macOS Monterey is now available for download – here’s what’s new!

By admin On Oct 25, 2021

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Apple released macOS Monterey tonight! You can download the update for your Mac for free. This year there are big changes for FaceTime and Safari, there is a brand new app, and a lot more: this is all new.

macOS Monterey: Top New Features

Last year we saw a new version number for macOS for the first time in nearly two decades: no longer 10.x, but macOS 11. This year we go straight to macOS 12. This suggests that it is a major update, but what is it? exactly renewed?

FaceTime

FaceTime now has spatial audio support. This allows you to hear your interlocutors around you in group conversations, and it is easier to distinguish them from each other. You can also filter out ambient noise, so that everyone can be heard clearly. And, handy too: you can now invite your Windows and Android friends for a FaceTime call.

Safari

Safari now has so-called tab groups. Here you group tabs and save them, after which you can easily open or share them with others. For example, you can create a group with all kinds of tabs about a holiday destination, and share it directly with your travel partner.

Assignments

Shortcuts is coming to the Mac for the first time. This makes it easy to automate tasks, making your workflow a lot faster. The app has been available on iOS and iPadOS for a few years now. Automator, Assignments’ predecessor, will remain available.

What else is new?

There are many more innovations in Monterey. A brief overview:

You can now use your Mac as an AirPlay target. This way you can easily share both audio and images from, for example, your iPhone on a large iMac.
With Focus you can set up your Mac exactly for your situation. For example, are you at work? Then you create a work focus that only receives work-related notifications.
Live Text lets you pick text from images and paste it elsewhere. You can even click on addresses, phone numbers and email addresses directly and open them in the right app.
Notes now supports tags for easy organizing, and Quick Notes lets you jot down ideas quickly.
Shared with you lets you see what’s shared with you through Messages in other apps. For example, in Photos you also see pictures that you have received via Messages.

Download macOS Monterey

You can download macOS Monterey for free via ‘System Preferences>Software Update’. Click here on ‘Update now’ and go through the steps. Do you want to be sure whether your Mac is supported, and whether your Mac is well prepared for the update? Then read our article: How to prepare for the macOS Monterey release.

Pay attention: In the first hours, your download will likely be slow, and the download may crash. So keep this in mind. It is also possible that you do not see the update immediately. Strangely enough, some people see another update: macOS Big Sur 11.6.1. It is still unclear what exactly is going on, but it helps to close System Preferences and restart.