Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS Big Sur to Developers for Testing Purposes

Apple today introduced the newest version of macOS, the operating system that runs on the Mac. macOS 11.0 Big Sur is now available in a beta capacity for registered developers who want to test out the new features.

f1592849341
The macOS Big Sur beta can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, subsequent betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences. As with all of the new betas, Apple recommends not installing macOS Big Sur on a primary machine because it is early release software and could have major bugs.

macOS Big Sur is a major update that introduces a refined design for the macOS operating system. It's iOS like, but immediately familiar to Mac users with small tweaks to window design, color palette, app icons, and more.

Control Center is now available for the Mac, offering up quick access to controls right from the desktop, and the updated Notification Center includes interactive notifications and redesigned widgets that mirror the widgets on iOS.

Safari has major new features that include a customizable start page, built-in translation, and a Privacy Report that lets you know what trackers each webpage us using. There's a new Mac App Store category for extensions, and tools for devs to bring extensions created for other browsers to Safari.

The Messages app for Mac is now based on the Messages app on iOS with support for all of the new features like pinned conversations, @ mentions, inline replies for group messages, and more. Messages effects and Memoji Stickers are now available for the Mac, as are Memoji customization options.

Maps has also been overhauled in macOS Big Sur with Guides, Look Around, indoor maps, and more, plus support for cycling routes and electric vehicles.

macOS Big Sur is only available to registered developers at this time, but later in the summer, Apple will make a public version of the macOS Big Sur beta available to give public beta testers a chance to try the software before it sees a public launch this fall.

Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

Top Rated Comments

Lazy Avatar
49 months ago
Looks like a nice upgrade. I’ll be skipping Catalina entirely and moving straight from Mojave to Big Sur.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FlyGuyDEN Avatar
49 months ago
Did anyone else notice the boot chime when they announced Big Sur? Will someone let us know if they're put it back in? I have it re-enabled on my 16" MBP running Catalina.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tywebb13 Avatar
49 months ago
Once you download it you can make a bootable USB (at least 16GB, named initially as Untitled) with this command:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Beta.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled

It is likely this command will change in beta 2 when it may include the name Big Sur.

Normally Beta 1's are nameless and go with a number. This time the command doesn't have a number either.

Could be 11.0 but more likely 10.16 so far. It might change to 11 in beta 2
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
talmy Avatar
49 months ago
Note this marks the end of OS X. We've now gone to 11.

Unless you've got one of the developers ARM systems, there's nothing to see here but cosmetic changes and revised apps, and those app revisions really could have been done without a new OS.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
meme1255 Avatar
49 months ago

Is this a typo?
I don't think so, Catalina still behaves like alpha...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MisterAndrew Avatar
49 months ago

Wow, you must be one of the very first. Well done. Show a picture in 'Day' mode as well? Are you using it on your primary machine or a secondary one?
My primary machine, but I have it installed on its own drive. I'm going to avoid signing into iCloud on it since it's just for testing right now.



Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...