Apple launches the new public version of MacOS 12 Monterey

Apple today released a new public beta of the macOS 12 Monterey beta to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the new MacOS Monterey software before its public release. The updated beta comes just a day after Apple released the sixth version for macOS Monterey developers.

Public beta testers can download the MacOS 12 Monterey update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences application after installing the appropriate profile on Apple’s beta software website.

‌MacOS Monterey‌ introduces some important updates for the macOS operating system. Universal Control, for example, allows you to use a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard on multiple Mac or iPad devices, and now it’s possible to AirPlay directly to a Mac from an iPhone, iPad, or even another Mac. Universal Control is not yet available, but we are still waiting for it to arrive at the Monterey launch.

Safari has an updated tab bar and support for tab groups to keep a lot of tabs organized, and FaceTime now offers support for spatial audio, portrait mode (Macs M1 only), and voice isolation to reduce background noise. A SharePlay feature aceFaceTime‌ allows Apple TV users to watch TV, listen to music, and share their screens with each other.

Shared with you, another new feature keeps track of the music, links, podcasts, news, and photos that are sent to Messages, highlighting them in the appropriate apps. Notes has a new Quick Note feature for pointing ideas and the shortcut app is now available on the Mac.

A dedicated focus mode helps people stay on task by reducing background distractions based on what’s going on, and there’s an updated Maps app with a whole host of new features. With live text, Macs can now detect text in photos or provide details about animals, art, landmarks, plants, and more in images. The new beta adds live text support for Intel Macs.

Mail Privacy Protection hides IP and prevents tracking through invisible pixels and iCloud Private Relay keeps Safari browsing protected. There are many other new features in ‌‌macOS Monterey‌‌, with a full overview available in our ‌macOS Monterey‌ summary.

Apple has also released new public versions of iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and tvOS 15, and a fifth beta of Safari 15 for users of macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina.