Critical software update required, but an error was encountered... Stuck

From my experience, I assume you may be on a touchbar Mac that's needing a firmware update for the touchbar OS. Make sure your computer is on a network that isn't restricting access to certain documented Apple hosts. Also, if your network uses a proxy to connect to the internet, that can make the firmware update fail to apply automatically.

Here's the Apple article with more details: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207567

i've gotten these a few times, sometimes a wipe and reload works. At least once I had to take to an Apple Store and it had a systemboard replacement (After I tried wipe / reload, loading the latest combo update via target boot, and trying from a mobile hotspot and from home).

😠

Happened to me and reading this thread made me do some thinking - I had HandsOff installed so I deleted that and the error went away - somehow one of Apple's sites was being blocked

I got similar problem on 06 -01-2021. My macbook pro is 15 inch with touchbar,2016 model. after some research I was disheartened by reading many blogs where the logic board replacement solution was provided by apple and for many they had replaced their laptops.
However after further research I could conclude that the problem lies in the firmwere update for touchbar which is not in sync with the latest catalina update so when the laptop restarts it cannot find the firmwere for touchbar.
I believe some of the apple OS updates are not synched with the touchbar firmwere thats why this problem occurs.
The supported firmwere patch is not reachable or is not available for the update from apple or we cannot download it due to network issues maybe some apple ports are blocked.
I addressed this problem by logging in safe mode by pressing Left Shift Key during restart and then signing in to my apple account again and then installing the latest OS mac OS Big Sur version 11.1. which has enabled my touch bar again and also is not giving me any problems after reinstall.
I believe this OS comes bundled with updated Touchbar Firmwere and thats how the problem is resolved.
Hope you guys find this solution helpful cheers.

It happened to me on Big Sur on a 2016 MacBook Pro with touchbar just now (two years later than the post).
In my case the problem was caused by the firewall Lulu that I had installed some time ago. Apparently it was blocking Apple from downloading the update. Uninstalling Lulu removed the problem. Maybe one can fine tune the Application in order to access Apple sites and at the same time keep the app.
Reading previous posts sent me into the right direction, just posting this as a confirmation for anyone finding this problem right now.

A little late, but...I just had this problem on Big Sur. I had to power down my laptop because (I'm guessing here) an update was failing to complete. When I restarted, I was asked for a WiFi network, and then got that "your mac is missing an important update". Re-try failed.

I rebooted in safe mode (holding down left-shift while restarting) and everything looked normal.

I followed the directions for using Software Update to fix the problem..and was told "your mac is up to date!" It had updated during the "safe mode" reboot.

I restarted normally, and all appears well.

If anyone knows what actually happened, I'd love to know - but right now all seems back to order.

Just happened to me with Big Sur (2/2/21) - when i uninstalled Norton internet security (because Xfinity decided not to provide it for free anymore) and i had to reboot after the uninstall process. I started back up in safe mode (like another person suggested) and it came back up to let me install updates, which so far it is successful in doing. If anything goes wonky, I'll update.

This is (unfortunately) much more complicated & frustrating than suggested

1. This issue is endemic to Touch Bar MBPr (2016 & 2017)

2. Possible cause: Replacement LCD or Touch Bar (unsure if OEM or 3rd party matters)

3. Units with OEM replacement or never repaired are (likely) due to the T1 chip

4. Severity varies in my experiences:

a. 2017 15in #1 -- only installs the update after a series of bizarre steps (req on all reboots)
b. 2017 15in #2 -- automatically installs update on EVERY REBOOT.

Inference of causation
Some of you may recall that iPhone 6 had a known issue with the CPU's failing.
Surprise surprise ... the T1 chip in 2016 / 2017 Touch Bar macs use ...? The A8 CPU used in the iPhone 6.

Obviously if a replacement Touch Bar or Display caused the issue it's unfair to blame it on the T1 chip.
On units in which it occurs spontaneously..? You do the math. (Still better than the nVidia debacles I guess).

'Machine 1 -- 15in 2017 MBPr 2.9GHz, 560, 1TB:'
It had that stupid message pop up after doing a favor of replacing a fan. (How could swapping a damned fan have affected the T1 or Touch Bar!?). After HOURS of experimentation, I finally stumbled on to a process which after I figured out the exact sequence ... worked 100% of the time. I just needed 5 minutes with internet access to retry it ~4 (after every single reboot).

