My Mac Is Not Updating To Catalina

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It can be troublesome and distraught that your MacBook stuck on login screen after update to Big Sur or Catalina. Worse still, you may lose files in the meantime. We introduce 6 practical solutions to get macOS stuck at login issue fixed, along with 1 data recovery program to restore lost files, but the safest plan is to keep backups of all. It’s not really a choice to update when you like as the OS will ask you every day if you want to update so if you want to keep clicking wait till tomorrow for months that is your only choice. I made the mistake of updating to Catalina and it has screwed my mac completely. I have spent a month trying to resolve it.

Does your iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or MacBook stuck on login screen after update to Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave or High Sierra? That Mac won’t boot is not a new issue but still a tough call for ordinary users to fix it. Well, this article will walk you through the solutions to solve “Mac stuck on boot screen after Big Sur or Catalina update” problem.

File Missing after Mac Stuck on Login?

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Why Mac Stuck on Login Screen after Update?

Updating

My Mac Is Not Updating To Catalina Version

  • The update of macOS Big Sur or Catalina brings certain incompatibility problem (between Apple default apps and the OS) or unsolved bugs
  • Not enough hard drive space
  • Corrupted SSD or HDD
  • Too many boot items opening at login
  • Malware or virus deleted the crucial system files
  • File system corruption of Mac partition
  • Power issues
  • Motherboard Failure
  • …

macOS stuck at login screen is a complex issue meaning there’s something bad coming with your Mac system and it needs to be repaired as quick as possible.

The Common Symptoms

The symptoms of “MacBook stuck on login screen after update” issue is different, the familiar ones are those your Mac may stuck on:

  • Grey screen
  • White screen
  • Black screen
  • Login loading bar
  • Apple logo (loading screen with Apple)
  • Startup screen spinning wheel
  • Login screen after password
  • Startup screen with status bar

Or your Mac:

Not
  • Won't boot past apple logo
  • Won't load past login screen
  • Frozen on the startup screen after macOS Big Sur or Catalina update
  • …

By knowing the symptoms, you can safeguard your data to avoid data loss crisis, and then take immediate actions to fix the problem.

How to Fix Mac Stuck on Boot Screen after Update?

Fix 1. Reboot the Mac

Do the most essential things at first, as they don’t require any tech support.

  • Shut off your Mac
  • Disconnect the whole peripherals except those needed to turn on the system
  • Check your charger’s cable (make sure the cable is intact and the port is clean.). If your MacBook stuck on login screen because of battery power, the battery could be thoroughly depleted or malfunctioning.

When everything is ready, boot your Mac with peripherals reconnected.

Fix 2. Reboot Your Mac in Safe Mode

Safe Boot feature is included since Mac OS X 10.2. It minimizes the apps on your Mac to help identify the issue that causes your macOS stuck at login, or any issue correlated with your startup disk. So not only will it restrict your applications, but also check through startup drive.

  1. Restart your Mac computer.
  2. Press the Power button while holding down the Shift key immediately.
  3. Keep it held until you see the Apple logo.

Matters need attention：

  • It’s slower to boot Mac in Safe Mode.
  • Not all the OS X functions and programs will work when performing Safe Boot (only for troubleshooting).
  • Confirm that your Mac hard drive possesses at least 10 GB of free space. If not, empty your Trash bin or move some of largest files & folders to another drive.

Fix 3. Reboot Your Mac in Single User Mode

Just like booting in Safe Mode, the Single User Mode assists to isolate and fix the common problems that can keep your MacBook stuck on login screen from starting up properly. This method is suitable for advanced users who are comfortable with UNIX or has comprehensive knowledge of the command line.

  1. Turn on your Mac while holding Command + S key simultaneously.
  2. When you see the white text on a black background, release the keys.
  3. Enter the administrator password to access to Mac Big Sur or Catalina Single User Mode.

Fix 4. Reset System Management Controller (SMC)

SMC controls a host of important functions in a Mac. It deals with many amusing things, from keyboard backlight, charging, fans, etc. to system performance. That resetting the SMC to original factory settings is an all-in-one solution, which can also fix your iMac, MacBook Air or MacBook stuck on login screen after update.

For desktop Mac, iMac or MacBook:

  1. Unplug the power cord.
  2. Wait for 15 or 20 seconds, and plug the power cord in.
  3. Wait for 5 or 10 seconds, and power on the system again.
  4. Restart your Mac.

For Mac laptop:

  1. Make your Mac unplugged, and then turn off the power.
  2. Hold down the Shift + Control + Option key. At the same time, press and hold down the power button. Hold down all of them for 10 seconds.
  3. Re-plug the Mac in and reboot it up.

For old Mac laptop with removable battery:

  1. Shut down your Mac > unplug it > remove the battery.
  2. Hold down the power button for 5 seconds.
  3. Put the battery back in > plug the Mac in > restart Mac.

