What is macOS Ventura & why is it important?

Introduced at Apple's World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2022, macOS Ventura is the newest version of macOS. macOS Ventura is a significant upgrade that introduces a new multitasking experience, overhauls multiple apps, and adds updated capabilities across the platform.

The high-level overview of Ventura

Here are some of the key new features and updates to existing features.

With Stage Manager, Mac users have a new way of focusing on a task while leaving other apps at the ready. Stage Manager puts your main app front and center on the desktop, and tucks your other apps to the side for quick access when needed. Apps & windows can be grouped so that you can set up your viewing experience in the right way for your workflow. Stage Manager integrates with Mission Control and Spaces, and it's simple to click right back over to the desktop. Click here to see a deeper explanation of Stage Manager.

The new Continuity Camera feature does away with the need for a low-quality built-in Mac camera because it allows you to use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. The iPhone can be positioned on top of the Mac using a stand; one Apple will certainly announce they're selling shortly. There's a Desk View that uses the Ultra Wide lens to show off your desk if you need to demo something, along with Center Stage and Studio Light, effects that illuminate your face while dimming the background. Click here to see a deeper explanation of Continuity Camera.

Handoff expands to FaceTime, allowing you to take calls on the Mac and transfer them seamlessly to the iPhone or vice versa.

Messages are getting undo and edit buttons to fix errors in / recall a recently sent iMessage. There is also an option to mark messages as unread. Accidentally deleted messages can also now be recovered. If you'd like a deeper view of these changes, see our article here.

When sharing a file to Messages through the share sheet or drag and drop, you can choose to collaborate with the recipient, giving them access to the file or document. Edits to the shared document appear at the top of the Messages thread, making it easy to chat while working simultaneously with others.

SharePlay works in Messages in addition to FaceTime in macOS Ventura, so you can watch TV shows and use apps with others while chatting with them in the Messages app.

The Mail app has been overhauled in macOS Ventura, and the search feature is more relevant and accurate than ever. When you click into search and start typing, you'll see relevant emails, contacts, documents, photos, and more. Emails can be scheduled, and if you make a mistake, you can undo an email for up to 10 seconds after it's sent. Mail users can set reminders to return to a message at a specific date and a time, and there's an option to receive automatic suggestions to follow up on an email if there's been no response. Mail is also now able to detect if items like an attachment, or a cc'd recipient, are missing from a message based on the context. If you'd like a deeper dive, check out this article.

System Preferences has been renamed System Settings, and it has a design that's more like the Settings app on iPhones and iPads.

In Safari, there's a new Shared Tab Groups feature so you can easily share your favorite websites with friends and family, building a collaborative list of bookmarks on a shared start page. Messages conversations and FaceTime calls can be started right from Safari. If you're interested in a deeper view, read our article here.

Apple plans to make Safari safer through Passkeys, a next-generation credential that replaces the password. Passkeys stay on devices and are never on a web server, which makes them far more secure than passwords. Passkeys are easy to use, with sign-ins authenticated through Touch ID or Face ID; plus they sync across devices through iCloud Keychain and can be used on non-Apple devices with iPhone authentication.

Spotlight's design has been updated with more straightforward navigation and Quick Look support for previewing files with a click. Photo Library integration is available for searching for images in the Photos app by location, people, scenes, and objects. Spotlight can even find Live Text in images, and it supports actions like creating a document, running a shortcut, or starting a timer. Spotlight in Ventura offers rich search results for artists, movies, actors, TV shows, businesses, and sports.

Live Text works with video content and images in macOS Ventura, and there is a neat new Visual Look Up feature for lifting the subject of a photo away from an image and dropping it into another app. Visual Look Up can now recognize animals, birds, insects, statues, and more landmarks.

There are several new features in the Reminders app.

• Pinned Lists - Favorite lists can be pinned for quicker access.
• Templates - Lists can be saved as a template that can be reused for routines, packing lists, and more. Templates can be published and shared with others, and templates others have created can be downloaded and used in your Reminders app.
• Completed Smart List - All completed reminders can be viewed in one place, with info like the time of completion.
• Scheduled Lists - The Scheduled list has new week and month groups to help with long-term organization.
• Today Lists - The Today list is now grouped by Morning, Afternoon, and Tonight for a better division of the day.
• List Groups - You can click on a list group and see a combined view of the lists and reminders it contains.
• Richer notes - When adding notes to your reminders, you can include bullets, underline, bold, and strike-through text.
• Notifications in shared lists - When tasks are added to or completed in shared lists, Reminders will send a notification.
• Filters - In the Tag Browser and Custom Smart Lists, there are options to filter for any or all criteria selected.

If you're interested in a deeper overview of this, please see our article here.

macOS Ventura includes Metal 3, which will improve gaming quality on Apple silicon Macs. It includes MetalFX Upscaling for accelerated performance that offers gamers a more responsive feel and improved graphics. There's also a Fast Resource Loading API that gives games easier access to high-quality textures and geometry for an immersive gameplay experience.

What are some of the new apps in Ventura?

Apple is bringing new apps to the Mac in macOS Ventura, including a dedicated Weather app and a Clock app, both of which mirror their iOS counterparts. If you're interested in reading more about these, read our article here.

There's a new iCloud Shared Photo Library that allows up to six family members to share a photo library that is separate from their personal libraries, for easier enjoyment of family photos. Photos offer intelligent sharing suggestions for relevant photo moments that family members have participated in, and every Shared Photo Library user can add, edit, delete, or favorite shared photos and videos.

To keep Macs more secure, there's a new Rapid Security Response feature for installing security updates without a system update, and it doesn't even require a reboot.

Where can I find more information?

The best place for information regarding macOS 13 Ventura, is here, directly from Apple.

Smart Sourced IT, inc. will also be releasing informative articles within our knowledge base in the coming weeks, and as we move closer to an official launch.