macOS

With the release of macOS Monterey 12.3.1 on March 31, Apple has fixed two zero-day exploits in its operating system. However, the company is yet to patch these exploits in macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina – as these versions were likely affected by the same vulnerabilities and are still supported by the company.

macOS has gone through a handful of visual changes over the last several years, but one thing that has stayed largely the same is System Preferences. A new concept imagines how Apple could revamp the System Preferences app design, with a focus on striking a balance between maintaining familiarity with the classic System Preferences design while also bringing it more in line with Settings on iOS and iPadOS.

If you’re a Mac user who owns multiple Macs and/or iPads, then Universal Control, a handy utility that makes it easy to control multiple Apple devices from a single keyboard and mouse/trackpad, can greatly benefit your workspace. It’s one of the rare utilities that can both simplify and supercharge your desktop. Watch our hands-on video as we go in depth and discuss Universal Control tips and tricks, requirements, best practices, glitches, and more.

Great news for Mac users who have been waiting to try Apple’s Universal Control feature since it was announced last June! Starting with the first beta versions of macOS 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, the cross-device feature is present for the first time.

Along with Apple’s software updates today for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and more, a variety of security issues have been fixed. iOS 15.3 specifically patches 10 notable security bugs ranging from the Safari web browsing leak to a flaw that can give malicious apps root privileges, and more.

Microsoft is disclosing a new macOS vulnerability that “could allow an attacker to bypass the operating system’s Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) technology.” Microsoft says that Apple patched this vulnerability last month as part of updates to macOS Big Sur and macOS Monterey, and it is encouraging all users to make sure they are running the latest versions of those operating systems.

If you opened up a brand new Mac for Christmas, you’ll likely be spending some time setting it up. Apple has done a great job of helping customers get their brand-new Macs up and running, but there are some tips and tricks to take it a step further. As you set up your new Mac, here are some handy tips and tricks to get it going at its full potential.

Apple was recently granted a trademark extension for the name “Mammoth” in the computer operating system category, hinting at a possible name for next year’s release of macOS. The trademark extension was approved on November 16 according to filings. Apple’s “Mammoth” trademark is owned by the shell corporation Yosemite Research LLC.

Amazon has announced today that it is rolling out a native macOS app on the Mac App Store. The new application offers the full catalog of Amazon Prime Video content, including support for offline viewing, purchases, and more. Head below for the full details.

In this hands-on video walkthrough, I’ll show you how to turn an eligible USB drive, one that you may already have laying around the house, into a handy macOS Monterey install disk. This is useful for facilitating upgrades to Monterey across multiple Mac computers. Be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Mac-centric guides, tutorials, and how-tos.

If you’re looking for a way to take your Mac automation to the next level, FastScripts is one of the most powerful ways to do so. The app got a nice update today, bringing it to version 3, with a handful of notable new features and capabilities.

If you’ve ever used a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, you’re probably familiar with one common convenience. Love it or hate it for everything else, the Touch Bar is really good for two specific things. Now that it’s gone, there’s an opportunity for macOS to learn from the Touch Bar.

Along with macOS 11.5 being released, security updates have arrived for both macOS Catalina and Mojave. Fixes included are for flaws that could lead to malicious applications gaining root access, arbitrary code being executed with kernel privileges, and more.

Now that the macOS 12 Monterey public beta is available, it’s a good time to consider whether or not you’ll make the jump to Apple’s latest beta update for Mac. Although I definitely don’t recommend running Monterey on a production machine used for work, you can install Monterey on a spare machine or a separate APFS volume. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough as I step through over 100 macOS Monterey changes and features.

Being able to install macOS on non-Mac computers is nothing exactly new thanks to the Hackintosh process, but a YouTuber decided to put Apple’s operating system on a rather unusual machine. Ike T. Sanglay Jr. has built a tiny handheld PC that runs the Intel version of macOS Big Sur, which is the latest available to users right now.

During a livestream event today, Microsoft officially unveiled its next operating system, Windows 11. The new OS features a number of elements inspired by macOS like a centered Dock, rounded corners for windows, and more. Microsoft also took the opportunity to take a shot at Apple’s App Store commission as it announced the new Windows 11 Store where developers can keep 100% of revenue.

Following Apple debuting its new Mac software at the WWDC keynote today, the company has released the first beta of macOS 12 Monterey for developers. The new software includes a host of new features including Universal Control, FaceTime’s SharePlay, AirPlay to Mac, Focus mode, the Shortcuts app, and much more.