Mac OS Download Issue - "This copy of the install macOS Sonoma application is damaged and can't be used to install macOS"

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Level 1

4 points

Mac OS Download Issue - "This copy of the install macOS Sonoma application is damaged and can't be used to install macOS"

Hello,

I have a Mac airbook 8.1 2018.

I am trying to update the MacOS - currently running macOS Catalina 10.15.7.

I've tried downloading macOS Sonoma and MacOS Ventura and get the same error message "This copy of the install macOS Sonoma application is damaged and can't be used to install macOS".

I have googled various solutions but I have failed in fixing the issue.

No matter how many times I re-download either macOS - I always get this error message.

Does anyone have any solutions to fix this issue?

Thank you

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Sep 20, 2025 1:47 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Level 9

67,100 points

Sep 20, 2025 5:57 PM in response to CassieN61

Check to see if there is any "Install macOS XXXXXX" items in the Applications folder. If so, delete them & empty the Trash. Try downloading the installer again. I would even recommend rebooting the computer afterwards as well.

FYI, you can find links to various macOS installers in the following Apple article:

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

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Answer 2

MartinR

Level 7

23,632 points

Sep 21, 2025 6:56 AM in response to CassieN61

CassieN61 wrote:

I have a Mac airbook 8.1 2018. I am trying to update the MacOS - currently running macOS Catalina 10.15.7.

I've tried downloading macOS Sonoma and MacOS Ventura and get the same error message "This copy of the install macOS Sonoma application is damaged and can't be used to install macOS".

Are they 'fresh' downloads or did you download them some time in the past? If in the past, delete any previous copies of the installer(s) and download them again. The error message about the installer being damaged most often indicates it's an old installer.

It's also advisable to use Safari to download the installers; from time to time there have been reported problems with using other browsers to download the installer files.

Finally, how are you downloading? From the App Store, from How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

or from some other source?

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