Apple Releases New macOS 12 Monterey Public Beta

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Apple today seeded a new public beta of the macOS 12 Monterey beta to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the new macOS Monterey software ahead of its public release. The update comes just a few day after Apple provided the eighth beta to developers.

macos monterey tidbits feature copy
Public beta testers can download the macOS 12 Monterey update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.

macOS Monterey introduces quite a few major updates for the macOS operating system. When released, Universal Control will let a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard be used across multiple Mac or iPad devices, and it's now possible to AirPlay directly to a Mac from an iPhone, ‌iPad‌, or even another Mac.

Safari has an updated tab bar and support for Tab Groups to keep tons of tabs organized, and FaceTime now features support for spatial audio, Portrait Mode (M1 Macs only) and Voice Isolation for cutting out background noise. A SharePlay ‌FaceTime‌ feature (coming in a Monterey update) will let Apple TV users watch TV, listen to music, and share their screens with one another.

Shared With You, another new feature, keeps track of the music, links, podcasts, news, and photos that people are sent in Messages, highlighting it in the relevant apps. Notes has a new Quick Note feature for jotting down thoughts, and the Shortcuts app is now available on the Mac.

A dedicated Focus mode helps people stay on task by cutting out background distractions based on what's going on, and there's an updated Maps app with a whole slew of new features. With Live Text, Macs can now detect text in photos or provide details on animals, art, landmarks, plants, and more in images. The new beta adds Live Text support for Intel Macs.

Mail Privacy Protection hides IP and prevents tracking through invisible pixels, and iCloud Private Relay keeps Safari browsing protected. There are many other new features in ‌macOS Monterey‌, with a complete overview available in our macOS Monterey roundup.

Related Forum: macOS Monterey

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Top Rated Comments

L
Lounge vibes 05
58 months ago

I was expecting it on September 20. I miss when macOS was in sync with the rest of the ecosystem. These arbitrary delays with no ETAs for macOS to catch up to everything else are becoming quite frustrating.
It never was.
iOS 7: September 18, 2013
macOS maverick: October 22, 2013
iOS 8: September 17, 2014
macOS Yosemite: October 16, 2014
iOS 9: September 16, 2015
macOS El Capitan: September 30, 2015
iOS 10: September 13, 2016
macOS Sierra: September 20, 2016
iOS 11: September 19, 2017
macOS High Sierra: September 25 2017
iOS 12: September 17, 2018
macOS Mojave: September 24, 2018
iOS 13: September 19, 2019
macOS Catalina: October 7, 2019
iOS 14: September 16, 2020
macOS Big Sur: November 12, 2020
So much like all of the recent posts That Apple used to be more user-friendly under Steve Jobs, you are looking at the past with rose tinted glasses.
Hell, who can forget that macOS X leopard was originally supposed to launch in spring 2007, but got delayed till October 2007 because of the iPhone?
Some things never change, and the truth is that A brand spanking new version of iOS and macOS have never launched on the same day, and don’t even launch in the same month more than not.
Hell for the fun of it…
iPhone OS 1.0: June 29, 2007
Mac OS X Leopard: October 26, 2007
iPhone OS 2.0: July 11, 2008
iPhone OS 3.0: June 19, 2009
Mac OS X snow leopard: August 28, 2009
iOS 4: June 21, 2010
Mac OS X lion: July 20, 2011
iOS 5: October 12, 2011
Mac OS X mountain lion: July 25, 2012
iOS 6: September 19, 2012
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morgenland Avatar
Morgenland
58 months ago
Me and my M1 Mac are already waiting impatiently and expectantly. 😃
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
polee Avatar
polee
58 months ago
Wow should I install this? Maybe I should wait till 12.5?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
Mr. Dee
58 months ago

That was originally released in May of 2012. It may be time to upgrade.
I don’t want to ‘upgrade’ to a subscription and CS6 meets my needs.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
Realityck
58 months ago

What's the latest on the expected release ? October or more like november?
November has been the consensus for some time.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
X
xpxp2002
58 months ago

I was honestly expecting Monterey and iOS 15.1 to release on October 12 along with a MBP event.
Now that October 12 is less than two weeks away and we’re only on 15.1 Beta two and Monterey is far from public release, I’m not expecting that until late October at the earliest, most likely mid November like Big Sur.
I was expecting it on September 20. I miss when macOS was in sync with the rest of the ecosystem. These arbitrary delays with no ETAs for macOS to catch up to everything else are becoming quite frustrating.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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