M3 MacBook Pro Ships With macOS Ventura, Can't Yet Be Updated to macOS Sonoma Over the Air

Apple's new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the standard M3 chip began arriving to customers over the past day, and some early adopters have discovered that the laptop cannot currently be updated to macOS Sonoma over the air.

No 13 Inch M3 MacBook Pro Feature 2
As noted by @aaronp613 on X, at least some 14-inch MacBook Pro models with the M3 chip shipped with an unreleased build of macOS Ventura 13.5 installed. When users attempt to update to macOS Sonoma in the System Settings app, macOS Ventura 13.5 is listed as the latest version available instead of macOS Sonoma 14.1.

One user who experienced this issue is Daniel Rotar, host of the YouTube channel ZONEofTECH, according to a post he shared on X today. Additional users across X and the MacRumors Forums have mentioned the issue.


Given that macOS Ventura 13.5 was released in July, it seems that Apple began stockpiling the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip several months ago.

It's unclear when Apple will address this problem, but in the meantime, software researcher Nicolás Álvarez said that affected users can download the Install Assistant for the M3-compatible version of macOS Sonoma 14.1 and manually install the update. It is also possible to enable macOS public betas to get the update to appear.

Update: As noted by 9to5Mac, this issue appears to affect the new iMac with the M3 chip as well.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
apple c1

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:08 am PST by
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e. The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...

Top Rated Comments

sniffies Avatar
17 months ago
Sonoma requires M3 Ultra
Score: 56 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darngooddesign Avatar
17 months ago

The naming convention sucks.
I know right. None of their laptops are actually books.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
appleguy123 Avatar
17 months ago
Weird. I wonder how long these have been sitting around.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Billy_Bob Avatar
17 months ago
Apple under Steve Jobs: "It just works."

Apple under Tim Cook: "It just borks."
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abatabia Avatar
17 months ago
What in the wide world of sports is this about?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OrenLindsey Avatar
17 months ago
There's always some goofy launch day problem.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)