Apple Releases First Public Beta of macOS Ventura 13.1

Apple today seeded the first beta of macOS Ventura 13.1 to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to try out the new features ahead of the software's release. The public beta comes one day after Apple provided the beta to developers.

macos ventura roundup header
Public beta testers can download the macOS 13.1 Ventura update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.

macOS Ventura 13.1 introduces the Freeform app, which Apple has designed for creative collaboration. The app can be used for brainstorming, planning out ideas, jotting down notes, and more. Users can insert drawings, sticky notes, shapes, text boxes, photos, videos, PDFs, links, and other documents, with Freeform serving as a blank canvas.

Freeform "boards" can be shared with other people and discussed over FaceTime, with updates from all participants synced to everyone in real-time.

The update also introduces support for an updated Home app architecture that improves performance for smart home devices.

Related Forum: macOS Ventura

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
top stories 2025 12 04a

Top Stories: iOS 26.2 Coming Soon, Apple Execs Depart, and More

Saturday December 6, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd expect things to be starting to wind down for the holidays by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case yet in the world of Apple news, with Apple just about ready to release iOS 26.2 and other operating system updates to the public. There was also a flurry of news this week about Apple executive departures, some expected and some not so expected, while we also learned that Apple and...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...

Top Rated Comments

dugbug Avatar
41 months ago

What a joke. Releasing a new OS, but the features are not included. By the time everything is "OK". The successor is going to be released for Ventura.
why is it a joke? I think its better to release the components as they mature internally
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
41 months ago

my god what a worthless functionality Stage Manager is, mind boggling they shipped it anyways, they should trash it and re-think the entire multitasking behavior.
I disagree. I've been playing with it for a couple days. While I'm not yet sure it suits my way of working, I think it could be super helpful to some.

Anyway, it comes disabled by default, and you're more than welcome to just ignore it and keep doing whatever you've been doing.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nvmls Avatar
41 months ago
No significant issues on Ventura so far, other than same old same old with Safari, a few UI glitches with weather app's top bar background, drawer icon button not visible when on fullscreen & search input background color flickering out of nowhere.

Having said that, my god what a worthless functionality Stage Manager is, mind boggling they shipped it anyways, they should trash it and re-think the entire multitasking behavior.





Attachment Image

Attachment Image

Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sorgo † Avatar
41 months ago

Honest question: if the public beta gets released only one day after the devs beta, then what's the point of releasing two identical version at two different times?

They might as well release a "beta" without 'devs' or 'public' words involved.
It’s a safeguard in case there are any seriously-disruptive bugs in the dev build, pretty sure. At the very least they’re two different seed channels with their own distinct purposes, which isn’t unusual at all in the world of software testing.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
41 months ago
I like 13.1 beta 1, it's been very stable for my 24" iMac and M1 Max 16" MBP. Want to shut down your M1 Mac its closes down very fast now comparably. Freeform app has been added in this release to try out. It installs pretty fast comparably.
[SPOILER="macOS Ventura 13.1 Beta Release "][/SPOILER]
[SPOILER="macOS Ventura 13.1 Beta Release "]
[HEADING=2]Freeform[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Known Issues[/HEADING]

* Can’t delete boards while offline, or if iCloud data is disabled for Freeform. (100294085)
Workaround: Go to Settings (System Setting on macOS) > Apple ID > iCloud, then in the Apps using iCloud section, toggle Freeform to On.
* Adding or removing collaborators can fail while attempting to change share settings. (101186059)
Workaround: Close the share sheet and try to add or remove the participants again.
* Inserting a sticky or a file might result in an unexpected error. (100883621)
Workaround: Quit and relaunch Freeform.

[HEADING=2]TV App[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Known issues[/HEADING]

* Play tracking (Up Next, and Top Shelf Update) won’t work for all platforms. (101258095)

[/SPOILER]
macOS 13.1 beta (22C5033e) - October 25, 2022
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diggy33 Avatar
41 months ago
I've found that I like Stage Manager when I'm going to be working in a particular app for a while, and dont plan to switch to something else. I like the way it declutters the desktop, and doesnt put the apps in the dock, extending it further. Other than that, for me, it serves no real purpose, and I leave it off most of the time.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)