softwareupdate

Check for new and updated versions of your software based on information about your computer and current software.

Syntax
     softwareupdate command [args ...]

Options

   -l
   --list
       List all available updates.

   -d
   --download

   -i
   --install
       Each update specified by args is downloaded, unarchived, and
       installed.  This command requires root.

   args can be one of the following:

      item ...     One or more update names.
      -a | --all   All available active updates.
      -r | --req   All required active updates.

   --fetch-full-installer [--full-installer-version version.number]
       Download the latest 'Install macOS' application to the /Applications folder.
       This option is available in Catalina (10.15) and greater

   --ignore ...
       Manage the per-user list of ignored updates.

   --reset-ignored
       Clear the list of all ignored updates.

   --schedule on
   --schedule off
       Enable or disable automatic checking.

   -h
   --help
       Print command usage.

File: /usr/sbin/softwareupdate

Variable: COMMAND_LINE_INSTALL Set when downloading or installing using the softwareupdate command. Scripts can check for the existence of this variable to determine if they are executing in a command line environment (i.e. there may be no WindowServer available).

Examples

Install all available Software Updates:

$ sudo softwareupdate -ia

Download a specific version of macOS:

macOS Catalina:

$ softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 10.15.4

macOS Monterey:

$ softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 12.7.1

macOS Ventura:

$ softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 13.6.1

macOS Sonoma:

$ softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 14.1

List all available updates:

$ softwareupdate --list

! iPhoto-2.0
iPhoto, 2.0, 34100K [recommended]
! iSync-1.0
iSync, 1.0, 4840K [recommended]
! StuffItExpander7-7.0
StuffIt Expander Security Update, 7.0, 4420K [recommended]

Install iCal:

$ softwareupdate --install iCal-1.0.2

Software Update Tool
Copyright 2002-2003 Apple Computer, Inc.

Installing iCal:
0...10...20...30...40...50...60...70...80...90...100 Done.

Check if Auto-updates are turned on:

$ softwareupdate --schedule

Automatic check is on

Ignore updates for iCal and iPhoto:

$ softwareupdate --ignore iCal iPhoto

“If you stuff yourself full of poems, essays, plays, stories, novels, films, comic strips, magazines, music, you automatically explode every morning like old faithful. I have never had a dry spell in my life, mainly because I feed myself well, to the point of bursting. I wake early and hear my morning voices leaping around in my head like jumping beans. I get out of bed to trap them before they escape” ~ Ray Bradbury

Related macOS commands

install - Copy files and set attributes.
installer - System software and .pkg package installer tool.