macOS Monterey Tidbits: Animated Memoji on Login Screen, Change the Color of the Mouse Pointer, and More - MacRumors
Skip to Content

macOS Monterey Tidbits: Animated Memoji on Login Screen, Change the Color of the Mouse Pointer, and More

by

We've highlighted several new features coming in macOS Monterey, such as Low Power Mode and the option to erase a Mac without reinstalling the operating system, but there are some smaller tidbits that we wanted to share.

macos monterey tidbits feature copy

Animated Memoji on Login Screen

One small but fun new feature in macOS Monterey is the addition of a personalized Memoji on the login screen, complete with animated facial expressions.

Change the Color of the Mouse Pointer

A new Accessibility feature added to macOS Monterey is the ability to customize the outline and fill color of the mouse pointer so it's easier to recognize when it moves or changes to an insertion point, crosshair, hand, or other shape. The pointer can be customized in System Preferences under Accessibility > Display > Pointer.

'Go to Folder' Redesign in Finder

On macOS Monterey, the "Go to Folder" window in Finder has been redesigned and now features an improved autocompletion engine to help you get to the files or folder you're looking for more quickly, according to Apple. "Go to Folder" can be found under "Go" in the Finder menu bar, or by using the ⌘⇧G keyboard shortcut.

File Copying Enhancements

macOS Monterey features a new pie chart progress indicator when copying files. It is also now possible to stop or cancel a copy session and resume it later.

macOS Monterey is available now in beta for developers, with a public beta to follow in July. The software update will be released in the fall.

Related Forum: macOS Monterey

Popular Stories

iphone 16 teal

'Siri AI' Lawsuit Update: Apple to Pay Owners of These iPhone Models

Thursday July 9, 2026 7:08 am PDT by
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and eligible iPhone users could receive up to a $95 payout. This week, the California court overseeing the case held a hearing regarding preliminary approval of the settlement, but the judge has not yet issued a ruling. It will likely be at least a few more months before eligible...
Read Full Article • 120 comments
Apple TV Thumb 3

Everything Coming in the 2026 Apple TV 4K

Wednesday July 8, 2026 4:51 pm PDT by
The Apple TV 4K hasn't been updated since 2022, and it's due for a refresh. An update is planned for 2026, but Apple is likely going to wait to launch it after Siri AI launches in iOS 27. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing. The next Apple TV is going to have the same squircle shape as the current model, and it'll continue to be made from a black...
Read Full Article • 175 comments
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 6 U.S. States

Thursday July 9, 2026 7:29 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. To set up the feature, open the Wallet app on the iPhone and tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner. Next, tap on Driver's License and ID Cards,...
Read Full Article

Top Rated Comments

Digital Dude Avatar
Digital Dude
66 months ago
I'm soOoo sick of this Memoji craze. When I saw the WWDC splash page full of those damn things' I was embarrassed that I'm an Apple guy. Made me feel like we should all be about eight years old to appreciate them. Okay, let the poison pens fly.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
Maconplasma
66 months ago

Memoji at login. Why? It's stupid stuff like this that make macos bloated. Again, my 9 year old rMBP shouldn't run Windows 10 better than Catalina.
Not everything in computing needs to be so serious. I enjoy fun things to make my computing experience enjoyable. You saying it makes the system bloated? Where's your proof on that?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bug-Creator Avatar
Bug-Creator
66 months ago
Well lets see:

- the code to display short animations is used elsewhere, so a whole lotta nothing
- if you created no Memoji there is no Memoji
- displaying that Meomji on the login-screen, about 10 lines of Swift (being generous) resulting in 10k of extra binary size (which hopefully gets discarded after you logged in)
- whatever 1st year entry level developer did it in about 30min wouldn't have been of much use in areas that matter anyways

Yeap, 3 metric tons of bloat on this one....
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
Mr.Blacky
66 months ago

Memoji at login. Why? It's stupid stuff like this that make macos bloated. Again, my 9 year old rMBP shouldn't run Windows 10 better than Catalina.
Does Apple force you to use it? And what exactly about it makes macos bloated?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
Apple Knowledge Navigator
66 months ago

Memoji at login. Why? It's stupid stuff like this that make macos bloated.
Could you explain, in purely technical terms, how a small animated image on the login screen 'bloats' the operating system?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
P
psxp
66 months ago

Does Apple force you to use it? And what exactly about it makes macos bloated?
no.
There's extra superfluous code for "eye candy" things, therefore the codebase has got larger. I think most of the users would like to to see bugs fixed and more useful features added to the system.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments