macOS Monterey is ready to be installed on the Mac and empowers the Apple computers with its powerful features. Many of you must be excited to get it right away as soon as possible, while some must be looking to explore the features before installing it.
macOS 12 is known to be a significant version of the Mac operating system available so far. You will find improvements to the Focus mode, FaceTime, along with some Safari enhancements. The new operating system update brings along tons of features, and you will learn about some of them in this article.
So let’s first learn if your Mac is compatible to run macOS Monterey.
The models that support macOS 12 are:
- iMac Pro – 2017 models
- iMac – 2015 and later models
- Mac Pro – 2013 and later models
- Mac Mini – 2014 and later models
- MacBook – 2016 and later models
- MacBook Air – 2015 and later models
- MacBook Pro – 2015 and later models
To find your Mac model, tap on the Apple icon and select About This Mac. When upgrading from macOS Sierra, you will need 26 gigabytes of free storage space on the disk to download and install macOS Monterey successfully.
If you are upgrading from an earlier version, make sure you have 44 gigabytes of free space available on the storage media. So, before you initiate any update action, make sure to remove unnecessary apps and data to clean the disk. If you are not sure how to clean data from a Mac computer, click here to learn more about it.
Not just one, but there are plenty of options that help clear data from the disk. Removing redundant apps, clearing cache, or uninstalling old programs is a part of optimizing your system storage for better performance. There are more tactical ways to free up huge volumes in the hard drive.
Here are the macOS Monterey features that make it one of the biggest operating systems you should try on your Mac.
FaceTime Upgrade
Enjoy FaceTime with new audio and visual features that you can access by navigating to the Control Center from the upper right section of the menu bar. You can now add a blur effect to hide the background. Applying Portrait mode to the calls is easier while you can use the all-new grid line to see all the participants together.
Even though these little upgrades might seem gimmicky and irrelevant, they still add some fun to the FaceTime application. And if you are someone who chats with others via video, it would not be a stretch to say that you should appreciate the upgrade.
Focus Mode
Now, you don’t have to deal with distractions while you are working or playing your favorite game. With the Focus mode, you can create profiles that enable you to set certain notifications and alerts on your computer. Besides, you can choose from the available presets that include Do Not Disturb, Personal, Work, Sleep, Driving, and more.
Shared With You
Dealing with a lot of photos, documents, links at a later stage is difficult, and Apple knows it all. Shared With You enables you to deal with and organize all the content that you receive from colleagues, friends, and relatives throughout the week. It is a designated spot that keeps all the received items intact, along with the name of the contact who sent them.
Right now, it is more important than ever to keep a closer eye on your data. Due to all the cybersecurity threats, potential hardware breakdowns, and even deleting a file accidentally, you have multiple reasons to fret and be mindful about file management.
Quick Note
Accessing the Notes app in macOS Monterrey is easier. All you need to do is move your cursor towards the bottom right corner to open Quick Note. You may use the Notes app to quickly drop in images, links, and more. macOS 12 is compatible with the notes feature available in the latest iOS and iPadOS 15 versions. You can even invite people to a note where they can edit, modify, or share their comments in real-time.
Given that the information exchange plays a prominent role in our day-to-day lives, a tool like Quick Note is bound to come in handy for different types of MacBook users.
SharePlay
Listen to music, watch movies, share your Mac screen with other FaceTime participants using SharePlay. The control options that allow playing, pause, rewind, fast-forward the video syncs perfectly on the screen of all the FaceTime attendees. Anyone in the call is allowed to add their favorite song to the shared queue while listening to music.
It is more enjoyable when you have a company to share your interests with, and since the pandemic is making us socialize in person less, SharePlay offers a decent alternative to those seeking socializing experiences.
Find My Widget
In Monterey, Find My Widget comes with a dedicated widget that enables you to view the location of friends and family in real-time. You can also add the widget to the Notification Center so that it’s available all the time for quick access whenever you need it. Just swipe it, and it’s all set to use, but make sure to configure the right settings.
Universal Control
Put your iPad next to your MacBook, and you can move your cursor from the laptop straight to the tablet screen. Not just that, you can drag content from the laptop and drop it to the iPad and can even type using a single mouse and a keyboard. On top of that, both the devices use their respective OS. All this is possible with the Universal Control feature.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, you should now be aware of what macOS Monterey introduces to you as a MacBook owner. Be sure to try different features and get to know what you can do on the device. It is fun to experience new things on a computer when they are still feeling fresh, and even if you do not end up using every single one, you should still find one or two that feel tailor-made for you.
