At this year's WWDC 2021 event we learned a lot about macOS 12, now formally named macOS Monterey. The Mac software update is now available for download, — so you can get an early look at what's new in our macOS 12 Monterey review.
And for those concerned about Monterey, we've learned that Safari's radical tabs makeover's not permanent, as the standard view is also here. But, whenever macOS Monterey does finally arrive on your Mac, Apple is using one big theme throughout its new OS: continuity.
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To that end, the company showcased a few key new features coming to macOS with Monterey that should make it easier for Apple product owners to transfer their work across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices. This is a big deal because Apple's Mac business appears to be moving from strength to strength this year, delivering the critically acclaimed MacBook Pro 2021 (14-inch) and MacBook Pro 2021 (16-inch), which run the latest version of Apple's M1 chips.
High sales of M1-powered MacBooks have generated record revenues for Apple, and if you've kept tabs on our ongoing Mac coverage (like our MacBook Pro with M1 review and our MacBook Air with M1 review) you know that macOS 11 Big Sur played more than a bit part in their current popularity. Now that macOS Monterey is nearly here and practically begging to be used in tandem with other Apple devices, it appears Apple is intent on giving MacBook owners more incentives to use Apple hardware.
Here's what we know so far about macOS Monterey.
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macOS Monterey: Release date and betas
macOS Monterey launched on October 25, which Apple announced at its October 18 event, where it unveiled the AirPods 3, the 14-inch MacBook Pro 2021 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro 2021.
Apple previously released a beta version of macOS Monterey to the public July 1st, following the launch of a developer beta at the Worldwide Developer Conference.
This follows Apple shipping the final versions of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 (don't miss our guides to how to download iOS 15 and how to download iPadOS 15 now).
macOS Monterey: New features
Since the big watchword for macOS Monterey is continuity, Apple is highlighting some new features in the new OS which make it easier to share work and files across multiple Apple devices.
Universal Control: Perhaps the most futuristic feature coming to macOS Monterey, Universal Control effectively allows you to share a single keyboard and mouse across multiple Apple devices that are in close proximity to your macOS PC. Unfortunately, this feature won't be included at launch.
Here's how it works, according to Apple: when you place an iPad near your macOS 12 Monterey device (a new Apple iMac 2021, for example) and move your mouse to the edge of your screen nearest the external device, you'll see a new cursor animation. If you keep pushing your cursor against the edge of the screen it should move off and appear on your iPad's screen, allowing you to use your mouse and keyboard on the tablet.
Apple also revealed that you can use Universal Control to drag and drop files across multiple devices, effectively giving a more skeumorphic feel to the process of AirDropping files from your iMac to iPad or iPhone, and vice versa.
Airplay to Mac: Speaking of AirDropping, now you can also use iOS and iPad devices to Airplay media directly to your iMac or MacBook running macOS Monterey. This could be a great way to make use of the excellent speakers on the new 24-inch iMac 2021, for example.
Shortcuts come to macOS: The popular Shortcuts app from iOS is making the leap to macOS, allowing you to set up custom shortcuts and routines on your iMac/MacBook that you can then run from Siri, the Finder, the Dock, and other areas of macOS Monterey.
If you're a fan of Automator, you can import all of your workflows into Shortcuts.
Safari: Apple has tried to launch a redesign of Safari alongside macOS Monterey, and over time they undid a lot of their own work. While we still have tabs that are organizable “tab groups” (think windows of tabs that exist across devices, so Safari on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 keep up), we're not getting forced into using the minimized tabs view, as that "Compact" option is sticking around next to a "Standard," view.
Speaking of new looks, Safari is also getting a new feature that allows it to adopt the color scheme of whatever website you happen to be looking at, shifting in real time as you switch between tabs.
Deeper iOS integration: Speaking of iOS 15, it's also a 2021 release, and with that phone software update come a lot of small features and improvements that will be reflected in macOS Monterey. New spatial audio features in FaceTime calls, for example, as well as links you can share anywhere to invite others into FaceTime calls — even directly from web browsers like Chrome or Edge, no Apple device necessary.
The most notable addition is SharePlay, a new feature which lets you share media (videos, music, screenshares) with others across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. It's sort of like a shared virtual room: you can share an album from Apple Music or a clip from YouTube with some friends via iMessage, for example, and then chat about it in real-time while the media plays in an inset window. Shareplay was removed, and is not seen in the current betas.
There will also be a new "Shared with You" folder on macOS Monterey which will collect all the photos, videos, and other media people share with you on iMessage into one location.
macOS Monterey: compatibility
Courtesy of Apple, here's the full list of MacBooks and iMacs that will be compatible with macOS Monterey when it launches this fall:
iMac: Late 2015 and later
Mac Pro: Late 2013 and later
iMac Pro: 2017 and later
Mac mini: Late 2014 and later
MacBook Air: Early 2015 and later
MacBook: Early 2016 and later
MacBook Pro: Early 2015 and later
You can also check out our full guide to macOS 12 Monterey compatibility for more details.
macOS Monterey: Outlook
With its renewed focus on continuity, macOS Monterey looks like a clear play on Apple's part to strengthen the ties that bind Mac users into Apple's walled garden of devices and services.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course — many of the new macOS Monterey features seem quite useful, and using Universal Control to drag and drop images doodled on an iPad or iPhone directly into an open document on your MacBook seems downright futuristic.
The bottom line is that if you already own multiple Apple devices, macOS Monterey should offer you some interesting new ways to use them in tandem with your MacBook or iMac. If you don't own any other Apple devices, Monterey may not offer you much — other than the temptation to go out and splurge on some new hardware.
