macOS 12 Monterey: Main Features and Supported Macs

Why did Apple call it Monterey?

Apple is a company that, despite operating globally, is deeply rooted in its home territory. The state of California (United States) is where the company is located and Monterrey is precisely a city in this state. In Spanish it is written with a double ‘r’, but given that in English it is written like this and Apple has decided to adopt it as a trademark in that way, the correct thing to do when associating it with the operating system would be to do it with just one.

If you are not a macOS user or have recently been, you should know that it is not the first time that the company has named a version of its operating system through a Californian territory. In fact, it has been happening since 2014, when version 10.10 called Yosemite was presented as a nod to one of the state’s national parks. After this, El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina and Big Sur arrived.

Therefore there are several ways to call this version : macOS 12, macOS 12 Monterey, macOS Monterey and even macOS Monterey 12. Version 12 will include as many updates (12.1, 12.2, 12.3 …), but all of them will be considered as part from Monterey. In the end, calling each other in one way or another is not relevant, but if you were wondering why, you already know the answer to it.

List of Mac compatible with macOS 12

As always happens with each new update to the operating system of these computers, not all Macs can be updated to it. This time we find that macOS Monterey (from 12.0 onwards) can only be installed on the following computers:

• MacBook: Models released in early 2016 and later.
• MacBook Air – Models released in early 2015 and later.
• MacBook Pro – Models released early 2015 and later.
• Mac mini – Models released in 2014 and later.
• Mac Pro – Models released in 2013 and later.
• iMac: Models released in 2015 and later.
• iMac Pro: 2017 model.

It should be noted that there have been several computers that were compatible with the previous generation of software and that nevertheless remain outside of Monterey. These are the 2015 Macbook, the 2013 and 2014 MacBook Air, the 2013 and 2014 MacBook Pro and the 2014 iMac. Although there will be certain illegal ways to install this system, the truth is that it is not done following official methods and It is not recommended to follow them as it can cause numerous problems in the devices.

MacOS changes also included in iOS and iPadOS

There are several novelties that are shared by Mac, iPhone and iPad , since Apple introduced them in the operating systems of all of them. Therefore, any of the features introduced by macOS 12 that we explain below, can be enjoyed in the same way from iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.

FaceTime incorporates major improvements

This novelty, as we said before, is shared by the rest of Apple’s systems. Although for obvious reasons, the FaceTime interface is slightly different from that of those other systems to be able to adapt to the macOS interface, although in terms of functionality it is still just as practical. The main change that is introduced in this version of the system for the video calling app lies in an image improvement achieved thanks to data processing via software and including possibilities such as setting the portrait mode so that our background is blurred.

Let’s also find good improvements in noise-isolating audio, so that we can be in an environment with noises without the other person hearing them and focusing on our voice. In this last respect is added the compatibility with Spatial Audio , Apple’s sound system that allows that with AirPods Pro, AirPods Max or HomePod mini we can perceive the sound depending on where the screen is placed, giving a great sensation of realism as if we were physically together with our interlocutors.

In addition, the possibility of creating links to video calls is added as in other very popular video call apps such as Zoom or Google Meet. This will allow you to invite anyone to participate in FaceTime video calls, even if they use Windows or Android , since they will connect via the web. These links can be shared by all kinds of means such as AirDrop, email or messaging apps.

Watch series and movies at the same time as your friends

This is a novelty that could well go in the previous section, but given its relevance, we consider it interesting to highlight it separately. It is a very applauded function and that macOS 12 brings along with the rest of the systems. What it basically does is that you can consume content from Apple TV +, HBO Max, Disney + and other platforms at the same time with your family and / or friends. This is also included for Apple Music songs. And it is carried out through a normal FaceTime call, having said option to share the screen as one more access within the interface.

There are contents that are enjoyed much more when one is accompanied and unfortunately that is not always possible, so this utility is very positive for it. It also stands out for its simultaneous playback in all senses , since both you and the rest will go for the same minute of playback and if one decides to pause the content, it will stop for everyone. There will no longer be anger about going ahead to see a chapter of a series for not being with that person.

Changes in the management of notifications

For the first time, Apple empowers Do Not Disturb mode on Macs with new possibilities thanks to what they called ” Focus .” These come to be different categories within the aforementioned Do Not Disturb mode, being able to choose which apps and / or contacts you want to interfere with their notifications when you activate the function. If, for example, you are working, you may not be interested in receiving messages from messaging applications from friends, but nevertheless if you want to receive those from your colleagues or bosses. In the same way, you can block a complete application and all of this is very customizable.

The style of the ad banners has also changed, making their size more compact and with new smart groupings and even notification summaries. Precisely the latter stand out for being closely related to the previously discussed approaches, since they will appear when you leave one of them so that you can quickly see what is the most important thing that has come to your Mac while you were in that mode, summarizing the content of those applications that you had silenced at that time.

You can take quick notes at any time

Although there are many options in the App Store, the truth is that the native Notes app is still one of the most popular because it is the one that is installed as standard on Apple computers and because it has very interesting synchronization functions with iCloud. Now it has been enhanced on Mac with the possibility of adding mentions to participants within them, being able to better manage the jobs or tasks that are assigned by groups. Labels or tags are also implemented with which to mark the notes and find them more quickly.

