Apple has released macOS 12.1, here's what's new
Apple has released macOS 12.1 to the public globally, after over a month of beta testing it. Here's what's new in this release.
Apple has released macOS 12.1 to the public, after beta testing it for over a month. This release doesn’t bring plenty of notable features. However, it fixes some of the major bugs Mac users have been complaining about, in addition to bringing SharePlay support. Apple enabled SharePlay on iOS back in late October, and now macOS users will finally get to enjoy consuming media with their favorite people. It’s worth mentioning that Universal Control is still missing from this build. Apple’s website states that it’s coming this Fall, but it’s yet to be seen whether they push it till next year. Here's what's new in macOS 12.1.
What's new in macOS 12.1
SharePlay
This version of macOS enables SharePlay on the Mac, enabling users to consume digital goods together, through FaceTime. You can now listen to music, watch TV, play games, browse the web, and even share your device's screen with others. The feature supports both stock and third-party apps, assuming the developers have implemented the receptive API.
Voice Plan on Apple Music
This release introduces the Voice Plan on Apple Music that the company announced few weeks ago. Users can now subscribe to it, after they upgrade their Macs to this version.
Major bug fixes
The patches in this build resolve an issue that was affecting Macs with trackpads. Taps and clicks in some cases were unresponsive. It additionally fixes a bug that was causing new MacBook Pro 2021 models to panic when viewing HDR YouTube videos.
Full Changelog
macOS 12.1 Changelog
macOS Monterey 12.1 adds SharePlay, an entirely new way to have shared experiences with family and friends in FaceTime. This update also includes the Apple Music Voice Plan, new safety features for children and parents in Messages, redesigned Memories in Photos, and other features and bug fixes for your Mac.
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SharePlay is a new way to share synchronized experiences in FaceTime with content from the Apple TV app, Apple Music, and other supported apps
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Shared controls give everyone the ability to pause, play, rewind or fast forward
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Smart volume automatically lowers the audio of a movie, TV show or song when you or your friends speak
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Screen sharing lets everyone on a FaceTime call look at photos, browse the web, or help each other out
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Apple Music Voice Plan is a new subscription tier that gives you access to all songs, playlists, and stations in Apple Music using Siri
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Just Ask Siri suggests music based on your listening history and likes or dislikes
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Play it Again lets you access a list of your recently played music
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Memories has been redesigned with a new interactive interface, new animation and transition styles, and multiple image collages
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New Memory types include additional international holidays, child-focused memories, trends over time, and improved pet memories
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Communication safety setting gives parents the ability to enable warnings for children when they receive or send photos that contain nudity
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Safety warnings contain helpful resources for children when they receive photos that contain nudity
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Expanded guidance in Siri, Spotlight and Safari Search to help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations
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Digital Legacy allows you to designate people as Legacy Contacts so they can access your iCloud account and personal information in the event of your death
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Store tab lets you browse, buy, and rent movies and TV Shows all in one place
This release also includes the following enhancements for your Mac:
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Hide My Email is available in the Mail app for iCloud+ subscribers to create unique, random email addresses
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Stocks allows you to view the currency for a ticker and see year-to-date performance when viewing charts
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Reminders and Notes now allow you to delete or rename tags
This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac:
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Desktop and Screen Saver may appear blank after selecting photos from the Photos library
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Trackpad could become unresponsive to taps or clicks
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External displays may not charge some MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers when connected using Thunderbolt or USB-C
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HDR video playback on YouTube.com could cause 2021 MacBook Pro computers to panic
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Menu bar extras may be obscured by the camera housing on 2021 MacBook Pro computers
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MagSafe may stop charging on 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro computers when lid is closed and system is shut down
You can download and install this software update on your supported Mac right now. Make sure to keep your device plugged into a power source until the installation process is complete. If the update isn't showing up for you just yet, give it a few minutes and try rebooting your device.
Which of these new features do you like the most? Let us know in the comments section below.
