Apple introduced macOS Monterey at WWDC21 and announced it’ll be available to the general public this fall. The announcement couldn’t have come at a b
Apple introduced macOS Monterey at WWDC21 and announced it’ll be available to the general public this fall. The announcement couldn’t have come at a better time as it visibly imprints Apple’s intentions of exploring life beyond Intel.
With macOS 12, Apple is all set to take the macOS feature set to the next level. If you’re wondering what this update has in store for you, keep reading about the new features, compatibility, release data and more.
macOS Monterey release date
The macOS 12 beta version is out for Mac users to try out the features before the final launch. While the final launch date hasn’t been set, Apple has announced an event for September 14. Going by past events of the company indicates that the release date for macOS Monterey will be revealed at the event.
macOS 12 system requirements
macOS Monterey promises to support the broadest line-up of Macs in history. The devices that are compatible with macOS 12 are:
- Mac Pro late 2013 and later
- iMac late 2015 and later
- MacBook Air early 2015 and later
- iMac Pro 2017 and later
- MacBook early 2016 and later
- Mac mini late 2014 and later
- MacBook Pro early 2015 and later
How to install macOS 12 beta?
Cannot wait to try out Monterey? You can get an early look by joining the public beta program. On the beta program website, go to the macOS tab and click the Enroll Your Mac link in the Get Started section. You’ll be redirected to the Enroll Your Devices page, and you need to follow all the instructions on the webpage. Then, download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility, which will get your Mac enrolled into the program.
After that, the utility will launch Software Update to download and install the macOS beta. The installation process can take about forty minutes or longer, based on your Internet connection speed.
While your excitement is justified, keep in mind that the beta software could cause problems on your Mac. Your apps may stop working, or you may encounter frequent crashes and freezes. You can either try fixing Monterey problems or uninstalling the beta software and going back to using Big Sur.
macOS 12 features
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Safari
Apple’s web browser for macOS, Safari, has been redesigned for Monterey. The toolbar is refined, tabs are more compact, and you can use tab groups. It saves and groups tabs for easy access. The groups can be named and accessed on your iPad or iPhone.
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FaceTime
2020 has drastically changed the way people communicate and work. Today, video calls are more important than ever. So, Apple’s new FaceTime features for Monterey will get you excited.
One of the features is spatial audio support, which means wherever a person is sitting, the audio will feel like it is coming from their position.
There’s also Wide Spectrum, which boosts all ambient sounds and voices. It is useful in circumstances where you need to hear the environmental sounds.
There’s also Voice Isolation, which eliminates background noise using machine learning.
Macs and MacBooks using M1 chips can blur user backgrounds thanks to the Neural Engine. Last, but not least, you can invite anyone to connect to a FaceTime call, including Android and Windows users.
- Quick Note
The fastest way to create a note file is using Quick Note. It allows you to write notes from any website or app and add links from Maps or Safari. Moreover, multiple people can work on notes simultaneously and even add their comments. You can find the edits in the new Activity View.
- Universal Control
Universal Control is a handy feature, which lets you use a single keyboard and mouse and easily switch between iPad and Mac. Use a trackpad on your Mac and seamlessly slide over to your iPad.
You can drag and drop files between MacBooks, iPads, iMacs and more. What’s more, there’s no setup required. All you need to do is put your devices next to each other and move the cursor between them.
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Shortcuts
Who wouldn’t want to automate everyday tasks? Lucky for you, Shortcuts are coming to Mac. You can either use ready-made ones or customize your own.
Trigger Shortcuts without using your hands via Siri, and even import Automator workflows.
Shortcuts will be integrated throughout Monterey, including Spotlight, Finder and the menu bar.
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Focus
The Focus feature is going to be the new ‘do not disturb’ setting. Notifications can be filtered out, depending on your activity. Let other people know you are not to be interrupted by setting your status. If you set up Focus on one of your devices, it’ll be mirrored on all your Apple devices.
- Low power mode
Low power mode decreases energy consumption by turning down the system clock speed and screen brightness automatically. It is done to make your Mac run more quietly and save battery life.
macOS 12 is not a huge update like Big Sur, but it’s a release that’ll fix bugs and refine the operating system.
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