When the CRITICAL SOFTWARE UPDATE prompt came up:
• Internet Connection Required (I have the LAN [RJ-45-to-TB2 ... and TB2-to-TB3 ] but ... WiFi works as well as wired)
• Attempts 2 or 3 NEVER work (no longer how long I'd wait before trying it)
• If I don't wait between attempts, 100 tries will not work.
• After 2-3 attempts, wait ~3 minutes before trying & it'd (RELIABLY) install the update & load the OS.
• Do not exceed the 'time out' period; truly, 3-4 minutes I think is about the limit.
• After it loads the update the OS worked (literally) perfectly.
• Succeeding once changes nothing; you will need to install the update on every reboot (unless you choose safe mode).

An acquaintance who'd bought it from me asked I replace a noisy fan.
I'd received it 'ON' and shut it down (didn't test it's reboot behavior).
Perhaps the fan replacement was coincidental to the issue's emergence...
Perhaps my acquaintance withheld knowledge of the issue and exploited the fan swap to pretend it was new & my fault.

LUCKILY, I found a [functionally] "permanent fix" for the issue (recommended by my SMT Tech for Data Recovery.)
He said he found an article which said macOS 10.13 (HS) and 10.14 (Mojave) store the Touch Bar's update either on the T1 chip or the EFI maybe... but 10.15+ Catalina & Big Sur stored the update on a different component (the SSD?). As of 10.15+ it only stores the Fingerprint data on the T1 I think...which makes sense as the Touch Bar has no security vulnerability & isn't but a glorified USB 'mouse' if I understand correctly. SHOCKINGLY ... his suggestion WORKED!

The unit with the biggest PITA issue was solved by upgrading the stupid OS to Big Sur.


'Machine 2'
A 15in 2017 MBPr 3.1GHz, 560, 1TB
This unit's situation mild compared to the PITA-2.9GHz ... because it didn't 'hang' and wait for me to manually retry ~4 times; it'd just autonomously download the update (so long as it had WiFi info saved previously) it just made reboots a little slower.

Since the suggestion permanently resolved the 2.9GHz "PITA" I thought for sure updating the 3.1GHz to Big Sur would make it behave like a normally-functioning Mac ... right..? pff. yeah. right.

Upgraded to Big Sur & got the CRITICAL SOFTWARE UPDATE prompt (just as I'd had gotten once on the 2.9 also)...

But now, though it previously installed update on try-1 without requiring retries & waits... now? It wouldn't do it at all.
The 2.9GHz did require the update the first time Big Sur was installed, but it went off without a hitch ...
But now after repeated attempts & regardless of any repetition or waiting...nothing.
In fact, even rebooting to an external Mojave SSD (which is the OS it previously installed automatically) it still refuses.

• 1st tried Big Sur (11.2)

• 2nd tried Mojave (10.14.6)

• Tried each via WiFi ... and then via TB2 --> TB3 --> RJ-45 for hardwired access (no proxy). No joy.

Potential takeaway #1..? The suggestion (upgrading to Catalina or Big Sur fixes it by storing it differently) is just wrong.
Until I replicate the solution I'm going to categorize it as little more than a lucky coincidence.

But, as BF Skinner would've predicted; it worked before so I'm gonna try again!

(hopefully I don't become one of Skinner's maniacal pigeons relentlessly performing arbitrary behaviors (ie, looking over their left-shoulder while lifting their left leg) due to a correlation-causation-fallacy of a random food distribution.)



Remaining attempts (that only cost time) I plan to try today:

1. Boot from an external Big Sur image:
a. Attempt booting from a Big Sur image which has already booted a Touch Bar MBPr
b. If step 'a' is successful I'll re-attempt booting from the upgraded SSD (maybe it'll load the driver to the EFI..?).
c. If step 'b' fails, I'll attempt target-booting the 3.1GHz to use as an external SSD to boot a Mid-2015 MBPr.
d. After c. I'll rinse and repeat some earlier attempts.
If all the above fails..?

• *2. Target Boot + clone a KG image of 10.14* :**

a. Target boot (holding the 'T' key at 'power-on'.
b. Clone a sparse image of 10.14.6 via CCC to the local HD
c. Re-attempt the update locally with an OS I know previously worked.
*to my knowledge, SADLY! Mojave's the last OS you can clone via CCC without using Apple's installer! :'(

Time permitting, I'll report back any successes & it should be assumed the above will fail as they're all tenuous solutions

Still, I strongly recommend (at least) trying:

1. The repetition and timing to get the update to work as I did on System 1, the 2.9GHz.

2. If '1' fails, certainly attempt upgrading the OS to 10.15 or 11.2

3. If '2' fails & you've replaced an LCD or Touch Bar: Briefly return to OEM to try bypassing the issue & loading Big Sur.

