At a Glance

• macOS Big Sur is the newest version of Apple’s macOS operating system with redesigned look, new Control Center, Safari updates and more.

Features

• Design refresh
• Control Center
• Maps overhaul
• Revamped Messages app
• Built-in translator for Safari
• Major Safari improvements

macOS Big Sur, unveiled in June 2020 at WWDC, is the newest version of macOS, was released on November 12. macOS Big Sur features an overhauled look, and it’s such a big update that Apple bumped the version number to 11. That’s right, macOS Big Sur is macOS 11.0.

Apple introduced the biggest design update to macOS since the introduction of Mac OS X with macOS Big Sur, overhauling everything from the curvature of window corners to colors and dock icon designs. The revamped look was designed to feel both fresh and familiar at the same time.

Windows have a lighter appearance for a cleaner look with additional translucency and rounded edges, the Dock is more translucent, app icons have a new uniform squircle shape, menu bars in apps have been redesigned to make them less obtrusive and better able to blend in with your content, system sounds have been entirely redone, and there are new symbols in toolbars, sidebars, and controls to provide clarity and consistency across apps.

Buttons and controls for apps now appear when needed and disappear when not in use to provide more focus on content, and the customizable menu bar offers access to a customizable Control Center that houses Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirDrop controls, keyboard brightness, Do Not Disturb, Dark Mode, sound level, and more.

The Notification Center has been redesigned with more interactive notifications grouped by app and iOS-style widgets that can be customized in three different sizes. An updated design for core apps provides better organization for multiple open windows and makes it easier to interact with apps.

Safari is faster and more battery efficient than ever in macOS Big Sur and features a new start page that can be customized with user-selected wallpapers and sections like Reading List and iCloud Tabs. The Mac App Store makes it easier to find extensions, and Apple added a feature that lets Chrome and Firefox extensions be easily ported to Safari.

Apple redesigned tabs to make Safari navigation faster by showing more tabs onscreen, with favicons displayed to identify tabs and a hover gesture offering quick page previews. Users can choose when and which websites can use a Safari extension, limiting system access.

Safari privacy has been improved with a Privacy Report that lets users know which trackers Safari is blocking when you visit websites. Safari has a built-in translation option for translating entire webpages from seven languages with a click.

For passwords saved in iCloud Keychain, Apple notifies users if there’s been a data breach with password monitoring, a protection feature that joins auto-generated strong passwords and other tools.

Messages is now based on the Messages app for iOS and it includes many of the same features as iOS 14 like pinned conversations, @mentions, inline replies, and more. Message effects now work on the Mac, and it supports Memoji creation and Memoji stickers.

Search has been overhauled for the Messages app to make it easier to find links, photos, and matching terms, and a new photo picker available throughout macOS makes it easier to find photos by keyword to send to friends and family. The photo picker also includes trending images and GIFs for adding to messages.

Apple redesigned the Maps app for macOS Big Sur, adding support for Look Around, indoor maps, and Guides, which are lists of notable attractions, restaurants, and more created by trusted sources. Maps for macOS can be used to generate cycling and electric vehicle trips that can be sent to iPhone, and shared ETA updates can now be viewed on the Mac.

The Photos app has expanded editing capabilities with a new Retouch tool powered by machine learning, and Apple Music has been overhauled with a new Listen Now section housing new releases, artist interviews, and personalized playlists.

In the Home app, HomeKit Secure Video cameras now feature support for Face Recognition and Activity Zones, AirPods have better than ever automatic device switching, and Siri can answer a much wider range of questions than before.

In the future, apps in the Mac App Store will help users better understand privacy practices and the information that a developer collects before choosing to download an app. Apple has likened this feature to a food nutrition label for apps in the Mac App Store.