Fix 5. Reset Nonvolatile Random-access Memory (NVRAM) or Parameter RAM (PRAM)

NVRAM is used to store some settings and access them fleetly. PRAM is similar to NVRAM, and shares the same steps with NVRAM. If you experience issues like Mac stuck on boot screen after update to latest macOS, resetting NVRAM/ PRAM may give you a hand.

  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Turn your Mac, and hold down Option + Command + P + R key together right away.
  3. Keep holding until your Mac restarts.

Fix 6. Reboot Mac in Recovery Mode

Recovery Mode was offered since OS X Lion in 2011. It shows you 4 options applied to fix connected drives with Disk Utility, restore data from Time Machine, reinstall macOS and get help online. I guess two of them are likely to repair your macOS stuck at login issue.

Option One. Run First Aid from Recovery Partition

  1. Turn off your Mac, and then switch it on.
  2. Immediately hold down Command + R keys till an Apple logo appears.
  3. Wait for a moment, the OS X Utilities window will show up.
  4. Click on 'Disk Utility' option.
  5. Locate your Mac drive, and choose it.
  6. Click on 'First Aid'.

Option Two: Reinstall macOS

If none of the solutions work out to fix the MacBook stuck on login screen issue, then reinstalling macOS will be the last option.

  1. Repeat the first three steps of option one.
  2. Select “Reinstall macOS” from the Utilities window.
  3. Click on “Continue” and follow the installation process.

Attentions of reinstallation:

  • Don’t put your Mac to sleep status.
  • Mac would reboot and display a progress bar a couple of times
  • After installation, click on “Shut Down” option from the Apple menu to quit Mac Recovery Mode.

Also, you can check the video tutorial as following:

Lost Data after Big Sur or Catalina Update or Issue Repaired? Recoverable!

That Mac stuck on boot screen often comes along with data loss from the hard drive. If you didn’t manage to back up your Mac data before, you won’t be able to recover lost files via Time Machine after macOS upgrade.

Fortunately, Cisdem Data Recovery for Mac- an effective and powerful recovery program, allows you to retrieve a wide range of file formats (Keynote, PDF, JPG, PNG, MOV, RTF, etc.) or any types (video, documents, archive, etc.) of deleted, formatted, corrupted data on Mac. It’s absolutely safe and keeps your data private.

Step 1Install the Software

After the installation, launch Cisdem Data Recovery on Mac.

Step 2Select the Scenario

You will see 5 recovery solutions. To recover lost files after macOS update, you can choose the option 'Basic Data Recovery' (fast scan) or “Advanced Data Recovery” (deep scan) to start performing lost file recovery.

Step 3Choose a Destination

Select the hard disk where your lost files are originally stored and click on “Scan” button” to go on.

Step 4Start to Scan

The “Basic Data Recovery’ mode only takes a minute to finish. If it doesn’t find out your lost data, go to scan again with 'Advanced Data Recovery' mode which searches more files but spends longer time.

Step 5Preview and Recover Lost Files

Once the scanning process is done, all detected contents will be displayed in 'Tree View' categories on the left side. You can preview them for saving your time on data recovering.

Finally, choose the target files and click on 'Recover' button. In no time, your files that lost after “Mac stuck on boot screen” fixed will be retrieved.

Conclusion

It can be troublesome and distraught that your MacBook stuck on login screen after update to Big Sur or Catalina. Worse still, you may lose files in the meantime. We introduce 6 practical solutions to get macOS stuck at login issue fixed, along with 1 data recovery program to restore lost files, but the safest plan is to keep backups of all vital files on Mac.

macOS Big Sur elevates the most advanced desktop operating system in the world to a new level of power and beauty. Experience Mac to the fullest with a refined new design. Enjoy the biggest Safari update ever. Discover new features for Maps and Messages. Get even more transparency around your privacy.

Chances are, your Mac can run macOS Big Sur

The following models are supported:

  • MacBook (2015 or later)
  • MacBook Air (2013 or later)
  • MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or later)
  • Mac mini (2014 or later)
  • iMac (2014 or later)
  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)
  • Mac Pro (2013 or later)

To see which model you have, click the Apple icon in your menu bar and choose About This Mac.

Make sure you’re ready to upgrade.

Before you upgrade, we recommend that you back up your Mac. If your Mac is running OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later, you can upgrade directly to macOS Big Sur. You’ll need the following:

  • OS X 10.9 or later
  • 4GB of memory
  • 35.5GB available storage on macOS Sierra or later*
  • Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
  • Some features require a compatible internet service provider; fees may apply.

Upgrading is free and easy

Upgrading from macOS Catalina 10.15 or Mojave 10.14?

Go to Software Update in System Preferences to find macOS Big Sur. Click Upgrade Now and follow the onscreen instructions.

Upgrading from an older version of macOS?

If you’re running any release from macOS 10.13 to 10.9, you can upgrade to macOS Big Sur from the App Store. If you’re running Mountain Lion 10.8, you will need to upgrade to El Capitan 10.11 first.

