Keeping OS X Up To Date

Like all programs, operating systems (OS's) are released in an imperfect, "satisfactory" state.  This means that even off the shelf they are rife with bugs and security flaws.  As these are discovered by hackers or security firms, the OS's parent company (in this case, Apple) releases patches to fix the security holes.  It is vitally important to the security of your computer to regularly download and install these updates.

• Initializing Software Update

In the Dock, click on the System Preferences icon.

In the System Preferences window, select Software Update.

When the Software update window appears, click Update Now.

Software Update will contact Apple and compare the versions of your installed Apple applications to the versions available, and provide you with a list of available updates.  Select the updates you wish to install, and click the Install button.  You may be asked for an administrator password.

Some updates will require you to read and accept a license agreement, and some require you to restart your computer.