Apple Releases Fifth Beta of macOS Big Sur to Developers

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of the upcoming macOS Big Sur update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta and over a month after the new update was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

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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. According to Apple's release notes for the fifth beta, it is not supported onthe new 2020 27-inch iMac. Those who attempt to install and run into an error will need to reinstall macOS Catalina.

macOS Big Sur introduces a refreshed design to the Mac operating system, overhauling the entire look from the curvature of the window corners to the dock icons to the system sounds. Everything feels fresh but familiar, with a lighter and more modern appearance. There's a new customizable Control Center that mirrors the Control Center on iOS devices, putting key system controls right at your fingertips.

The Notification Center has been redesigned with iOS-style widgets that are available in multiple sizes, plus there are more interactive notifications that are now grouped by app to make it easier to see what's going on. Safari is faster and more battery efficient, plus there's a new start page that can be customized with wallpapers and sections that include Reading List and iCloud Tabs, which makes Safari more tailored to your individual usage needs.

Tabs have been redesigned, there's a built-in language translation feature, Chrome and Firefox Extensions can be ported to Safari, and YouTube supports 4K video playback. There's also an option to choose which sites an extension works with for greater privacy. Speaking of privacy, a new Privacy Report feature lets users know the trackers Safari is blocking when you visit websites.

Messages is more similar to the Messages app on iOS with support for pinned conversations, mentions, inline replies, and Memoji creation, plus the built-in search feature has been overhauled to make it easier to find links, photos, and conversations in the app.

Apple redesigned the Maps app to add support for Look Around, indoor maps, and Guides, which are lists of notable attractions, restaurants, and more created by trusted sources. Maps can also be used to generate directions for cycling routes and electric vehicle trips that can be sent to iPhone, and shared ETA updates are now viewable on the Mac.

Photos includes a better Retouch tool, Apple Music's For You section has been replaced with a Listen Now section, HomeKit Secure Video cameras support Face Recognition and Activity zones, and Siri can answer a wider range of questions than before.

In the future, the macOS Big Sur App Store will help users better understand privacy practices with clear info on the information that an app collects, and after installing macOS Big Sur, you'll see faster updates that begin in the background and then finish more quickly to make it easier to keep your Mac up to date.

Apple in the third beta of macOS Big Sur changed the battery icon for the Battery section in System Preferences, refining the design to make it look more clean and streamlined. There update also brought a new design for the Music app icon (it's red), and some color changes to the buttons and icons inside the music app.

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For more on everything that's new in macOS Big Sur, make sure to check out our roundup.

Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

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Top Rated Comments

Steve01234 Avatar
64 months ago
Safari finally plays 8K and 4K video on youtube !
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
markosb Avatar
64 months ago

Anyone else seeing 12,3GB?

7.15 GB for me.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
64 months ago

The menubar is still ****ed up

I HATE that the highlight is now damn near imperceivable.



What is this horse ****? STOP ****ING AROUND WITH THE MENUBAR, APPLE! Don't fix what isn't broken!

See this? This is broken.



Five ****ing betas and they still won't fix the alignment issue with a checkmark and the menubar. It must be a feature and not a bug, then, right Apple?
Report it then.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lucasrant Avatar
64 months ago
Anyone else seeing 12,3GB?


Attachment Image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
64 months ago
Hope Safari displays images better this beta release and don't quit unexpectedly.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vashetti Avatar
64 months ago
I'm not a fan of this "preparing" thing at all. Supposedly it's meant to make the time where the machine is non-functional (but updating) faster, but I haven't noticed a difference.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)