macOS 12.3 Monterey update

What's new in the updates for macOS Monterey

Learn what has changed in each of the updates available for macOS Monterey.

macOS Monterey updates improve the stability, performance, or compatibility of your Mac and are recommended for all macOS Monterey users. After installing macOS Monterey, choose System Preferences from the Apple menu , then click Software Update to check for the latest updates. You can also learn about the security content of these updates and what's new for enterprise.

 

macOS Monterey 12.3

macOS 12.3 adds Universal Control so you can use a single mouse and keyboard across your Mac and iPad. This release also includes new emoji, dynamic head tracking for Music, and other features and bug fixes for your Mac.

Universal Control (beta)

  • Universal Control allows you to use a single mouse and keyboard across iPad and Mac

  • Text can be typed on either Mac or iPad and you can drag and drop files between them

Spatial Audio

  • Dynamic head tracking is available in Music with supported AirPods on Mac computers with the M1 chip

  • Customizable spatial audio settings for Off, Fixed, and Head Tracked are now in Control Center with supported AirPods on Mac computers with the M1 chip

Emoji

  • New emoji including faces, hand gestures, and household objects are available in emoji keyboard

  • Handshake emoji allows you to choose separate skin tones for each hand

This release also includes the following enhancements for your Mac:

  • Siri now includes an additional voice, expanding the diversity of options

  • Podcasts app adds episode filter for seasons, played, unplayed, saved, or downloaded episodes

  • Safari webpage translation adds support for Italian and Chinese (Traditional)

  • Shortcuts now supports adding, removing, or querying tags with Reminders

  • Saved passwords can now include your own notes

  • Battery capacity readings have improved accuracy

This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac:

  • News widgets in Today View may not open articles when clicked

  • Audio may sound distorted while watching video in the Apple TV app

  • Some photos and videos may be unintentionally moved when organizing albums in Photos

 

macOS Monterey 12.2.1

macOS 12.2.1 provides important security updates and fixes an issue for Intel-based Mac computers that may cause the battery to drain during sleep when connected to Bluetooth peripherals.

 

macOS Monterey 12.2

macOS 12.2 includes bug fixes and security updates for your Mac and is recommended for all users.

 

macOS Monterey 12.1

macOS Monterey 12.1 adds SharePlay, an entirely new way to have shared experiences with family and friends in FaceTime. This update also includes the Apple Music Voice Plan, new safety features for children and parents in Messages, redesigned Memories in Photos, and other features and bug fixes for your Mac.

SharePlay

  • SharePlay is a new way to share synchronized experiences in FaceTime with content from the Apple TV app, Apple Music, and other supported apps

  • Shared controls give everyone the ability to pause, play, rewind or fast forward

  • Smart volume automatically lowers the audio of a movie, TV show, or song when you or your friends speak

  • Screen sharing lets everyone on a FaceTime call look at photos, browse the web, or help each other out

Apple Music Voice Plan

  • Apple Music Voice Plan is a new subscription tier that gives you access to all songs, playlists, and stations in Apple Music using Siri

  • Just Ask Siri suggests music based on your listening history and likes or dislikes

  • Play it Again lets you access a list of your recently played music

Photos

  • Memories has been redesigned with a new interactive interface, new animation and transition styles, and multiple image collages

  • New Memory types include additional international holidays, child-focused memories, trends over time, and improved pet memories

Messages

  • Communication safety setting gives parents the ability to enable warnings for children when they receive or send photos that contain nudity

  • Safety warnings contain helpful resources for children when they receive photos that contain nudity

Siri and search

  • Expanded guidance in Siri, Spotlight, and Safari Search to help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations

Apple ID

  • Digital Legacy allows you to designate people as Legacy Contacts so they can access your iCloud account and personal information in the event of your death

TV app

  • Store tab lets you browse, buy, and rent movies and TV Shows all in one place

This release also includes the following enhancements for your Mac:

  • Hide My Email is available in the Mail app for iCloud+ subscribers to create unique, random email addresses

  • Stocks allows you to view the currency for a ticker and see year-to-date performance when viewing charts

  • Reminders and Notes now allow you to delete or rename tags

This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac:

  • Desktop and Screen Saver may appear blank after selecting photos from the Photos library

  • Trackpad could become unresponsive to taps or clicks

  • External displays may not charge some MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers when connected using Thunderbolt or USB-C

  • HDR video playback on YouTube.com could cause 2021 MacBook Pro computers to panic

  • Menu bar extras may be obscured by the camera housing on 2021 MacBook Pro computers

  • MagSafe may stop charging on 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro computers when lid is closed and system is shut down

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices.

 

macOS Monterey 12.0.1

macOS Monterey lets you connect, share, and create like never before. Enjoy new FaceTime audio and video enhancements, including spatial audio and Portrait mode. Get more done with powerful productivity tools like Focus, Quick Note, and Tab Groups in Safari. Work fluidly across your devices with AirPlay to Mac.

FaceTime

  • Spatial audio makes voices sound like they come from the direction of a speaker on the screen in a Group FaceTime call

  • Voice Isolation blocks background noises so your voice is crystal clear

  • Wide Spectrum brings every sound in your space into the call

  • Portrait mode puts the focus on you by blurring your background on Mac computers with the M1 chip

  • Grid view displays people in same-size tiles and highlights the active speaker

  • FaceTime links for inviting friends to calls on Apple, Android, or Windows devices

Messages

  • Shared with You displays content shared over Messages in your Mac apps

  • New Shared with You section in Photos, Safari, News, Podcasts, and the TV app

  • Multiple photos display as collages or stacks in Messages

Safari

  • Tab Groups help you save and organize your tabs and sync across devices

  • Intelligent Tracking Prevention prevents trackers from viewing your IP address

  • Compact tab bar option lets you see more of the webpage on your screen

Focus

  • Focus lets you automatically filter out notifications based on what you're doing

  • Options to customize a Focus for activities like work, gaming, reading, and more

  • Focus sets across all Apple devices

  • Status lets your contacts know that your notifications are silenced

Quick Note & Notes

  • Quick Note lets you take notes on any app or website, and easily revisit them later

  • Tags help you quickly categorize your notes by topic and make them easy to find

  • Mentions enable you to notify others of important updates in shared notes

  • Activity view displays who made recent changes in a shared note

AirPlay to Mac

  • AirPlay to Mac lets you share content from iPhone or iPad straight to your Mac

  • AirPlay speaker support for playing music through your Mac sound system

Live Text

  • Live Text makes text interactive in photos across the system

  • Support for copying, translating, and looking up text that appears in photos

  • Visual Look Up helps you learn about art, landmarks, and other objects in photos

Shortcuts

  • New app helps you automate everyday tasks, helping you accomplish them faster

  • Gallery with pre-built shortcuts that you can add and run throughout the system

  • Shortcuts editor helps you design custom shortcuts for your specific workflows

  • Support for automatically converting Automator workflows into shortcuts

Maps

  • Interactive 3D globe with enhanced details for mountains, oceans, and more on Mac computers with the M1 chip

  • Detailed city maps display elevation, trees, buildings, landmarks, and more on Mac computers with the M1 chip

Privacy

  • Mail Privacy Protection helps prevent senders from tracking your Mail activity

  • Recording indicator in Control Center for apps that are accessing your mic

iCloud+

  • Hide My Email creates unique, random email addresses that forward to your inbox

  • iCloud Private Relay (beta) helps prevent companies from creating a detailed profile of your browsing activity in Safari

Published Date: March 14, 2022

R.W. Sanders