macOS Big Sur takes the world’s most advanced operating system to a new level of power and beauty. The latest OS introduces a beautiful redesign that is entirely new yet instantly familiar. Safari is packed with new features, including quick and easy translation, a new privacy report, and an elegantly designed and customizable start page with more powerful tabs. With an updated Messages app, you can send and receive more personal and expressive messages, and more easily keep track of group messages and express yourself in them. And Maps offers an all-new experience with immersive features for exploring and navigating the world.
MacBook (2015 and later), MacBook Air (2013 and later), MacBook Pro (late 2013 and later), Mac mini (2014 and later), iMac (2014 and later), iMac Pro (2017 and later), Mac Pro (2013 and later) Free software update
Biggest design update since OS X
macOS Big Sur introduces a spacious new design that makes navigation easier while putting more controls and information at your fingertips. Everything from the shape of the corners in app windows to the palette of colors and materials has been refined. Iconic features like the Dock include newly designed app icons that feel both familiar and fresh. The customizable menu bar has an all-new Control Center, so you can quickly access controls from the desktop. An updated Notification Center puts your recent notifications and redesigned widgets together in a single view—giving you more information at a glance. It’s also even easier to focus on your content with a new design for apps, featuring space-efficient toolbars and full-height sidebars that give you more room to work. And everything comes together beautifully in a fantastic new experience that feels focused, fresh, and instantly familiar.
Safari
In its biggest update ever, Safari delivers a faster, more customizable, and even more private browsing experience. Safari is the world’s fastest desktop browser, leading in speed and power efficiency over Chrome and Firefox. Load frequently visited websites 50 percent faster on average than Chrome and browse up to one hour longer than Chrome and Firefox. Personalize your browsing experience with a new customizable start page and support for a broader set of extensions. Tabs have been redesigned, so you can see more tabs onscreen and preview websites to easily find the one you’re looking for. And when browsing a website, you can now use built-in translation (beta) to easily translate content into seven languages. You can even view a privacy report that lets you know how the sites you visit may be tracking you, and the ways Safari can protect your privacy.
Maps
A completely redesigned Maps app brings new ways to explore and navigate the world. With Guides, you’ll discover recommendations from trusted experts for restaurants you’ll love, places to go, and things to do. Plan your next trip with ease—get a 360-degree view of your destination with Look Around, find your airport gate with indoor maps, and create lists of local must‑see spots or places you want to visit. Maps also helps you plan cycling routes and trips with electric vehicles before you step out the door. And when a friend sends you a shared ETA, you can see live progress updates on your Mac and their expected arrival time.
Messages
Enjoy powerful tools to manage your conversations and new ways to express yourself in Messages. You can keep up with important group messages by replying to a specific message, directing a message to a friend, and even setting a photo for the group conversation. You can now pin favorite conversations to the top and easily search conversations. There are also great new ways to give conversations a personal touch—add Memoji stickers matching your mood and personality, find the perfect trending GIF, image, or video with , and celebrate the moment with special effects such as balloons, confetti, fireworks, and more.
Privacy
Take control of your digital life with more transparency and control. A new section about each app in the App Store helps you understand how an app uses your data. Developers self-report their privacy practices, including the types of data their app might collect, such as usage data, contact info, or location, and whether it’s used to track you—so you can understand how your information is used before you even download the app.
Designed for the Apple M1 chip
Developed to unlock the full potential of the Apple M1 chip, macOS Big Sur delivers a whole new level of performance and power efficiency on the new MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. Things you do every day are faster, more power efficient for better battery life, and protected by industry-leading security features. Apps get a major boost in performance, so you can tackle advanced tasks like color grading 6K video with ease. And on new Mac models with M1, you’ll have access to the biggest collection of apps ever for Mac. Use amazing apps optimized for M1, including the apps that come with macOS and every other app made by Apple. Developers are creating blazing fast Universal apps that can run on any Mac. Existing Mac apps will seamlessly run on new Mac models with M1 thanks to Rosetta 2. And for the first time, iPhone and iPad apps can run directly on Mac models with M1.
Additional features
Get a richer media experience with automatic device switching for AirPods and Listen Now for Apple Music and Podcasts. Enjoy expanded editing capabilities in Photos, including an improved Retouch tool powered by machine learning. And control your smart home with a new Home status, Adaptive Lighting support, and more in the Home app. You can also stay productive with smart suggestions and sharing in Reminders and work faster with top search hits in Notes. Siri also answers more questions with deeper knowledge of information available on websites. And macOS BigSur introduces powerful new core technologies, like Optimized Battery Charging designed to improve battery lifespan in Mac notebooks, and changes to the system that make future software updates install faster than before.
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