Stop macOS Sequoia install app automatic downloads?

[howie_isaacks]

What is the best way to stop the macOS Sequoia install app from downloading automatically? The problem that this creates is when non-admin users try to upgrade to macOS Sequoia, the install app launches. The install app requires an admin user to run the install. If the upgrade is done entirely through Software Update, a non-admin user can run the upgrade. The install app doesn't launch since it wasn't downloaded. This was an issue last year when I opened up upgrades to macOS Sonoma. I had to create a policy that would temporarily elevate users to admin. They would be demoted back to a standard user at the first check-in after the upgrade. This worked well, but I prefer not to have to do this again.

[obi-k]

Curious what others say to stop the download. 

But what about creating a smart group for those that have the Install macOS Sequoia.app, then running a script to remove/delete it?

[AJPinto]

I have only seen macOS fall back from using the delta for the OS upgrade to using the install macOS blah.app when something is breaking the task sequence for the delta on the device. Check your security clients and network configurations to make sure nothing is breaking the OS update workflow. The macOS installer is a fallback for when something is not working right.

[howie_isaacks]

Interesting... We install (in my opinion) too many agents on our Macs. If it was one of them causing this, I wonder why it doesn't do this on every Mac. I have a policy that finds and deletes the install app. I see that it has been successful doing that.

[AJPinto]

We have quite a few ourselves, and are actually evaluating for overlaps and consolidations in 2025 thank god.

For us its a EPM tool that loves to get in the way. You need to write new policies for it's allow rules as Apple updates things, and different devices are in different enforcement levels for one reason or another leading to tons of variables. 

[oli]

The first way is to not grant admin rights to your users. If you're not an admin, you can't install a new major release. As second, you can configure Restricted Software to prevent the execution of Install macOS Sequoia.app. And last but not least configure the Restrictions part of a Configuration Profile. Under the tab Functionality you can find "Defer updates for..." so it would not be shown as available update.