Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS Big Sur 11.3 to Developers

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming just a few days after the release of macOS Big Sur 11.2, a bug fix update.

First Look Big Sur Feature2
Developers can download the ‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌ 11.3 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.

macOS Big Sur 11.3 introduces more customization options for Safari, adding a way to rearrange the different sections on the Start Page like Favorites, Reading List, Siri Suggestions, Privacy Report, and more. Developers also have access for a new integration to develop features for the Start Page.

The update includes optimizations for using iOS apps on M1 Macs. When running iPhone and iPad apps on ‌M1‌ Macs, there's a Touch Alternatives preference pane that allows users to set keyboard commands for touch input alternatives, plus iPadOS apps launch with a larger window if the Mac's display allows it. Touch Alternatives can be enabled for ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ apps by clicking on the app's name in the menu bar and then selecting the Preferences option. Touch Alternatives let you customize taps, swipes, and drags.

macOS Big Sur 11.3 also adds support for the latest PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X/S controllers for use with macOS games.

In the Reminders app, reminder lists can be sorted by Due Date, Creation Date, Priority, or Title, and there is an option to print lists by going to File > Print. Reminders can also be moved manually across lists with drag and drop, something that wasn't possible before.

Apple is adding a new "Made For You" library shortcut in Apple Music for finding personal mixes and Replay playlists, and the Listen Now section has been updated with support for highlighting live events.

In the Apple News app, there's a redesigned ‌Apple News‌+ tab with a dedicated "For You" section and a new Browse tab that makes it easier to browse through available content. The new For You section is designed to help ‌Apple News‌+ users find favorite magazines and newspapers much faster, plus it adds new tools for managing downloaded issues.

9to5Mac discovered that macOS Big Sur 11.3 includes an updated "Support" interface when accessing "About This Mac." The new design includes details on your warranty and it allows for starting a repair right from the Mac interface.

macos 11 3 warranty
The tab will work similarly to the AppleCare coverage menu in the iOS Settings app, which lets users request repairs, buy an ‌AppleCare‌ plan, and check their coverage. This updated support menu is not visible in the first beta of macOS Big Sur 11.3, but it could come at a later date. There are also signs that Apple may be planning to bring a support app to the Mac.

macOS Big Sur 11.3 adds support for HomePod Stereo pairs, allowing a set of paired HomePods to be set as the default sound output option, with the two HomePods showing up as a single selectable speaker rather than separate as in prior versions of macOS.

Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

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Top Rated Comments

mdnz Avatar
55 months ago

How about the ability to run 2 external displays with the M1 MBP natively?
That's a hardware limitation, not a software one.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pączki Avatar
55 months ago

hope they've nuked the Notification Center in it's entirety. one can dream!
Why on earth would anyone want that?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macintoshmac Avatar
55 months ago

I reported that last summer. Still not changed… I don’t know how it’s possible.
Same goes for Save and Open dialog boxes. Sidebar is pushed to the left, obscuring the titles. You resize it, and next time you open it, the same issue. Both of these things are going on for a long time now. In 4 months we will have a new macOS version for God sake. They should really either employ more people or stop diversifying so much and screwing their software quality.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macintoshmac Avatar
55 months ago
This is a sample of what has become of Apple's attention to detail now. This is going on since the start of macOS Big Sur betas. You hover your cursor over these tabs and the entire strip gets highlighted instead of the tab you are hovering over. But hey, new devices are coming to keep us distracted. I really wish they would stop this mad annual hardware race and get back to fixing their software first and foremost to be free of such nags that are not expected of Apple. This is not a bug, this is simply lack of attention.





The same goes for Save or Open dialog boxes where sidebar is pushed to the left and I resize to show titles properly every single time. But hey, new iPhones and new hardware.



And yes, separate feedback has been submitted for both of these issues.

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Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
interval28 Avatar
55 months ago

Why on earth would anyone want that?
Pardon my hyperbole. IMO, Big Sur Notification Center is utterly frustrating to have on my computer. It’s basically useless. I used it all the time before Big Sur. The changes they made (no quick reply, no Interactivity, merged widget and notifications pane) make no sense and the user experience is horrendous.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
srbNYC Avatar
55 months ago

I think it's you that needs to fix your system. I've never experienced such a problem and I have two Macs on Big Sur.
Wow, aggressive bolding there.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)