Apple Releases Second Golden Master of macOS Sierra for Developers

Apple today released an updated golden master (GM) version of macOS Sierra to developers, a week and a day after releasing the first golden master following its September 7 event. The golden master represents the final version of macOS Sierra that will be released to the public on Tuesday, September 20.

The golden master update can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center at this time, and it is not clear if it will be available through the Mac App Store. The new GM seed is build 16A323, while the build released last week was 16A320.


macOS Sierra is a major update that brings Siri to the Mac for the first time, allowing users to conduct voice searches to quickly find files, look up information, and more. New Continuity features offer an "Auto Unlock" option for unlocking a Mac with an Apple Watch and a "Universal Clipboard" for copying text on one Apple device and pasting it on another.

Deeper iCloud integration allows files stored on the desktop or the Documents folder of a Mac to be accessed on all of a user's devices, and Photos features deep learning algorithms for improved facial, object, and scene recognition. There's also a Memories feature for displaying photo collections, and Messages has rich links, bigger emoji, and "Tapback" response options.

Apple Pay is coming to the web in macOS Sierra, with payments authenticated through an iPhone or Apple Watch, and new features like multiple tabs, Picture in Picture multitasking, optimized storage, and revamped emoji are also available.

macOS Sierra will be officially released to the public on September 20 and it will be available for free to all users with a compatible Mac. For full details on all of the new features included in the update, make sure to check out our macOS Sierra roundup.

Related Forum: macOS Sierra

Popular Stories

ios 17 iphone 15 pro status bar sos crop feature2

iPhone SOS: Verizon Experiences Major Outage Across the U.S. [Update: Fixed]

Monday September 30, 2024 9:03 am PDT by
Verizon is currently experiencing a major outage that is affecting many customers across the U.S., including iPhone users. Affected users may be unable to send or receive phone calls, send or receive text messages, or use cellular data. As a result of the network being down, many affected iPhone users are seeing "SOS" displayed in their device's status bar. In a support document, Apple says...
15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.1

Friday September 27, 2024 6:14 am PDT by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.1 in October, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks a significant step forward in Apple's AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a couple of handy new...
m3 mbp space black

What to Expect From an Apple Event in October: iPad Mini 7, Redesigned Mac Mini, and More

Friday September 27, 2024 11:47 am PDT by
Apple will likely hold another event in October this year to announce new Macs and iPads. If so, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on Monday, October 30 to announce new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series of chips. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Tuesday October 1, 2024 5:47 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
iphone 16 pro colors 1

iPhone 16 Pro Max Charging Speed Test Proves 45W Rumor Was Wrong

Monday September 30, 2024 8:16 am PDT by
While a Chinese regulatory filing showed that all iPhone 16 models are rated for up to 45W charging speeds, tests have since shown that the devices do not actually charge this fast. However, there are still improvements. ChargerLAB last week tested the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a variety of Apple and third-party chargers, and it found that the device achieved maximum sustained charging speeds...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 2

Apple's Next New iPhone to Debut in the Spring: What to Expect

Tuesday October 1, 2024 3:14 am PDT by
Apple's budget-friendly iPhone SE is set for a major overhaul with a fourth generation model expected to launch in spring 2025. The upcoming model will mark a significant departure from its predecessors, adopting several features from higher-end iPhones while maintaining its position as the most affordable new model in Apple's lineup. According to recent reports, the iPhone SE 4 will sport a ...
apple silicon mac lineup wwdc 2022 feature purple

MacBook Pro, iMac, and Redesigned Mac Mini With M4 Chips on Track to Launch 'This Year'

Tuesday October 1, 2024 1:57 pm PDT by
Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models with the M4 series of chips "this year," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman initially said these Macs would likely be announced during a virtual event this October, but he has been more vague about the timing lately, with wording such as "in the coming weeks" and now merely "this year." In any case, it is clear that...
iPad iOS 16 WP Display Feature eric edit

Apple May Launch First iPad-Like Smart Home Accessory Next Year

Monday September 30, 2024 2:55 am PDT by
Apple could release an iPad-like smart home accessory based on its homeOS platform as early as next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reports that the display will run Apple apps like Calendar, Notes, and Home, and will feature an interface "optimized for controlling home appliances and quickly seeing information." Apple's...

Top Rated Comments

ksnell Avatar
105 months ago
I thought Golden Master meant that was it?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decimortis Avatar
105 months ago
I may be ignorant of what Golden Master actually means...

Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
skwood Avatar
105 months ago
This is not the second GM, so far we've seen build 319, 320, 322 and now 323. There have been no delta updates for any of these. You can download the latest by re-downloading macOS Sierra from the Purchased tab in the MAS.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JackieTreehorn Avatar
105 months ago
I may be ignorant of what Golden Master actually means...
Inconceivable!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
benjitek Avatar
105 months ago
It's actually the 3rd GM version, the 2nd version, 16A322, was quietly released on 9/13 and 16A323 launched today. Neither of these versions would update by clicking the [Download] button at the developers site, at least they wouldn't when I tried. The only way I could install them was by clicking [Download] in the AppStore purchase-history.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JackieTreehorn Avatar
105 months ago
I clearly can't choose the golden master in front of you.
I'm not a witch, I am your wife.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)