TrueMacUpdater

Updates your Homebrew packages and Mac App Store apps, then checks for macOS updates.

Built for Apple Silicon (M-series, arm64).

./TrueMacUpdater.sh

The script runs three stages and prints a summary at the end.

What it does

Stage	Tool	Action
1 · Homebrew	brew	Updates the catalog, then upgrades installed formulae and casks
2 · App Store	mas	Updates installed Mac App Store apps (asks for your password, since mas 7 installs as root)
3 · macOS	softwareupdate	Checks for system and security updates, then directs you to System Settings to install them

If one stage fails, the others still run, and the summary shows what succeeded and what didn't. The exit code is non-zero if any stage failed.

Highlights

• Asks once before the Homebrew stage, and again after listing App Store updates, before changing anything. Warns you if there's less than 10 GB of free disk space.
• Packages and apps upgrade one at a time with an [n/N] counter. A status area at the bottom of the terminal shows all three stages while their output scrolls above.
• --dry-run shows what would happen without changing anything. It skips the Homebrew catalog refresh, so its list of outdated packages can be slightly behind.
• Installs mas if it's missing, and offers to install Homebrew.
• Trusts packages you already have from third-party Homebrew taps, so brew upgrade doesn't skip them (Homebrew 6+). New packages you haven't installed still prompt you. Turn this off with --no-trust.
• When a formula's brew link step collides with files a cask already owns (for example the docker formula and the docker-desktop cask), it runs Homebrew's own brew link --overwrite fix instead of failing the whole Homebrew stage. Other upgrade failures still report as failed.
• You type your password once for App Store updates; sudo stays active for the rest of the run.
• --notify posts a macOS notification when the run finishes.
• The summary shows per-stage and per-item results, counts, elapsed time, and a notice when macOS updates are waiting in System Settings. App Store updates are checked against the app bundle's version on disk, not just mas's exit code.
• Transcripts are saved to ~/Library/Logs/TrueMacUpdater/. --clear-logs deletes them.
• Respects NO_COLOR, and turns off color when output isn't a terminal.

Usage

./TrueMacUpdater.sh                 # interactive, does everything
./TrueMacUpdater.sh --dry-run       # preview only, change nothing
./TrueMacUpdater.sh -y              # update without confirmation prompts
./TrueMacUpdater.sh --skip-system   # skip the macOS update check
./TrueMacUpdater.sh --clear-logs    # delete every saved transcript and exit

Options

Flag	Description
-y, --yes	Don't ask for confirmation; assume yes
-n, --dry-run	Show what would happen, change nothing
--skip-brew	Skip the Homebrew stage
--skip-appstore	Skip the App Store stage
--skip-system	Skip the macOS system-update stage
--no-trust	Don't auto-trust installed packages from third-party taps
--notify	Post a macOS notification when the run finishes
--no-color	Disable colored output
--no-log	Don't write a transcript
--clear-logs	Delete all saved transcripts and exit
-h, --help	Show help
-v, --version	Show version

Requirements

• An Apple Silicon Mac (M1/M2/M3/M4…) running macOS. On an Intel Mac the script warns you and asks before continuing.
• Homebrew. The script offers to install it if it's missing.
• mas, installed automatically via Homebrew if needed.
• An App Store account you're signed in to (for App Store updates).

First run

git clone https://github.com/CubWatson/true-mac-updater.git
cd true-mac-updater
./TrueMacUpdater.sh --dry-run     # preview first

Or download just the script from the latest release:

curl -fLO https://github.com/CubWatson/true-mac-updater/releases/latest/download/TrueMacUpdater.sh
chmod +x TrueMacUpdater.sh

To run it from anywhere, add an alias to your ~/.zshrc:

alias update-mac="/path/to/TrueMacUpdater.sh"