7 Fixes for "The Requested Version of macOS Is Not Available"

Last updated: Sep 10, 2024

This is a complete guide on the “Update not found. The requested version of macOS is not available” error on Mac. Read on to understand the reasons behind this issue and get effective troubleshooting tips.

Today, I wanted to create a macOS Monterey bootable USB on my MacBook Pro running macOS Sonoma. So I clicked on Apple's direct download link and found macOS Monterey in the App Store. Like installing any other app, I clicked the blue "Get" button to start the download. But unexpectedly, a window popped up saying "Update not found. The requested version of macOS is not available. Please check if your Mac is compatible with this software."

I'm pretty sure my MacBook is compatible with macOS Monterey because it came with macOS Monterey when I bought it. So I tried several times to avoid the connection issue, but only got the same error.

I searched on Google and found that many users have encountered the same problem when downloading macOS Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, and Catalina. With that in mind, I wrote this post to help you understand the reason behind this frustrating problem and get a solution.

[Fixed] The Requested Version of macOS Is Not Available

Also Read: Download macOS Monterey DMG/ISO/Full Installer [Direct Links]

Why Does Your Mac Say "The Requested Version of macOS Is Not Available"?

Several factors can trigger this issue. Here are the main ones:

Mac compatibility issues.
Temporary issues with Apple's servers.
Poor and unstable internet connection.
Incorrect Date & Time settings.
Insufficient storage space.
Too old macOS versions.

How to Fix the "The Requested Version of macOS Is Not Available" Error on Mac

Now that you know the possible reasons behind this frustrating issue, let's move on to the solutions. I hope one of them works for you.

Fix 1. Check Compatibility

As the error message suggests, the first thing you should do is check if your Mac is compatible with the macOS you want to download.

macOS Sonoma 14: System Requirements
macOS Ventura 13: System Requirements
macOS Monterey 12: System Requirements
macOS Big Sur 11: System Requirements
macOS Catalina 10.15: System Requirements

Based on my testing, you can’t use the App Store to download a version of macOS older than the one that came with your Mac.

Fix 2. Check Your Internet Connection

An unstable or poor internet connection can also cause this error. So ensure that your Mac is well-connected to a Wi-Fi or internet connection.

Here are some methods to try:

Restart your router.
Turn off and on Wi-Fi.
Change to another network connection.
Delete the registered network and register it again.

Fix 3. Check Apple's System Status

If your Mac is compatible with the macOS you want to download but you still get the "The requested macOS version is not available" message as I did, it could be because of a problem with Apple's servers.

To troubleshoot, check Apple's System Status. If the software update is not green but another color, it means there is a problem. In this case, wait a while and try to download the macOS again.

Fix 4. Clear Storage Space

Insufficient storage space on your Mac can also lead to the "The requested macOS version is not available" error. You can click the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Storage (or Apple menu > About This Mac > Storage) to check how much free space is left on your Mac.

If your Mac doesn't have enough storage space, use the best Mac cleaning tool BuhoCleaner to reclaim several GB of space in a few couple of clicks.

Here are the main features of BuhoCleaner:

Clean up your Mac in one click.
Completely remove unwanted apps on Mac.
Automatically find and delete large files.
Identify duplicate files, videos, images, and, similar photos.
Monitor Mac system status in the menu bar in real time.
Visualize your disk space and detect the largest files in every folder.
Rebuild Spotlight index.

Click the button below to have a try! (I cleared almost 50 GB of storage space with the Flash Clean feature.)

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Fix 5. Restart Your Mac

A simple reboot can fix a variety of minor issues with your Mac. When you restart your Mac, system data and temporary files that may cause the "Update not found" issue are automatically cleared.

Fix 6. Check the Date & Time Settings

As mentioned above, incorrect date and time settings can also prevent you from downloading the macOS installer.

To check your date and time settings,

Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.
Click General > Date & Time.
Check if Source is set to Apple(time.apple.com) and that Set time zone automatically using your current location is enabled.

Fix 7. Turn to Other Download Methods

If you have tried all the steps above but have not had any luck, use other methods to download the macOS installer.

Here's how to download a macOS installer without the App Store:

Download with the Install Assistant package.
Download with Mist, a macOS installer super tool.
Extract from a .dmg or .iso file. (You can find multiple direct download links for macOS DMG and ISO files online.)

Conclusion

This article analyzes the possible reasons why the "The requested version of macOS is not available" error appears on your Mac and tells you how to fix it through various methods.

The third method worked for me. How about you?

If you have found other fixes, please let me know via email, Facebook, or Twitter. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Clare Phang

Clare Phang has been captivated by the world of Apple products since the launch of the iconic iPhone in 2007. With a wealth of experience, Clare is your go-to source for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and all things Apple.