Relution Signet Customer Hub

Software Update

For macOS devices running version 15 or later in supervised mode, Relution offers the Apple configuration Software update settings. It is based on Apple’s Declarative Device Management and replaces the legacy general settings of the System updates configuration, which is marked as deprecated by Apple. Enforcing updates is handled by the Managed Software Updates configuration (see below).

To ensure updates across the entire device fleet, both Software update settings and System updates can be configured in parallel and deployed to all macOS devices.

General

Allow standard user to perform OS Updates

  • Enable / Disable (default: enabled)

Show all software update enforcement notifications

  • Enable / Disable (default: enabled)

If disabled, the device only shows the notifications triggered one hour before the enforcement deadline and the restart countdown notification.

Beta program enrollment (macOS 15.4+)

  • Allowed (default) — the user can enroll in beta programs associated with their Apple Account.
  • Always Off — the device is not allowed to enroll in beta programs and is removed from any beta programs it is already enrolled in.

Automatic Software Update Actions (supervised only)

User choice is preset for all three settings.

Automatically download available OS Updates

  • User choice
  • Always Off
  • Always On

Automatically install available OS Updates

  • User choice
  • Always Off
  • Always On

Automatically install available security update

  • User choice
  • Always Off
  • Always On

Deferral of OS Updates (supervised only)

  • Number of days to defer a major OS software update on the device (1–90)
  • Number of days to defer a minor OS software update on the device (1–90)
  • Number of days to defer system or non-OS updates (1–90)

Rapid Security Response

  • Allow background security improvements to the user
  • Allow rollbacks of background security improvement to the user

Both toggles are enabled by default.

Managed Software Updates

New in 26.4

The Managed Software Updates configuration enforces operating system updates, targeting a specific version by a deadline. It is the successor to the deprecated System updates configuration and complements the Software update settings configuration described above: those settings control the update behaviour (automatic download, deferral, notifications), while Managed Software Updates defines bindingly which version has to be installed by when.

It requires macOS 14 or later in supervised mode. The configuration is also available for iOS 17 and later, tvOS 18.4 and later and visionOS 26 and later.

Target version

  • Version to enforce (default: Latest minor version)
    • Latest major version — the device is raised to the most recent available major version.
    • Latest minor version — updates happen within the installed major version.
    • Minimum specific version — a concrete version is set as the minimum level. It is selected in the mandatory Version field from the operating system versions released by Apple. A version that has already been saved remains selectable even if it is no longer offered in the list.

Enforcement

  • Enforcement schedule (default: Relative to release date)
    • Relative to release date — the deadline results from Days after release (mandatory, 0 or more) and Time of day (preset to 00:00). The same rule then applies automatically to every future version.
    • Specific date and time — the Deadline is set as a fixed point in time.
  • Grace period after enrollment — optional. Postpones the deadline until this many days after a device was enrolled, so that freshly enrolled devices are not forced to update immediately. It applies to both enforcement schedules and only ever extends a deadline, never shortens it. Leaving the field empty disables the function.

A deadline that has already passed is still sent to the device; the update is then enforced at the next restart. If there is no suitable update for a device, e.g. no newer minor version, no enforcement is sent.

Details

  • Details page URL — optional link that macOS shows to users in the update announcement.

Triggering Updates

There are two ways to perform macOS updates:

Policy Configuration The Managed Software Updates configuration sets a target version that has to be installed by a deadline (see above). The deprecated System updates configuration still defines weekdays (Repeats on) and a Start time for scheduled updates. The latest available update is installed, optionally limited by Max. version to update to. If both configurations are active on a device, Managed Software Updates takes precedence.

Device Action The Install Update device action in the device inventory installs an update selected from the updates available for the device. In addition, the action defines how the update is performed, e.g. Download and install updates, Only download updates, don’t install, Download updates and install later (with Maximum user deferrals) or Download, install and force restart afterwards.

For macOS devices to successfully perform an update, the following applies:

  • Devices must be sufficiently charged or connected to a power source.
  • Devices must be unlocked; otherwise, users must enter their device passcode.
  • Updates can take a long time, depending on network infrastructure and number of devices.
  • Supported macOS devices check for updates once per day, independently of the System updates configuration.
  • The System updates configuration overrides any restrictions on deferring updates.