually allows you to bypass a stuck Setup Assistant.
Finalize your account in System Settings
Once you are on the desktop in Safe Mode, you need to manually "tell" macOS that your account setup is complete:
Clear corrupted Wi-Fi configurations
The reason it keeps dropping your Wi-Fi at boot is likely a corrupted network preference cache from the update. [1]
Once completed, Restart your Mac normally from the Apple menu to see if the loop is broken.
ellie2847 wrote:
'Set Up' of Macbook Air M5 continues after OS27.0 update. Every time I reboot now, I get the 'Software Update Complete' screen followed by needing to 'find' my wifi network and then entering my apple account password. Sometimes typing of keys is not recognized when trying to do the latter.
verify your software is up to date—the current macOS is 27.2
A SafeBoot Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support will sort many anomalies like yours.
Login and test. Reboot as normal and test. Caches get rebuilt automatically.
Sotware Update Complete notice comes on every time I reboot my Macbook Air M5 after Golden Gate update
