The subsequent model of the Mac working system, macOS 15 Sequoia, arrives on Monday, September 16, bringing some attractive new options, constructing on these launched in macOS 14 Sonoma.
Sadly, there will probably be some who may run Sonoma who gained’t be capable of replace to Sequoia. The compatibility listing of Macs which can be capable of run Sequoia is slightly smaller than that of macOS Sonoma, with a few 13-inch MacBook Air fashions from 2018 and 2019 that gained’t be capable of set up the 2024 macOS. As well as, solely Macs with an M1, M2, or M3-series chip will assist the brand new AI options known as “Apple Intelligence”.
You might be questioning whether it is value updating your Mac so you possibly can run Sequoia, or if sticking with Sonoma will probably be adequate. Alternatively, your Mac could not be capable of run Sequoia, or it would replace, however not be capable of supply the Apple Intelligence options. If the latter is true then you might be questioning whether or not it’s value updating your Mac so you possibly can run Sequoia and the AI options, for assist discovering a brand new Mac learn our information to the Greatest Mac.
Right here’s a fast information to what macOS Sonoma and macOS Sequoia supply and the way they evaluate.
You would possibly wish to learn concerning the variations between iOS 17 and iOS 18.
Options in macOS 14 Sonoma
When macOS Sonoma arrived in September 2023, it did so with numerous cool upgrades to make life simpler on the Mac. Right here’s our choose of the spotlight options, a few of which you won’t even have found but!
Desktop Widgets
Interactive widgets may be positioned in your Desktop in Sonoma, permitting you to manage podcasts, view the climate, arrange or fulfill reminders, management sensible gadgets round your property, add a fast word, and loads of different helpful capabilities. The widget gallery (which opens once you click on on the time and date part on the prime of the display) is house to all of the out there widgets, all you have to do is drag them onto the Desktop and also you’re good to go.
Due to Continuity, you can too work together together with your iPhone widgets in your Mac desktop with out even having to put in these apps.
For those who’re fearful about muddle, then Apple has considered that too, because the widgets fade within the background once you use different apps. As they’re clear on this mode, they’ll additionally slot in with any shade scheme in your wallpaper.
Screensavers
Talking of the Desktop, in Sonoma, Apple additionally improved the screensaver and wallpaper choices, providing high-definition pictures of attractive places from all over the world. These pictures slowly journey throughout the panorama till settling right into a nonetheless picture once you open the Desktop. A easy addition, however a fairly one.
Video conferencing upgrades
In case your video calls and conferences lack pizazz, then the brand new Presenter Overlay will spark issues up. It’s restricted to M1-powered (or later) Macs although, so bear that in thoughts. You probably have the required {hardware} although, you possibly can select from two modes – giant and small – with the previous having you within the heart of the display, with any slides you create displayed behind you, however nonetheless in view. If you would like extra give attention to the data, then the small choice makes you a floating head that may be moved round to make sure the info you’re presenting is readable by the opposite individuals.
In the event that they like what you’re doing, then they’ll use a hand gesture to set off confetti, offer you a thumbs-up, or select from a spread of different celebratory animations.
Safari upgrades
Safari gained some extra options in macOS Sonoma (though strictly talking, new Safari options may be loved on the present and former two variations of macOS as a result of Apple makes the Safari replace extra broadly out there). The principle Safari replace was Profiles, which lets you arrange devoted environments, say work and residential, which have totally different extensions, search historical past, Tab Teams, cookies and favorites.
The model of Safari that arrived with macOS Sonoma additionally allowed you so as to add any web site to the Dock in order that it really works as an online app. This protects you from having to open Safari and go to the location. So as to add a webpage to the Dock simply go to the webpage after which click on on the Share icon and select Add to Dock. Simply click on the icon within the Dock and also you’ll be there in a flash.
PDFs and the Notes app
An AutoFill for PDFs characteristic makes filling in PDFs even simpler because it suggests data out of your Contacts, corresponding to your tackle and telephone quantity. You too can view PDFs in Notes, in actual fact, you possibly can retailer a number of PDFs in a word and navigate by way of them web page by web page.
One of many large adjustments in Notes is which you could import notes into Pages to edit them, if you wish to flesh a word out right into a full doc.
