Apple releases macOS 12 Monterey public beta

If you’re feeling brave and/or adventurous, you’re going to like this.

Apple on tuesday released a new public beta of its macOS 12 Monterey beta to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the new operating system ahead of its public release.

Public beta testers can download the macOS 12 Monterey update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple’s beta software website.

The macOS Monterey operating system includes several major updates, including Universal Control, which allows a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard to be used across multiple Mac or iOS devices. It’s also now possible to AirPlay directly to a Mac from an iPhone, ‌iPad‌, or even another Mac. Universal Control isn’t out yet, but we’re still hoping it makes it into the Monterey launch.

Apple’s Safari web browser features an updated tab bar and support for Tab Groups to keep tons of tabs organized, and FaceTime now features support for spatial audio, Portrait Mode (M1 Macs only) and Voice Isolation for cutting out background noise. A SharePlay ‌FaceTime‌ feature lets Apple TV users watch TV, listen to music, and share their screens with one another.

Other new features include the following:

Shared With You, another new feature, keeps track of the music, links, podcasts, news, and photos that people are sent in Messages, highlighting it in the relevant apps. Notes has a new Quick Note feature for jotting down thoughts, and the Shortcuts app is now available on the Mac.

A dedicated Focus mode helps people stay on task by cutting out background distractions based on what’s going on, and there’s an updated Maps app with a whole slew of new features. With Live Text, Macs can now detect text in photos or provide details on 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 complete overview available in our ‌macOS Monterey‌ roundup. 

Apple also released new public betas of its iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and tvOS 15 operating systems.

If you’ve had chance to try the betas, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

Via MacRumors and beta.apple.com