Today, during WWDC 2024, Apple revealed macOS Sequoia, the latest version of its computer operating system. On top of building off the new features seen in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, the newest version of macOS will come with a slew of additional features. Here’s everything you need to know.
One of the most exciting new features Apple showed off is an expansion of Continuity, which allows your Mac to work seamlessly with other Apple devices. In macOS Sequoia, you’ll be able to virtually take control of your iPhone directly on your Mac. You can then access an app on your phone right on your Mac, and even drag and drop items and files directly from the Mac to your iPhone more seamlessly.
Continuity will also allow for shared iPhone notifications to Mac, allowing them to appear alongside your Mac’s notifications. And, macOS Sequoia will now be able to automatically size windows to tile them and fill up the screen. This should allow you to maximize your display’s real estate—a problem I’m often finding myself struggling with as I research various articles.
Another big change coming with Sequoia is the release of Apple’s new Passwords app. This app looks to be taking a direct swing at other password managers like 1Password, Bitwarden, and Proton Pass, as it will allow you to manage all of your passwords, including app, website, Wi-Fi passwords, and even verification codes. Those passwords will also sync across all your Apple devices.
But you aren’t just locked to macOS Sequoia or iPhone and iPad to use the new Passwords app. It’ll also be available on Windows through the iCloud Windows app.
On the web browsing side of things, users who still use the Mac’s default browser experience, Safari, will get access to new updates like Highlights, which help you discover new information directly on the internet. This information can range from summaries of web pages to quick links that let you learn more about certain things and even directions to a new place you’re planning to visit.
The upgrades don’t stop there, though. Safari in macOS Sequoia will also offer a generated table of contents for longer articles and video detection, which can help put your videos front and center while also giving you the option to view them via picture-in-picture, so you can browse the web while still watching your favorite videos.
Gaming is getting a pretty big upgrade in the next macOS release, too, with titles like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and other games from the Resident Evil series expected to debut on macOS for the first time. This also means that Mac will be getting some upgrades to its gaming experience, beginning with Personalized Spatial Audio, which Apple says will put players directly in the middle of the action.
This new version of Spatial Audio is meant to provide better responsiveness and reduce audio latency with AirPods Pro 2nd Generation. Apple also says improvements to Game Mode in macOS Sequoia will unlock smoother frame rates and provide advanced power management features to help boost your in-game performance across all Macs.
New updates are also coming to video conferences. They will get a new presenter preview mode that lets you see what you’re about to share before you share it. You’ll also be able to more easily work with built-in backgrounds to hide your own background, allowing you to look as professional—or as silly—as possible on a call.
All of the new Apple Intelligence features that Apple showed off during WWDC will also come to certain Macs. You can see all the supported macOS Sequoia devices for an in-depth look. This includes the Rewrite functionality, Image Playground, and more. As far as we know, Apple’s AI features will only be available on Mac computers running an M-series chip.