To edit a word in Pages open the word within the Notes app, click on on the share icon and select Open in Pages.
Recreation Mode
For Mac players, the Recreation Mode that arrived in Sonoma ensured that the Mac offers the sport CPU and GPU utilization precedence to verify efficiency is nearly as good as it may be. There’s additionally massively lowered latency for Bluetooth controllers and AirPods audio.
Different options
Apple additionally introduced enhancements and extra options to Messages, password sharing, autocorrect, safety and extra.
New options arriving in macOS 15 Sequoia
With all the above already constructed into macOS, the next options will probably be added to your Mac once you set up macOS Sequoia.
Use your iPhone in your Mac
One of many standout options of macOS Sequoia, for Macs with M1 or later chips (or T2-equipped intel Macs), is iPhone Mirroring. That is the flexibility to function your iPhone straight from the Mac desktop. Utilizing the capabilities of Continuity (a characteristic, first launched with Yosemite in 2014, that hyperlinks all of your Apple gadgets), you’ll be capable of open apps, verify notifications, and switch recordsdata between Mac and iPhone with out having to select up your iPhone in any respect. It is possible for you to to work together together with your iPhone even for those who’re sitting at your Mac within the subsequent room.
Home windows tiling
Bored with having to manually resize home windows once you’re working with a number of apps open? macOS Sequoia to the rescue with its new home windows tiling characteristic. Now, once you drag a window to a aspect on the display it can supply to routinely modify its dimensions to snap into 1 / 4 or half of the show. You too can obtain the identical organizational feat utilizing keyboard shortcuts. Stay up for having a neater Desktop. This would possibly simply be the characteristic we’re most trying ahead to!
Video conferencing enhancements
The place macOS Sonoma added Presenter Overlay, macOS Sequoia brings Presenter Preview. This reveals the presenter what will probably be shared with others on a name earlier than they’ll see it.
There are additionally new background replacements that may cover the state of your room. Apple says that its superior layering system ought to make the mixing of the pictures fairly seamless, so that you don’t get all of the fuzzy edges and artifacts that may usually be seen on Zoom calls.
These options aren’t restricted to FaceTime, it is possible for you to to reap the benefits of them in different video conferencing apps.
Safari updates
Apple’s browser continues to enhance. Launching alongside macOS Sequoia will probably be a brand new Highlights characteristic that pulls up a very powerful and related data on a webpage once you arrive (though you have to have it set to U.S. English). Reader mode additionally will get a lift with a abstract displayed on the prime of the web page, alongside a desk of contents you should use to navigate by way of the web page.
Plus, a devoted Video Viewer will allow you to take management of movies on internet pages.
As typical, the updates to Safari will probably be out there for the earlier two variations of macOS, so Sonoma customers will nonetheless be capable of take pleasure in them.
Passwords app
As with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia introduces a brand new password supervisor app that allows you to manage your logins, passkeys, codes, and Wi-Fi particulars, all from a single interface in your Mac. All of them securely sync together with your different gadgets, so that you’ll at all times have the small print you want wherever you’re.
Apple has lengthy helped clients handle all their passwords and login data in iCloud Keychain, however 2024 is the yr that every one this data will grow to be barely extra accessible in an app.
Gaming
Constructing on the foundations of the Recreation Mode launched in macOS Sonoma, for these with Apple Silicon-powered Macs, Apple is promising the arrival of latest AAA titles that may be performed on the Mac. Murderer’s Creed Shadows, Management, Sniper Elite 4, and Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown are among the many headline video games that will probably be out there within the Mac App Retailer within the coming months.
Messages
As with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, in macOS Sequoia you’ll have extra alternatives to format textual content in Messages – together with including varied enjoyable animations, extra Tapback updates–together with the flexibility to react with any sticker or emoji, and the flexibility to schedule messages to exit at a later time or date.
Maps
macOS will achieve the identical Maps tweaks as iOS and iPadOS. For customers within the U.S., this implies new topographical maps of 63 nationwide parks–an actual boon for hikers. These embrace detailed path networks and paths so that you’ll be capable of discover the very best route in your strolling journey. You too can plot your personal for those who’d fairly strike out in a special course. No information but on when different international locations will get topographical maps for their very own parks.
