Stop Mojave Beta Updates: How to Quit

Updated 14 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

If you’re running a macOS Mojave beta and want to stop receiving beta updates, the direct answer is: you must remove the beta seed profile from your Mac, then either stay on your current beta build or reinstall the latest public release of Mojave. Simply turning off automatic updates is not enough—the beta profile is what tells your Mac to look for beta versions. This article explains exactly how to do that, what your options are, and what to expect.

Why You’re Still Getting Beta Updates

When you enrolled your Mac in the Apple Beta Software Program and installed the Mojave beta, the installer also added a small configuration profile called the “macOS Beta Software Program” profile. This profile is what makes Software Update show beta releases instead of—or in addition to—the standard public releases. As long as that profile is present, your Mac will keep offering you beta updates, even if you’ve turned off “Automatically keep my Mac up to date” in System Preferences. The only way to stop receiving beta updates is to delete that profile.

What Happens When You Remove the Profile

Removing the beta profile does not remove the beta software already installed on your Mac. It only changes what Software Update will offer you in the future. After you delete the profile, your Mac will stop seeing beta releases and will instead see only the latest public version of macOS that is newer than your current build. For Mojave, that means you’ll be offered the most recent standard Mojave update (for example, 10.14.6) if your beta build is older than that. If your beta build is newer than any public release—which can happen with late-stage betas—you may see no updates at all until Apple releases a newer public version.

How to Remove the Beta Profile (Step by Step)

Open System Preferences from the Apple menu.
Click Software Update.
Click the Details button next to “This Mac is enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program.” (If you don’t see this, you’re not enrolled or the profile is already removed.)
Click Restore Default in the dialog that appears, then confirm.
Alternatively, you can go to System Preferences > Profiles, select the “macOS Beta Software Program” profile, and click the minus (–) button to remove it.
Restart your Mac to ensure the change takes effect.

After restarting, open Software Update again. You should no longer see the beta program notice, and any pending beta updates should disappear. If a public update is available, it will appear as a normal update.

Your Options After Removing the Profile

Once the profile is gone, you have three realistic paths:

Stay on your current beta build. This is the simplest choice. You keep the beta version you have, but you won’t get any more beta updates. You also won’t get security updates for that build, which is a real risk if you use the Mac for anything sensitive.
Update to the latest public Mojave release. If a public release is newer than your beta, Software Update will offer it. This is the safest option because you get the final, stable version of Mojave with all its security patches.
Reinstall Mojave from scratch. If your beta build is newer than any public release (or if you want a clean system), you’ll need to download the full Mojave installer from the App Store, create a bootable USB drive if needed, and erase your startup disk before installing. This is the most involved option and requires a full backup first.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common misconception is that turning off automatic updates stops beta updates. It doesn’t—the profile overrides that setting. Another is that you can simply “un-enroll” from the beta program on Apple’s website. That only stops future beta invitations; it doesn’t remove the profile from your Mac. A frequent issue after removing the profile is that Software Update still shows a beta update that was already downloaded. To clear that, go to About This Mac > Storage > Manage, find the downloaded installer under “macOS” or “Updates,” and delete it. Also, if you don’t see the “Details” button in Software Update, it may be because your Mac is running a very old beta build; in that case, use the Profiles method described above.

What About the Next Major macOS Version?

If you’re on a Mojave beta and want to move to Catalina or later, the process is the same: remove the beta profile first, then update through the App Store. However, note that Apple’s beta program typically only supports the latest major version. Once Catalina was released, Mojave betas were no longer offered, so your Mac would have been prompted to upgrade to Catalina anyway. If you want to stay on Mojave permanently, you can ignore the Catalina upgrade, but you’ll eventually miss security updates. For most users, the recommended path is to update to the latest public release of whatever macOS your Mac supports.

Safety and Backup Considerations

Before you do anything, back up your Mac with Time Machine or another backup method. Removing the beta profile is low-risk, but reinstalling macOS—especially from scratch—carries a small chance of data loss. Also, be aware that beta builds are not as stable as public releases. If you’ve been running a beta for a while, you may have encountered bugs or performance issues. Moving to the public release will usually resolve those. If you decide to stay on the beta build, understand that you won’t receive any future security patches, which is a serious concern if you use online banking, email, or any service that handles personal data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my data if I remove the beta profile? No. Removing the profile only changes what updates are offered. Your files, apps, and settings remain untouched.

Can I rejoin the beta program later? Yes. You can re-enroll at any time by visiting the Apple Beta Software Program website, downloading a new profile, and installing it. Your Mac will then receive beta updates again.

Why does Software Update still show a beta update after I removed the profile? The update may have already been downloaded to your Mac. Delete the installer file from Storage Management, then check again. If it still appears, restart your Mac and try once more.

Is it safe to stay on a beta build without updates? Not really. Beta builds are pre-release software and may contain bugs or security vulnerabilities that are fixed in later public releases. If you stay on a beta, you’re missing those fixes.

What if I don’t see the “Details” button in Software Update? That button only appears when the beta profile is installed. If you don’t see it, the profile may already be removed, or you’re not enrolled. Check System Preferences > Profiles to confirm.

Do I need to reinstall Mojave to stop beta updates? No. Removing the profile is enough to stop future beta updates. Reinstalling is only necessary if you want a clean install or if your beta build is newer than the latest public release and you want to downgrade.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.