Hope something helps...

Same issue has happened to me on my Macbook Pro 13" late 2017 with Catalina. First had a faulty screen issue in May 2020. Had the screen changed in an apple certified reseller. Few weeks later I started having the "critical software update is required for you Mac, but an error was encountered while installing this update" error. I haven't been able to use my Mac since then. Today I gave it a last try, formatting the SSD, losing all my data, and creating a bootable hard drive with Big Sur from another Mac. The install took ages, but in the end, I'm facing the exact same error... Still can't bring the mac to an apple store to ask for a repair because of Covid restriction, apple stores in my city are still closed...

Can't believe it's been almost a year filled only with issues on this Macbook Pro... 🤬

I have the same problem with my 2016 Macbook pro touchbar. I replace the touchbar with the new one but from the 3rd party sparepart. After replacing its going fine and then the macbook get new update mac os big sur but when its updating the power is low and i forgot to charge the macbook because i suddenly fell asleep. In that morning i turn on my mac and thats issue is comming . I try everything reinstalling , clean ssd and its still doesn't work

I had the same problem. My LuLu proxy app disabled the networking. I booted the mbp in safe mode (holding shift while starting) and uninstalled LuLu. I found the uninstaller of Lulu in the application package. After that I removed lulu from the network profile settings and rebooted the laptop. Now is everything working fine.

I also encountered this error message for the first time today (currently July 2021). The message also states that the Mac cannot be used until the critical error is fixed but I was thrown into a continual error message loop and it would not update. I was running Big Sur 11.4 on a 15” MBP Touchbar Late 2016 and I was attempting to update the OS to 11.5.

I read the other responses here, some of which I found to be helpful. What ended up working for me was starting in safe mode (hold left key “shift” during startup). While in safe mode I backed up my Mac through Time Machine to an external hard disk. I had not created a backup to this point (very bad on my part) and wanted to do so in case I could no longer access my data due to the critical error message. The backup took several hours as expected but completed without any problems. While still in safe mode, I went into System Preferences > Software Update and attempted to run the update to Big Sur 11.5 again. This time it worked. It updated correctly and restarted my Mac. Now I’m able to log into my machine without any issues. I hope someone finds this helpful as this was very discouraging because a lot of posts that I read about this error message ended with wiping the drive, a costly fix, or getting a new Mac! 😳

I have the same issue with my mbp (A1707). My touch bar is off, keys backlight too, problems with authorization of iCloud.

I have two assumptions for now according to findings across the internet:

1. it has something to do with the broken channel of power supply of touch bar and T1 chip, maybe some capacitors are dead
2. it has something to do with the T1 firmware update, maybe during os update it was removed, and somehow not replaced

What I have tried so far:

1. Restart SCM,
2. Reinstall OS-X from the internet,
3. Run Apple Diagnostics -> all hardware is fine (what?!?)

Current workaround:

The first-time login in safe-mode (start mbp holding left shift till login), disable wi-fi or switch off ethernet plug, restart mbp in normal mode. Shutdown/Restart always with a disabled internet.

I hope somebody from Apple will shed light on this topic and give some explanations on the T1 firmware update and how to recover it or check that it's broken or why Apple (hardware) Diagnostics thinks that's everything fine if my eyes see it is not??

#iDontKnow

I have been facing this issue in my A1707 for over a year and days of installing one Mac version to another did nothing. I am okay with touchbar gone.But it is causing my mac to restart automatically with "******" msg that my machine restarted because of a problem is driving me nuts. My mac dont hibernate/sleep since then. Is is same for you people? on a side note reading the console log there is a constant error of dfr display not ready possible hardware error is rolling every seconds. Is it same for any one of you?

I'm joining the club, I got this error about a week ago after my late 2016 Macbook Pro (Big Sur) crashed when I opened the lid. I've been able to log once and the touch bar was working fine. After few hours, I reopened my MacBook and it was crashed again. Since then I haven't been able to log in. I did change my screen but it was like 2 years ago and I only had few crashes before that.

I tried to:

• Repair
• Erase everything and reinstall Sierra / Mojave / Big Sur
• Disconnect the touch bar from the logic board.

None of this worked.

Today I tried to remove everything and install only Windows 10. Every startup, I got an error from Boot Camp saying that it encountered an error and need to restart to restore, but I can close and ignore this error. Everything is working fine except that my touch bar is not showing at all (no ESC or F1 / F2... buttons).

I wonder if my touch bar is dead and causing all the troubles even though it worked once before or if it's the logic board? Is there any way to know? Did someone tried to disconnect the touch bar?