Notes
In macOS Sequoia the Notes app will achieve the flexibility to file audio notes and produce a transcription of what’s being stated (Apple Silicon solely).
There’s additionally a brand new Math Notes characteristic that may remedy equations and different calculations in actual time, with automated changes for those who change any of the characters.
Highlights lastly come to Notes (glory be!), as does the flexibility to create a collapsible part that may hold your format clear and manageable.
Different options
There are numerous different tweaks in macOS Sequoia, together with enhancements for the way AirPods work together together with your Mac, an replace to the Calendar that may deal with extra complicated expressions, a brand new Scene characteristic in Freeform that you should use to maneuver by way of a doc, in addition to new sensible collections within the Photographs app.
For an intensive breakdown of what Apple has dreamed up for Macs, check out our macOS Sequoia superguide.
What are the Apple Intelligence options in macOS 15 Sequoia?
Apple launched Apple Intelligence at WWDC, which is able to deliver a extra customized AI expertise to Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. This contains writing instruments that may assist enhance your textual content, rewrite it in different types, and summarise lengthy textual content in seconds.
There’s additionally the flexibility to create pictures utilizing AI, together with a approach to create pictures primarily based in your contacts, so you possibly can ship family and friends customized pictures of them dressed as superheroes, having fun with a birthday celebration, or in different eventualities.
There are additionally widespread enhancements to Siri, as Apple is bringing AI enchancment to its digital assistant. These enhancements embrace the incorporation of ChatGPT, though this will probably be protected by the brand new Personal iCloud Compute that can forestall your knowledge from being misused.
It needs to be famous that because of {hardware} limitations, solely the next M-series Macs will be capable of use Apple Intelligence:
- iMac from 2021 and later
- Mac Professional from 2023
- Mac Studio from 2022 and later
- MacBook Air from late 2020 and later
- Mac mini from late 2020 and later
- MacBook Professional from late 2020 and later
Which Macs are appropriate with macOS Sequoia?
Right here’s the official listing of Macs that can get the Sequoia replace:
- iMac from 2019 and later
- Mac Professional from 2019 and later
- iMac Professional from 2017
- Mac Studio from 2022 and later
- MacBook Air from 2020 and later
- Mac mini from 2018 and later
- MacBook Professional from 2018 and later
What’s the distinction between macOS 14 and macOS 15?
Clearly, the AI-centric options of Apple Intelligence coming with Sequoia will probably be a big enhancement for Macs, however since they’re restricted to solely the newer Mac fashions, with Intel-powered Macs ignored, they aren’t the only cause to replace. In reality, when the Apple Clever options launch they’ll solely be in beta, so that is nonetheless a expertise in its infancy.
Fortunately, another spectacular options are coming in macOS Sequoia. The place macOS Sonoma introduced additions that helped personalize the Mac–together with screensavers, desktop widgets, and Safari Profiles–macOS Sequoia has a extra multi-device focus, with iPhone Mirroring and improved password integration by way of the Password app, there are additionally options like Home windows tiling for a extra tidy desktop and the gaming enhancements that needs to be a boon for gaming on the Mac.
It’s merely a bit extra and a bit higher, though the very best stuff is reserved for these with the latest Macs.
Ought to I improve my Mac to run macOS 15 Sequoia?
It’s not normally a difficulty upgrading the software program on a Mac, as Apple makes the method simple and infrequently painless. You probably have an older Mac although, you might must get a brand new mannequin with a purpose to run Sequoia, otherwise you might be able to run Sequoia, however not reap the benefits of all macOS Sequoia’s standout options–corresponding to Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring and audio transcription in Notes–since all require not less than an M1 powered gadget. See: Which Macs can run Sequoia?
You probably have an M-series Mac, fairly than an older Intel-powered mannequin, then macOS Sequoia ought to show a powerful improve that makes your Mac much more helpful than it’s already.
If you wish to improve your Mac to get all the brand new options in macOS Sequoia, you should definitely take a look at our greatest Apple offers web page to see for those who can choose up a discount, or check out our offers round-ups for every mannequin:
