Apple on Monday released macOS Monterey, its latest and greatest version of macOS for Mac computers. macOS Monterey has been in beta testing since early summer and is now ready for prime time.
The Monterey update can be downloaded to a compatible Mac via the Software Update section of System Preferences. Like all Mac updates, the macOS Monterey update is available free of charge. The update is also available in the Mac App Store.
Apple’s full release notes, containing all of the new features for macOS Monterey are as follows:
FaceTime
– Spatial audio makes voices sound like they come from the direction of a speaker on the screen in a Group FaceTime call
– Voice Isolation blocks background noises so your voice is crystal clear
– Wide Spectrum brings every sound in your space into the call
– Portrait mode puts the focus on you by blurring your background on Mac computers with the M1 chip
– Grid view displays people in same-size tiles and highlights the active speaker
– FaceTime links for inviting friends to calls on Apple, Android, or Windows devicesMessages
– Shared with You displays content shared over Messages in your Mac apps
– New Shared with You section in Photos, Safari, News, Podcasts, and the TV app
– Multiple photos display as collages or stacks in MessagesSafari
– Tab Groups help you save and organize your tabs and sync across devices
– Intelligent Tracking Prevention prevents trackers from viewing your IP address
– Compact tab bar option lets you see more of the webpage on your screenFocus
– Focus lets you automatically filter out notifications based on what you’re doing
– Options to customize a Focus for activities like work, gaming, reading, and more
– Focus sets across all Apple devices
– Status lets your contacts know that your notifications are silencedQuick Note & Notes
– Quick Note lets you take notes on any app or website, and easily revisit them later
– Tags help you quickly categorize your notes by topic and make them easy to find
– Mentions enable you to notify others of important updates in shared notes
– Activity view displays who made recent changes in a shared noteAirPlay to Mac
– AirPlay to Mac lets you share content from iPhone or iPad straight to your Mac
– AirPlay speaker support for playing music through your Mac sound systemLive Text
– Live Text makes text interactive in photos across the system
– Support for copying, translating, and looking up text that appears in photos
– Visual Look Up helps you learn about art, landmarks, and other objects in photosShortcuts
– New app helps you automate everyday tasks, helping you accomplish them faster
– Gallery with pre-built shortcuts that you can add and run throughout the system
– Shortcuts editor helps you design custom shortcuts for your specific workflows
– Support for automatically converting Automator workflows into shortcutsMaps
– Interactive 3D globe with enhanced details for mountains, oceans, and more on Mac computers with the M1 chip
– Detailed city maps display elevation, trees, buildings, landmarks, and more on Mac computers with the M1 chipPrivacy
– Mail Privacy Protection helps prevent senders from tracking your Mail activity
– Recording indicator in Control Center for apps that are accessing your miciCloud+
– iCloud Private Relay (beta) helps prevent companies from creating a detailed profile of your browsing activity in Safari
– Hide My Email creates unique, random email addresses that forward to your inbox
Universal Control was not ready for release at launch and a macOS Monterey update will be released later this year. Universal Control allows users to use a single keyboard and mouse across multiple Macs and iPads. SharePlay, which allows users to share their screens over FaceTime and watch movies and TV together, will also come in a later macOS Monterey update.
macOS Monterey compatible machines are as follows:
- Early 2016 and later MacBook
- Early 2015 and later MacBook Air
- Early 2015 and later MacBook Pro
- Late 2015 and later iMac
- 2017 and later iMac Pro
- Late 2014 and later Mac mini
- Late 2013 and later Mac Pro