Another function that is extremely interesting is to be able to write quick notes by simply sliding the pointer towards the lower right corner of the screen. At that moment a small window will open in which annotations can be made that can later be viewed, edited or deleted by directly opening the application.

New possibilities provided by macOS Monterey

Beyond the characteristics seen above and from which the rest of the ecosystem teams of the Californian company draw, there are other changes. Whether at the interface level, applications or other tools, macOS 12 Monterey comes with functions that until now were unprecedented and that are relegated exclusively to your computers.

Goodbye to the dynamic background with landscapes

Something that this version has left behind, being almost a classic in previous ones, is the possibility of finding ourselves with a dynamic background according to the landscape of the region to which it referred. Both in macOS Mojave and in Catalina and Big Sur we have backgrounds of different wallpapers with the landscape of these places, with a main background that varies depending on the time of day , being able to see how the sun changes position until which eventually turns into a nightscape. Those backgrounds from previous versions are still kept in this macOS 12, by the way.

However, we do not find a special fund of that type with some landscape of the city of Monterrey. Instead, Apple opted for something that it had already done the previous year with Big Sur accompanying the background of the landscape, and that is to include an abstract colored background that in this case emulates the mountains located in the territory of Monterrey. And although it is still dynamic, we only find two variants depending on whether we have the light mode or dark mode in the system.

IPad control via Mac

In previous versions of macOS, new possibilities were added in order to interconnect the Mac with the iPad. One of those functions was Sidecar, which allows you to duplicate the computer screen on the tablet and to be able to interact in some parts of the interface with the Apple Pencil or with the accessories of this device. In this Monterey, this line has been followed by adding a function called Universal Control.

What basically allows this mode is to be able to control the iPad with the same keyboard and mouse / trackpad as the Mac . Unlike the aforementioned Sidecar function in which the iPad ultimately acts as an external monitor, this one continues to keep iPadOS on the tablet, only being able to handle its interface comfortably from the computer accessories. This is a very important utility for those looking to gain productivity without giving up the simultaneous use of their own tools that both the Mac and the iPad have.

Shortcuts already work on Apple computers

Apple’s Shortcuts app comes from the defunct Workflow app, acquired by Apple several years ago. The company adapted it to the iPhone and iPad operating systems, with macOS 12 having its premiere on Macs. This app comes with identical functionalities to what it offers in other operating systems. We remember that this is an app focused on creating workflows and automations to execute all kinds of tasks in a simpler way. From changing certain settings with a single click, to being able to create smart folders that adjust the content that is entered to a certain format.

Although the truth is that technically Shortcuts is not entirely new on Macs with macOS 12. Actually, in previous versions there were already applications such as Automator or Terminal , with which similar actions could be executed. However, in Shortcuts the process is streamlined even more, and although it may remain somewhat complex, it is more suitable for a majority of the public that does not require too much technical knowledge. In any case, those named applications are still present on Macs and are installed as standard.

Safari is safer, faster and more functional

Although it is true that this is a novelty of macOS 12 shared also in this case by iPadOS 15, in the end it is in computers where Apple gave it greater importance. As with each new update, performance improvements have been implemented that make it the most recommended browser to use on these computers. In addition, more security patches are included that make our browsing safe, both in the collection of data by third parties and in the face of malware that we find on the network.

However, the great change in Safari is found in terms of aesthetics and functions. In this version of macOS we find a new organization of tabs through which you can create different groups optimized for various tasks. For example, if there is a series of pages that you regularly open during your working hours, you can always have them stored in a drawer located on the left side of the screen. Just by tapping on that group of tabs, all of them will open. And it is interesting to be able to separate the tasks in this way, since you can have many others focused on leisure.

Continuing with the examples, you can even have several groups of tabs dedicated to the same task if it can be divided into blocks. Imagine that you are a student and you are doing a class assignment; You will be able to have a group of tabs with pages in which to find information on the subject of the work and another group with online work documents where you are reflecting your progress. And you can have as many groups as you want and with all those pages you want.

As far as visual changes are concerned, now Safari adapts its interface to the web pages that are visited. If you are browsing a page that offers blue background colors, you will see how the Safari window also offers shading in this tonality, which will change if you go to another tab in which there is a page with different colors. In this way, a much more immersive visual experience is obtained.

All versions of macOS 12 released by Apple

To this day, this is still not an official version released to the public, having only a first beta for developers launched on June 7, 2021. That same day, which was also when the operating system was presented, Apple announced that it would launch a public beta in July. In any case, the user experience might not be the most appropriate because they are still test versions and even incomplete.

The final version for the public will be released, according to Apple itself, sometime in the fall. If we take into account what happened with previous versions, we can intuit that macOS 12 will end up arriving in October or November on compatible Macs. In any case, it is not ruled out either that it makes its landing at the same time as the rest of the new systems for iPhone and iPad, which are expected in September. In this same article we will update all the information in this regard.