Apple Releases macOS Big Sur 11.4 With Apple Podcasts Subscription Support

Apple today released macOS Big Sur 11.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Big Sur operating system that launched in November 2020. macOS Big Sur comes one month after the release of macOS Big Sur 11.3, an update that added M1 optimizations, AirTag integration, and more.

macOS Big Sur Feature Orange
The new ‌‌‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌‌ 11.4 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.

macOS Big Sur 11.4 lays the groundwork for two upcoming Apple Music features: Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio, both of which will be available on the Mac.

It also adds support for Apple Podcasts subscriptions, and fixes a number of bugs, as outlined in Apple's release notes.

macOS Big Sur 11.4 adds Apple Podcasts subscriptions and channels and includes important bug fixes.

Podcasts
- Apple Podcasts subscriptions are available for purchase via monthly and annual subscriptions
- Channels group together collections of shows from podcast creators

This release also fixes the following issues:
- Bookmarks in Safari may get reordered or moved into a folder that can appear hidden
- Certain websites may not display correctly after your Mac wakes from sleep
- Keywords may not be included when exporting a photo from the Photos app
- Preview may become unresponsive when searching PDF documents
- 16-inch MacBook may become unresponsive when playing Civilization VI

For more detailed information about this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT211896
For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

Apple's attention will soon be focused on the next-generation version of macOS, macOS 12, which is expected to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference that kicks off on June 7.

Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Announces Launch of U.S. Passport Feature in iPhone's Wallet App

Wednesday November 12, 2025 9:15 am PST by
Apple today announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app based on information from their U.S. passport. To create and present a Digital ID based on a U.S. passport, you need: An iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 26.1 or later Face ID or Touch ID and Bluetooth turned on An Apple Account ...
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
Tesla Charging

Tesla Working to Add Apple CarPlay Support to Vehicles

Thursday November 13, 2025 8:31 am PST by
Tesla is working to add support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Tesla vehicles rely on its own infotainment software system, which integrates vehicle functions, navigation, music, web browsing, and more. The automaker has been an outlier in foregoing support for Apple CarPlay, which has otherwise become an industry standard feature, allowing users to...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...

Top Rated Comments

PBG4 Dude Avatar
59 months ago

Nearly 4 GB download every time!! What ever happened to incremental updates? ?
That is an incremental update. Full install is over 12GB.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
59 months ago
Nearly 4 GB download every time!! What ever happened to incremental updates? ?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
59 months ago

There are reports that 11.4 allegedly fixes SSD "thrashing" issue on M1 Macs. I can't test that personally cause i have Intel MacBook.
macOS thrashed the SSD pretty hard on my Intel MacBook too: 119 TB over ~36 months. But it does seem even worse on M1: 27.7 TB after 3 months! In fact it's gone up 0.2 TB since this morning. Both 8 GB machines.

[Update June 8th: Disk writes are now at 30.1 TB, so I am averaging 0.17 TB per day in the 14 days since installing the 11.4 update. Still seems pretty high?]
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
9927036 Avatar
59 months ago

Don't waste your time with that. It won't help.
Agreed. All they know is "reinstall macOS".
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
59 months ago
Seems like a relatively unimportant update. Think I'll hold off and let the guinea pigs... er, eager beavers update first.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
csalm87 Avatar
59 months ago

Apple released Intel Macs in 2006 on Tiger 10.4. You could upgrade a PPC Mac to Leopard 10.5, but no further. Snow Leopard in 2009 did no support PPC Macs.

I'll give you two more versions after Big Sur, tops. But macOS 14 or whatever will be Silicon only.
Honestly, I think this time will be different. Apple has many, many more Intel Macs out there now than they did PPC ones back then. I can't see them dropping support that quickly. There are rumors that an updated Mac Pro is on the way with an Intel chip, which will most likely be Apple's last Intel Mac. If this is the case, I can see support for Intel Macs for at least another 5 years.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)