If you have a compatible Mac—any Mac with macOS 14 Sonoma, except 2018 and 2019 MacBook Airs—you can upgrade to macOS 15 Sequoia for free.
If you're wondering whether the update is worth installing, let's take a look at some of its new key features.
While macOS 15 Sequoia doesn't offer as many features as iOS 18, it's a significant upgrade. It's also designed to support new Apple Intelligence features that will be introduced in the coming months, although these AI features aren't included in the initial release.
Read more: macOS Sequoia has caused problems for cybersecurity tools
1. Snap Windows into place
Windows has offered this feature for years, and many third-party apps have brought similar functionality to the Mac. Now, macOS is integrating native window tiling capabilities directly into software . If you like to keep your open programs organized, this feature is perfect for you.
You can drag windows to the edge of the screen to “snap” them, or hover your mouse over the green zoom button on a window to bring up a menu of layout options. The same pop-up menu also lets you make apps full-screen or move them to a different screen.
2. Place your iPhone on the desktop
This feature is likely to be particularly popular: As long as iPhone and Mac are signed in to the same Apple account and have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on, you can see your iPhone mirrored on your Mac's screen by clicking the icon in the dock.
The icon will automatically appear when iPhone mirroring is available. After that, you can transfer files between the two devices, access iPhone notifications on your Mac, and more. This is an extremely useful feature for using both devices together.
See also: Apple: New public betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1
3. Make the most of the Notes app
Every time Apple updates macOS, it also upgrades its built-in apps, and Sequoia is no exception. The Notes app is one of those that gets significant improvements, such as the ability to add expandable and collapsible headings and subheadings.
Additionally, you can embed voice clips in Notes—just click the sound wave icon in the toolbar—and perform mathematical calculations within a note (try writing a sum and see the result). Text can also be highlighted in different colors: highlight the text, click the Aa button, then use the pen icon on the right.
4. Avoid distractions in Safari
Safari has received new features with macOS 15 Sequoia. When you load a page in Apple 's browser , click the icon to the left of the address bar (it looks like a rectangle above two lines) and you'll find the option to "Hide Distractions."
You can choose to hide graphics, text, menus, and other distracting elements from the main content, which disappear in a striking manner (note that this doesn't work well with ads, as they reappear shortly after). When you're happy with the new layout, click Done.
5. Manage passwords in a separate app
Apple devices have offered managing your credentials via iCloud for some time, but macOS 15 Sequoia now has its own dedicated passwords app—which is also available on iPhone and iPad, keeping your information in sync.
Read more: Users report iPhone 16 Pro touch issues
You can find the Passwords tool in the Applications pane of the Finder or launch it via Spotlight. The app lets you manage various types of connections, including passwords and authentication codes, and alerts you to compromised passwords.
6. Schedule messages to send later
There are a number of new features in Messages worth exploring, most of which are limited to conversations using iMessage. These include adding text effects like shaking and expanding, and tie into the upgrades introduced to Messages in iOS 18.
One of the most useful improvements is the ability to schedule a message if you don't want it to go out right away. After you've written your message, simply tap the + (plus) button on the left and select "Send Later" to set a time and day for it to be sent.
7. Try new wallpapers
Every new version of macOS comes with a variety of stylish wallpapers, and Sequoia is no exception. You might not consider it a major upgrade over macOS 14 Sonoma, but a new wallpaper can refresh the look and feel of your operating system.
See more: iOS 18.1 beta 3 features – See what's new
To see the available wallpapers, open the Apple menu, choose “System Preferences,” and then “Wallpaper.” One of the most impressive new dynamic wallpapers is the retro Macintosh, which offers a selection of Mac symbols as a background.
Source: popsci
