macOS Sonoma is now available as a free software update, providing a wide range of new features for the Mac that enhance productivity and entertainment. With macOS Sonoma, desktop widgets offer a fresh way to customize the Mac and increase efficiency, while impressive new screen savers, significant improvements to video conferencing and Safari, and enhanced gaming optimize the Mac experience.
macOS Sonoma enhances the Mac experience with more options for personalization using widgets, significant updates to Safari and video conferencing, and improved gaming.
Widgets and Stunning Screen Savers
With macOS Sonoma, widgets can be placed directly on the desktop and blend seamlessly with the wallpaper while other windows are open. Widgets also become interactive, allowing users to complete reminders, play or pause media, access home controls, and perform various tasks directly from the widget on their desktop. Furthermore, users can further personalize their Mac with widgets from their iPhone using Continuity.
macOS Sonoma introduces a new collection of screen savers that showcase slow-motion videos of stunning locations around the world. These locations include the breathtaking skyline of Hong Kong, the magnificent sandstone buttes of Monument Valley in Arizona, and the picturesque rolling hills of Sonoma in Northern California. After logging in, the screen savers smoothly transition to become the desktop wallpaper.
Powerful Productivity for Video Conferencing
macOS Sonoma introduces improved video conferencing capabilities that empower users to deliver and showcase their work more efficiently across any video-conferencing application. Presenter Overlay showcases users alongside the content they are presenting, while Reactions enables users to express their emotions through simple hand gestures that activate entertaining, full-screen 3D effects like balloons, confetti, hearts, and more.
Enhanced Browsing with Safari
In Safari, profiles keep browsing separate between different topics such as work, school, and more. This allows users to easily switch between them. Private Browsing has been enhanced to provide even better protection against advanced tracking techniques. When not in use, Private Browsing windows are locked and known trackers are blocked from loading. Additionally, Safari users can now add any website to the Dock, similar to adding an app. This includes a simplified toolbar and notifications for an app-like experience.
An Immersive Gaming Experience
With the performance of Apple silicon, millions of Macs can run demanding games with excellent speed, extended battery life, and stunning visuals. macOS Sonoma enhances the gaming experience even more with Game Mode, which ensures smoother frame rates and significantly reduces input and audio delay when using wireless game controllers and AirPods. Game Mode is compatible with all games, including recent and upcoming Mac games like DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT, Stray, Layers of Fear, and SnowRunner.
Additional macOS Sonoma Updates
- Notes: Users can view PDFs and scans of presentations, assignments, research papers, and more right inside Notes. They can also create links from one note to another to relate ideas and content.
- Passwords: A set of passwords can now be shared among a group. Everyone in a group can add and edit passwords to keep them up to date, and since sharing is through iCloud Keychain, it’s end-to-end encrypted. Additionally, the one-time verification codes received in Mail will now autofill in Safari, making it easy to securely log in without leaving the browser.
- Messages: Search filters and swipe to reply enhance everyday messaging, while all-new Live Stickers can be created and synced across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.
- Reminders: Intelligent grocery lists in Reminders streamline weekly trips to the store by organizing lists into sections and arranging them horizontally using a new column view.
- Keyboard: Autocorrect receives a comprehensive update with a transformer language model, a state-of-the-art on-device machine learning language model that improves accuracy. A refreshed design makes corrections easier to fix and inline predictions quickly finish sentences. Dictation brings next-level speech recognition and the ability to move fluidly between voice and typing.
- Screen Sharing: A new high-performance mode in the Screen Sharing app delivers incredibly responsive remote access over high-bandwidth connections — enabling creative professionals to accomplish their work remotely.
Availability
macOS Sonoma is a free software update that is available starting today. Some features may not be available in all regions, languages, or on all devices. For more information and a full list of features, visit apple.com/macos/sonoma.
