Here’s How Long the macOS Ventura 13.6.6 Update Takes

Apple’s macOS Ventura 13.6.6 update could take a long time to download and install on your Mac. It depends on your Mac model and the version of macOS it’s currently running.

Apple’s released a new version of macOS Ventura and macOS Ventura 13.6.6 is available to download right now if you own a model that’s compatible with the operating system. You can find a list of compatible Mac models right here.

If you’ve downloaded macOS software before you know how long an update can take, particularly when moving from one operating system to another. It can be rather torturous, especially if you rely on your computer to get through the day.

If you’re moving you Mac from macOS Ventura 13.6.5 to macOS Ventura 13.6.6, you’ll get the least amount of changes and the smallest download size.

If you’re moving from older macOS software like macOS Monterey, you’ll get the full suite of macOS Ventura features and a much lengthier installation process.

We can’t tell you exactly how long the macOS Ventura 13.6.6 installation process will take on your computer because it will vary. That being said, we can help you approximate how much time you should set aside should you choose to install the firmware on your device.

And if your macOS Ventura 13.6.6 download is going a little slower than it should be, we can help you attempt to speed it up so you can get back to using your computer.

How to Download macOS Ventura 13.6.6

There are a couple of ways to download macOS Ventura 13.6.6 on your Mac.

You can initiate the macOS Ventura 13.6.6 download on the App Store.

You can find the software on Apple’s App Store. Open up the App Store on your Mac and type in “macOS Ventura” in the search bar to find it. From there, click on the “Get” button and the download process will begin.

You can also find the software in your Mac’s Settings app. Open up your Settings app and look for the “Software Update” icon. It’s the gear icon that looks like the Settings app icon. Once you see a popup, click “Upgrade Now” and the process will start.

Prepare for macOS Ventura 13.6.6

Before you start the upgrade process, be sure to prepare your Mac for the download. A little prep work ahead of time can prevent serious issues.

If this is your first Mac or if you’re unsure about where to start, take a look at our pre-installation guide. It will walk you through the most important steps to take before you install macOS Ventura 13.6.6.

You might be able to get through all of these steps in 30 minutes or less, but it all depends on your skill level and the current state of your Mac. If you haven’t backed up your data in a long time, the pre-installation process could take a lot longer.

You don’t need to follow every single step in our guide, but you will, at the very least, want to make sure all of your important files are backed up. Data loss issues are fairly rare, but if you store sensitive data on your Mac it’s better to be safe than sorry.

macOS Ventura 13.6.6 Download

Once you’re prepared, it’s now time to start the download process. Again, the exact size of your macOS Ventura 13.6.6 download will depend on your Mac model and the version of macOS it’s running.

If you’re currently running the latest version of macOS Ventura and you’re connected to a fast Wi-Fi network, the download could finish up in less than 10 minutes.

If your connection is slower, you’re downloading at peak hours, or if you’re jumping up from much older macOS software, you might encounter a much longer download process.

You can approximate the time it takes to download macOS Ventura 13.6.6 using our chart above or with tools like this.

How to Make macOS Download Go Faster

The macOS Ventura 13.6.6 download isn’t huge, but it could still take awhile to complete. You may see long download times during peak hours, but there are some things you can try if your download is taking too long or if it gets stuck.

If for some reason your download gets stuck midway through the process, you’ll want to abandon the download and try again.

If the download speed is abnormally slow, try plugging your ethernet cable directly into your Mac. (Note: You may need an adapter to do this.)

If those steps don’t work, you should try restarting your router. Unplug your router, wait a minute or two, and plug it back in and see if the download speeds up.

If you’re tired of dealing with slow download speeds, you might want to upgrade your router. If you’re interested, take a look at the TP-Link AX3000 or Netgear AX1800.

macOS Ventura 13.6.6 Installation

Once your Mac is done pulling macOS Ventura 13.6.6 from Apple’s servers, the installation process will begin. In some cases, this could take longer than the download process.

If you’re moving up from the latest version of macOS Ventura, your installation could take in and around 10 minutes to complete. If you’re moving up from macOS Monterey, or a really old version of Ventura, it could take a lot longer.

Your Mac might reboot itself a couple of times during the installation process, but this is perfectly normal. Your device should boot up normally once the installation process completes.

Post-Installation

After the update process finishes, you might need to spend time logging into iCloud, Apple Pay, and your device’s various applications.

You also might want to spend time checking your important data (photos, music, etc) to make sure it carried over properly during the process.

After you do that, make sure you test your core applications and services to ensure they’re working normally. If you notice an issue with one or more of your applications, try downloading the latest version from the App Store.

You’ll also want to poke around your Mac for bugs and performance issues. If you notice something take a look at our list of fixes for common macOS problems.

Install macOS Ventura 13.6.6 for Better Security

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If you want to protect your Mac and its data from harm, you'll want to download the latest version of macOS Ventura. macOS Ventura 13.6.6 has two security patches on board, both important, and that means most Mac users should download the software today.  As for older updates, macOS Ventura 13.6.5 brought 20+ security patches to Mac while macOS Ventura 13.6.4 delivered 10 security updates. macOS Ventura 13.6.3 also had several patches on board. If you're interested in the particulars, you can dig a little deeper on Apple's security site. macOS Ventura 13.6.1 patched up issues with FindMy, PassKeys, and more. You can learn more about these patches right here. Apple's macOS Ventura 13.6 update had a trio of security patches on board. Check out the company's security site for more info. macOS Ventura 13.5.2 brought one security patch with it and it was an important one. If you want more information about the fix, head over to Apple. macOS Ventura 13.5 brought 29 security patches to Mac. To learn more about these patches, head over to Apple's website.  macOS Ventura 13.4.1 had two essential security patches on board. If you want to learn more about them, head on over to Apple's website. Apple's macOS Security Response 13.4.1 (c) update also included a security update and you can learn more about it right here. macOS Ventura 13.4 had numerous security updates on board and you can read more about them on Apple's security site. macOS Ventura 13.3.1 patched up two actively exploited vulnerabilities which made it an important download. You can learn about the two patches right here. The macOS Ventura 13.3 update brought numerous security patches to Macs. If you want to learn more about these changes, check out Apple's guide. macOS Ventura 13.2.1 brought four security patches to compatible Mac models. You can read more about those over on Apple's security site. The macOS Ventura 13.2 update brought 25 security patches to Mac devices. You can read about those right here. In addition, the software came with support for physical security keys for Apple ID. These will beef up your account security by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process. Learn more about the change right here. macOS Ventura 13.1 delivered 35 security patches and it also brought upgrades to Advanced Data Protection for iCloud. macOS Ventura 13.0.1 brought two security patches and the first version of macOS Ventura, macOS Ventura 13.0, had a ton of patches on board.

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