macOS Notification Prompts

[monaronyc]

Hi Folks,

Does anyone know how to suppress the macOS notifications when enabling automatic updates? Per screenshot. We had to enable security updates on our workstations and ever since we did, users are also receiving the macOS High Sierra prompt to upgrade. We would like to kill this if possible. Any help would be appreciated.

[Hugonaut]

In the JSS under Restricted Software you can restrict Processes. The process that causes this is 'Notification Center' or 'NotificationCenter' if you restrict this process those pop ups can't appear. I have not tested this besides force quiting via activity monitor.

(force quitting in activity monitor does indeed work, so as long as kill process is selected in restricted software it should work to the best of my knowledge. im testing it now)

[monaronyc]

@Hugonaut That's pretty cool! I'm going to try it. Be back!

[Hugonaut]

remember that stops ALL NOTIFICATION SETTINGS... email updates, pandora, incoming whatever etc, im looking into how to stop just apple updates

@monaronyc i've also found that the Notification Center process name is actually NotificationCenter (one word so make sure to do exact) & I would even create 2 restricted software policies with both NotificationCenter & Notification Center to cover the bases.

[Hugonaut]

(colleague) @amoscowitch advised this might work but I have not tested it yet, targeting just the apple notifications. Script it for at boot.

launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.softwareupdate_notify_agent.plist;

[sam_g]

I believe this pop up is pushed out via a hidden apple update called macOSInstallerNotification_GM.pkg.

If you have some kind of SUS setup, you can disable/restrict this package from installing. If you don't, I suppose you could create a restricted software record in JAMF to block that package from being installed. Another common suggestion that I've seen on jamfnation a lot is to use the sudo softwareupdate --ignore macOS High terminal command to block the upgrade altogether, although I'm not sure if that stops the notification from the notification center.

[monaronyc]

@Hugonaut Sorry man, didn't work! That killed all notification popups. And we're not seeing the one with no space. On Sierra machines that is.

@float0n I'll try the softwareupdate --ignore macOS High Sierra command. Worth a shot!

[monaronyc]

@Hugonaut Output says: Could not find specified service.

[monaronyc]

This was tooooo easy! Try this if you're having the same problem in your environment:

http://osxdaily.com/2018/01/22/stop-upgrade-to-macos-high-sierra-notifications-mac/

Curious to see what it breaks!

[jhalvorson]

There have been others that proposed the solution to move or delete the OSXNotification.bundle file, but I've been hesitant because I haven't heard if it breaks something else.

https://www.jamf.com/jamf-nation/discussions/26852/macos-update-nags

Are there people that can confirm this works and is a proper solution?

[Hugonaut]

@monaronyc Great Find & Let us know how it works!

[JesseNCSD]

@monaronyc @jhalvorson We have moved the OSXNotification bundle out, and I have received a massive drop-off in restricted software notifications. We didn't want to nuke notifications all together, just the HS upgrade spam.

I have not yet noticed collateral damage.

[Duke78]

Everyone still feeling good about the "move OSXNotification.bundle" solution?

[dgreening]

Doing a "softwareupdate --ignore macOSInstallerNotification_GM" has stopped the OS upgrade prompts for us. I got a confirmation on this with AppleCare after much complaining.

[kdean]

@dgreening so if I create a policy and add this to a command to files and processes, and scope it to all users it should just stop that notification correct?