If you don’t have broadband access, you can upgrade your Mac at any Apple Store.

  • OS X 10.9 or later
  • 4GB of memory
  • 35.5GB available storage on macOS Sierra or later*
  • Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
  • Some features require a compatible internet service provider; fees may apply.

For details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and choose About This Mac. These Mac models are compatible with macOS Big Sur:

  • MacBook (2015 or later)
  • MacBook Air (2013 or later)
  • MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or later)
  • Mac mini (2014 or later)
  • iMac (2014 or later)
  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)
  • Mac Pro (2013 or later)

Siri

Requires a broadband internet connection and microphone (built-in or external).

Hey Siri

Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro (2018 or later)
  • MacBook Air (2018 or later)
  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)

Dictation, Voice Control, and Voice Memos

Requires a microphone (built-in or external).

Spotlight Suggestions

Requires a broadband internet connection.

Gestures

Requires a Multi-Touch trackpad, Force Touch trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse.

Force Touch gestures require a Force Touch trackpad.

VoiceOver gestures require a Multi-Touch trackpad, Force Touch trackpad, or Magic Trackpad.

Photo Booth

Requires a FaceTime or iSight camera (built-in or external) or USB video class (UVC) camera.

FaceTime

Audio calls require a microphone (built-in or external) and broadband internet connection.

Video calls require a built-in FaceTime camera, an iSight camera (built-in or external), or a USB video class (UVC) camera; and broadband internet connection.

My Mac Is Not Updating To Catalina Mac

Apple TV

High dynamic range (HDR) video playback is supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro (2018 or later)
  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)
  • Mac Pro (2019) with Pro Display XDR

Dolby Atmos soundtrack playback is supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Air (2018 or later)
  • MacBook Pro (2018 or later)

Sidecar

Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook (2016 or later)
  • MacBook Air (2018 or later)
  • MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
  • Mac mini (2018 or later)
  • iMac (late 2015 or later)
  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)
  • Mac Pro (2019)

Supported by all iPad models with Apple Pencil support:

  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro
  • 11-inch iPad Pro
  • 10.5-inch iPad Pro
  • 9.7-inch iPad Pro
  • iPad (6th generation or later)
  • iPad mini (5th generation)
  • iPad Air (3rd and 4th generation)

Continuity Camera

Requires an iPhone or iPad that supports iOS 12 or later.

Continuity Sketch and Continuity Markup

Requires an iPhone with iOS 13 or later or an iPad with iPadOS 13 or later.

Handoff

Requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector or with USB-C and iOS 8 or later.

Instant Hotspot

Requires an iPhone or iPad with cellular connectivity, a Lightning connector or USB-C, and iOS 8.1 or later. Requires Personal Hotspot service through your carrier.

Universal Clipboard

Requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector or with USB-C and iOS 10 or later.

Auto Unlock

Requires an Apple Watch with watchOS 3 or later or an iPhone 5 or later.

Approve with Apple Watch

Requires an Apple Watch with watchOS 6 or later or an iPhone 6s or later with iOS 13 or later.

Apple Pay on the Web

Requires a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air with Touch ID, an iPhone 6 or later with iOS 10 or later, or an Apple Watch with watchOS 3 or later.

Phone Calling

Requires an iPhone with iOS 8 or later and an activated carrier plan.

SMS

Requires an iPhone with iOS 8.1 or later and an activated carrier plan.

Home

Requires an iPhone with iOS 12 or later and a configured Home app.

My Imac Will Not Update To Catalina

AirDrop

AirDrop to iOS and iPadOS devices requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector or with USB-C and iOS 7 or later.

AirPlay

AirPlay Mirroring requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later).

AirPlay for web video requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later).

Peer-to-peer AirPlay requires a Mac (2012 or later) and an Apple TV (3rd generation rev A, model A1469 or later) with Apple TV software 7.0 or later.

Time Machine

Requires an external storage device (sold separately).

Maps electric vehicle routing

Requires an iPhone with iOS 14 and a compatible electric vehicle.

Maps license plate restrictions

Requires an iPhone running iOS 14 or an iPad running iPadOS 14.

Boot Camp

Allows Boot Camp installations of Windows 10 on supported Mac models.

Exchange Support

Requires Microsoft Office 365, Exchange 2016, Exchange 2013, or Exchange Server 2010. Installing the latest Service Packs is recommended.

Windows Migration

Supports OS X 10.7 or later and Windows 7 or later.

App Store

Available only to persons age 13 or older in the U.S. and many other countries and regions.

Photos

The improved Retouch tool is supported on the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro (15-inch and 16-inch models) introduced in 2016 or later
  • iMac (Retina 5K models) introduced in 2014 or later
  • iMac (Retina 4K models) introduced in 2017 or later
  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)
  • Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later
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  • Font Book
  • Home
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  • Launchpad
  • Mail
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  • Mission Control
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  • Photo Booth
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