Commands for installing Apple Software Update without prompts, removing it again and detecting it from deployment tools. A command is shown only when it is certain: from the manifest or the installer technology’s documented default.
Related guide: Silent install switches: MSI, NSIS, Inno Setup · Uninstall a program with the registry or PowerShell
With winget
PowerShell
winget install --id Apple.AppleSoftwareUpdate -e --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreementswinget upgrade --id Apple.AppleSoftwareUpdate -e --silentwinget uninstall --id Apple.AppleSoftwareUpdate -e --silentBy installer
32-bit · MSI · All users
Silent install
msiexec /i AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi /qn /norestartWrite a log
msiexec /i AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi /qn /norestart /l*v "%TEMP%\apple-software-update-install.log"Uninstall
msiexec /x {A3985C05-7386-411F-A4BF-32A73F37EB44} /qn /norestart- MSI product code
- {A3985C05-7386-411F-A4BF-32A73F37EB44}
- Uninstall registry key
- HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{A3985C05-7386-411F-A4BF-32A73F37EB44}
- UpgradeCode
- {58E373E7-C6D5-4691-885F-721D3B317918}
PowerShell: download, verify, install
Downloads the official file, checks its SHA256 and installs it silently.
install-apple-software-update.ps1
$url = 'https://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/52/06/071-03198/djcqm50b49h4o03eetqwowrdpf4o9sx71z/AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi'
$sha256 = '4CAFE73D3EEBEDE6E66AF90EF76F632C03980858CF3156B6D9EBE78C125F756C'
$file = Join-Path $env:TEMP 'AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi'
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $url -OutFile $file -UseBasicParsing
if ((Get-FileHash $file -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -ne $sha256) { throw 'SHA256 mismatch' }
Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList '/i', ('"{0}"' -f $file), '/qn', '/norestart' -Wait 
