Apple released the first version of macOS Ventura for Mac users on Monday, October 24. Here’s what you need to know about the new features, whether they’ll work on your Mac, and how Apple’s apps, including Mail and Safari, will change.
Update 24/10: macOS 13 Ventura is now available to all users.
macOS Ventura: name and release date
The Ventura name upholds Apple’s recent tradition of naming each version of macOS in addition to a version number. As usual, the name is taken from a California landmark or area, as has been the tradition since Mavericks launched in 2013. Before that, big cats were used as names for Apple’s Mac operating systems (Jaguar, Lion, etc.). This time, the version number will be 13 (unfortunate for some, but that didn’t stop Apple from calling the 2021 iPhone the iPhone 13).
Apple unveiled the features coming to the next version of macOS at its WWDC 2022 keynote on June 6 at 10 a.m. PT. The final version arrived on Monday, October 24. As with previous releases, this one was available for download at 10 a.m. PT.
The name of the next version of macOS is Ventura. macOS Ventura: Latest Beta
Now that the final version of macOS Ventura has arrived for all users, we expect the first macOS 13.1 beta to arrive soon for testers.
macOS Ventura: Compatibility
Apple has confirmed that the following Macs are supported by macOS Ventura:
MacBook models from 2017 or laterMacBook Air models from 2018 or laterMacBook Pro models from 2017 or laterMac mini models from 2018 or lateriMac models from 2017 or lateriMac Pro (all models)Mac Pro models from 2019 or laterMac Studio (all models)
This means that the following Macs, previously supported by Monterey, are now removed from the list:
iMac (2015 and up models)MacBook Air (2015 and 2017 models and up)MacBook Pro (2015 and 2016 models)Mac mini (2014 models) Mac Pro (2013 model – cylinder/trash can) MacBook (2016 model)
The 2014 Mac mini was sold until 2018, the ‘trash can’ Mac Pro until 2019 and the 2017 MacBook Air was sold until July 2019. We would have thought that Apple wouldn’t remove those Macs from the supported list because people might have it. model just recently bought. In any case, they will be supported by macOS Monterey for at least two more generations of macOS. See: So Long Apple Supports Macs. To find out if your Mac supports Ventura, read: macOS 13 Ventura Compatibility: Can your Mac run the latest version?
Some Macs supported by Ventura may not support all of the new features. Read: New macOS features that only work on the latest Macs.
Wondering how Ventura compares to Monterey? Read macOS Ventura vs Monterey.
macOS Ventura: New Features
Here’s an overview of what’s coming in macOS 13 Ventura. Stage manager
Continuity continues to evolve with the introduction of Stage Manager – a new way to manage your desktop clutter that reminds us a bit of Spaces, as it allows you to organize and hide work areas, albeit on the side of your screen, rather than then the top. Here’s how to use Stage Manager to organize your windows.
Continuity Camera
Another continuity-related feature allows you to use your iPhone as a webcam and transfer a FaceTime call from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac. Continuity camera is a great way to take advantage of the superior camera on iPhone. A really impressive feature is Desk View, which shows two views for the person you are calling: your face and your desk. By using the iPhone camera, Mac users can take advantage of features such as Portrait Mode and Center Stage and the new Studio Light feature. Learn how to use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac.
iCloud Shared Photo Library
You can now set up an album in Photos that allows you to select up to five people who can all add photos and videos and share them quickly. Here’s how to set it up on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
spotlight
Apple’s method of searching your Mac – Spotlight – also got a makeover. Quick Look lets you preview files and search for photos by location, objects, people, and more. Live Text enhancements allow you to search for text in images and videos. Users can even create a new document, start a timer, or more from Spotlight. Learn more here: How Apple Improved Spotlight Search in Ventura.
Memories
In macOS Ventura, Apple has added several new features to make Reminders more useful. You can see your reminders grouped by time and date, you can pin a list, and save lists to use as templates. Learn more about the new features in Reminders here: Reminders in macOS Ventura.
System settings
System Settings is the new name for System Preferences. A name iOS users will probably feel right at home with. Learn how Apple refreshed System Preferences in macOS Ventura in our in-depth article.
background noises
You can play soothing white noise on your Mac in Ventura, including the sound of rain, the ocean, or a stream. Read: How to play soothing white noise in macOS Ventura.
Gaming
Expect gaming on the Mac to really take off (well, Apple does, anyway). Apple says any new Mac will be able to run AAA games “with ease.” Improvements in Metal 3, MetalFX Upscaling and Fast Resource Loading API should benefit game developers.
AirPods
In macOS Monterey and earlier, users couldn’t control much of the AirPod settings, but that changes in Ventura. When Ventura launches, users will finally get access to the full complement of AirPods settings, just like they do in iOS. Read more here: Full AirPods settings come to your Mac.
macOS Ventura: App Updates
Over the years, at the same time that Apple has updated the Mac operating system, Apple has also made changes to several apps that come with the Mac, and we can expect more this year. Several new features are coming to Safari and Mail, along with updates to Weather, the Clock, new accessibility tools (like Live Captions).
Mail now has an improved search feature, but probably the most anticipated feature is the ability to cancel the delivery of an email after clicking send (we think there’s a time limit here) as well as scheduling an email to be sent. e-mail. Both are features offered by third parties, but it’s good to see them coming to Apple’s email software. Read How to unsend and schedule email in Apple Mail for more information.
There is some confusion about the inclusion of the Hide My Email feature, which should mean there is no requirement to share your email with third parties. Apple initially referred to the feature, but it has since been removed from the web page describing the email features in Ventura, at least in some countries. Hide My Email isn’t new to Ventura – it arrived in Monterey in 2021, but in Ventura, Apple was expected to expand it to third parties.
Messages
Like its iOS counterpart, Messages on Mac allows users to edit a sent message and recover accidentally deleted messages.
Safari
Passkeys are generated as a more secure means of identifying you and are associated with Touch ID or Face ID. These will replace passwords. Apple claims that “Passkeys are unique digital keys that remain on the device and are never stored on a web server”, which is why they are more secure because it is impossible for someone to leak one, or for someone else to phishing one of yours.
You might enjoy reading what to expect from Apple in 2022, as well as the latest information on iOS 16.