Cannot update from Catalina to Big Sur on compatible Mac: "The requested version of macOS is not available"
I want to update from macOS Catalina to macOS Big Sur on a supported MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014).
Yet System Preferences > Software Update shows “Your Mac is up to Date - macOS Catalina 10.15.7”.
The App Store says macOS Big Sur “Works on this MacBook Pro”.
When I click the “GET” button, System Preferences > Software Update opens and says: “Update not found. The requested version of macOS is not available.”
I found here a similar question regarding updating to a prior version of macOS but could not apply any of the answers successfully.
What can I do to update to macOS Big Sur?
UPDATE: macOS 11.1 was just released, and now I am offered to update!
The option to update to Big Sur came back with the release of 11.1.
In the comments an article was mentioned that reported that 11.0.1 might have been intentionally blocked for certain MacBook Pro models because it caused lasting damage (Thank you @Tetsujin & @bmike):
Big Sur 11.0.1 (20B50) was released to block 2013 & 2014 13″ MBPro’s from installing the OS. This move looks to be related to the Big Sur install problems with these models.
For the time Big Sur was the latest so, the rest of this answer applied. Now that Monterey is the current, best to go to how to install previous versions of macOS if you need Big Sur specifically and not the latest os.
If you use Safari and go to the Big Sur page, it will redirect to Monterey now.
- https://www.apple.com/macos/big-sur/
I recommend that unless your Mac can’t run the latest - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211238
Click the update now link. I’m guessing it replicates your error and you need to then contact Apple support to get them to fix their documentation or fix their links.
It’s on good authority that the update 11.1 resolves this and typically people will see that installer in less than 24 hours from release.
- https://mrmacintosh.com/whats-new-in-the-macos-big-sur-11-1-update-20c69/