We’ve rounded them all up for you below. So here are all the new features coming to macOS Ventura you might have missed from WWDC 2022.
Mail received an update in macOS Ventura, bringing some exciting new features for users:
Improved search delivers more accurate and complete results. Search also provides suggestions before you start typing. You can now undo sent emails, as well as scheduling email to send in the future. You can set reminders to come back to a message at a particular date and time, and receive automatic suggestions to follow up on an email if there has been no response. Mail lets you add rich links to an email.
Spotlight
Spotlight is the center of searching in macOS, and we’re happy that Apple has made some improvements to the feature:
Spotlight has a new search design, with larger, scrollable previews of your files thanks to Quick Look. You can perform quick actions through Spotlight, such as setting an alarm, starting a Focus, and running a shortcut. Spotlight now has enhanced image search, which you can use to find images in Photos, Messages, Notes, and the web. You can search for text inside images using Live Text through Spotlight.
Safari
Safari is getting some new added features in macOS Ventura as well, which we’ve detailed below:
You can share tabs and bookmarks with friends and family from within Safari. This allows for better collaboration, especially if you’re planning something together and need to frequently send links to one another. Similarly, others can add tabs to the shared group for you to access, too. Apple has improved the performance and speed of Safari. It is also now more power-efficient, which means it shouldn’t use as much of your battery.
Messages
Messages also benefits from new features:
You can edit and undo a message after you’ve sent it. Messages can also be marked as unread if you can’t respond to them at that moment and want to come back to them later. SharePlay allows you to listen to a new song or watch a TV episode with friends while chatting about it in Messages. You can share notes, presentations, and other files in Messages to start collaborating immediately. You can also see updates on those shared projects in the thread.
Photos
Apple has placed greater emphasis on shared photo libraries in macOS Ventura. This is also one of the exciting new iOS 16 features.
iCloud Shared Photo Library allows you to share photos and videos with up to five other family members. You can share photos based on a date or the people in the photos. You can then manually add additional photos to the shared library. Everyone has permission to add, edit, and delete photos in the library. The Hidden and Recently Deleted photo albums are now locked by default and can only be unlocked using your Mac authentication method.
Freeform
Freeform is a new productivity app from Apple, introduced to the Mac with macOS Ventura, that allows you to plan projects, brainstorm with your team, or draw with a friend. The app is useful for drawing out sketches and coming up with a plan. You can also collaborate with others to see changes on your canvas in real-time.
Freeform is not initially available in the developer beta of macOS Ventura, but should be arriving by the end of the year.
System Settings
System Preferences has gotten a new name—and an updated design. System Settings now takes design cues from the iPhone and iPad, adding a sidebar and allowing you to easily navigate and configure the settings on your Mac. This brings macOS closer to iOS and iPadOS 16.
Clock and Weather Apps
The Clock and Weather apps have finally made their way over to macOS, bringing over a familiar interface to our systems. You can also use Siri to set an alarm or get official notifications about the weather.
There Are Even More Smaller Features
Here are some other small changes coming to macOS Ventura:
The Notes app allows you to lock a note using just your Mac’s password. You can also organize your notes based on creation date, attachments, and more. Apple has added My Sports to the News app, which will deliver more sports news stories. You can create or save lists as templates in Reminders to use them for routine tasks. You can also pin your favorite lists for easy access. The redesigned Home app makes it easier to navigate, organize, and view your smart home accessories together. Maps allows you to plan multiple stops along your route in advance. You can also plan a journey on your Mac and then see the direction on your iPhone when you’re reading to go. Apple has added new Memojis to the macOS. Dictation automatically punctuates texts with commas, full stops, and question marks as you speak.
There Are Loads of New Features Coming to Your Mac
It’s a long list—there are truly loads of small changes that you may have overlooked during Apple’s announcement, but they are surely going to affect the way you use your Mac. We can’t wait to start using Ventura soon.
