macOS Big Sur
Doing it all,
in all new ways.
macOS Big Sur elevates the most advanced desktop operating system in the world to a new level of power and beauty. Experience Mac to the fullest with a refined new design. Enjoy the biggest Safari update ever. Discover new features for Maps and Messages. And get even more transparency around your privacy.
Bold new experience. Same Mac magic.
Unparalleled power. Legendary ease of use. Limitless creativity. macOS Big Sur brings a refined new design that gives you even more of the things you love about Mac.
Streamlined apps
From full-height sidebars to refreshed toolbars, a clean new app design makes sure your content is always front and center.
Refreshed Dock
A sleek design update makes getting to your favorite apps even easier. And a new uniform shape for app icons adds consistency while letting the personality of Mac shine through.
Control Center for Mac
Instantly access the controls you use most — like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth — and new controls to play music and enable Dark Mode for your display. Designed just for Mac, the new Control Center lets you add controls and drag favorites to the menu bar to customise it just for you.
Notification Center
A new design combines notifications and widgets in a single view for more information at a glance. Notifications are now grouped by app, and many are interactive — letting you do things like play new podcast episodes or learn more about Calendar invitations. And redesigned widgets come in three different sizes, so you can create the best view for you.
The all-new Safari. It’s love at first site.
Whether you’re streaming, searching, or just browsing, Safari is the best way to surf the web on all your Apple devices. And its biggest update ever brings brand-new customisation options, improves on industry-leading performance and battery life, and introduces powerful features designed to protect your privacy.
Customisable start page
Set a custom background image to start every browsing session with a view that’s all your own. And decide what appears on your start page — such as your Reading List, Favorites, iCloud Tabs, Siri Suggestions, and even a new Privacy Report.
Safari extensions in the App Store
A new dedicated category in the App Store makes it easy to discover extensions from your favorite developers. New support for the WebExtensions API and migration tools allows developers to bring extensions from other browsers to Safari. And unlike other browsers, Safari asks you which websites each extension can access — keeping your browsing habits even more private.
Improved tab design
Tab lovers rejoice: An elegant new look means more tabs are visible at once. You can hover over any tab to bring up an instant page preview. And when you have several tabs open, Safari makes it easy to find the one you’re looking for with a new space-efficient design.
Beta
Translation
Translate entire web pages between seven languages with a single click.1
Hallo
Hola
Bonjour
Hello
Привет
你好
Olá
Password monitoring
Safari lets you know of any saved passwords that have been compromised in a data breach — and helps you upgrade them.
More about password security
Password monitoring
Safari automatically keeps an eye out for any saved passwords that may have been involved in a data breach. Using advanced cryptographic techniques, Safari periodically checks a derivation of your passwords against an updated list of compromised credentials. If a breach is discovered, Safari helps you upgrade your existing passwords. All this is done without revealing your password information to anyone — including Apple.
Privacy Report
Safari uses Intelligent Tracking Prevention to identify trackers and helps prevent them from profiling or following you across the web. Click the Privacy Report button in your Safari toolbar for an instant snapshot of the cross-site trackers Safari is actively preventing from profiling you on that web page. And a new weekly Privacy Report on your start page shows how Safari protects your browsing across all the websites you visit.
More about Intelligent Tracking Prevention
Privacy Report
The Privacy Report makes it easy to understand how the websites you visit treat your privacy. See the total number of trackers that have tried to profile you, the percentage of websites containing trackers, and the most common tracker. There’s even a list of top trackers, and another list of the websites that use them.
Increased performance
We made the fastest desktop browser on the planet even faster.
+50%
faster on average at loading frequently visited websites than Chrome2
Improved power efficiency
Safari lets you do more online on a single charge than any other browser.
Up to 1.5 hours more streaming videos compared with Chrome and Firefox3
Up to 1 hour more browsing compared with Chrome and Firefox3
Messages on Mac. The ultimate conversation starter.
Keep track of groups. Express yourself instantly. Drill down into the details. The updated Messages app for Mac gives you all the tools you need to stay in control of the conversation.
Pin conversations
Pin any conversation to keep it at the top of your conversation list. Tapbacks, typing indicators, and recent messages animate above pins. And for quick access to your important conversations, your pins sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Inline replies
Reply directly to specific messages in any conversation. Messages automatically starts a new thread under the original reply, so if someone asks a question in a group conversation, it’s easy to keep track of all the replies.
Group photos
Every group is different. Make yours stand out at a glance by setting an image with a photo, Memoji, or emoji.
Mentions
Type a name to direct a message to someone. When you are mentioned, your name is highlighted. You can even customize an active group so you only receive notifications when you are mentioned.
#images
Discover trending images and GIFs — and instantly add them to any message.
Memoji
Go ahead — express yourselves. Now you can create and edit Memoji right on your Mac, and instantly share them in messages with Memoji stickers.
Message effects
Because sometimes, words just aren’t enough.
Replay
More about message effect
Message effects
Message effects come to Mac. Choose from effects that take up the entire screen — like balloons, confetti, or lasers — or effects that change how individual message bubbles animate. You can even send a message with invisible ink that stays blurred until you swipe over it with your cursor.
Search
Find it, whatever it is, faster. Search now organises your results into links and photos and highlights matching terms.
Redesigned Maps.
Better ways to find your way.
Updated to make the most of your big display, Maps on Mac makes trip planning fast and easy. Powerful new features let you easily research destinations in advance. And new ways to navigate take the guesswork out of getting there.
Guides
Discover new places to eat, shop, and explore with curated Guides from brands you love. Create Guides for your own favourite places and share them with friends and family.4
Cycling routes
From elevation changes to live street traffic, Maps gives you all the tools you need to plan the perfect ride. When you’re finished, just send the route to your iPhone and hit the road.5
Electric vehicle routing
Plan the perfect road trip — charging stops now included.
More about maps charging
Electric vehicle routing
Maps automatically adds charging stops and accounts for charging time when calculating your ETA. And if you add your electric vehicle to iPhone, Maps even keeps track of your current charge and charger type.6
Look Around
Explore select cities in smooth, immersive 3D on your Mac. It’s the next best thing to being there.
Indoor maps
Browse detailed interior layouts of major airports and shopping centers before you even leave home.
Privacy information on the App Store. More transparency in every download.
New privacy information on the App Store7 lets you see a summary of the privacy practices of each app before you decide to download it — just like nutrition labels help you understand what’s in food before you buy it. Developers self-report how they use your data, including what data they collect and whether that data is used to track you across other apps and websites.
And even more.
Editing in Photos
Create standout photos with expanded editing capabilities, including an improved Retouch tool powered by machine learning.
AirPods automatic device switching
AirPods seamlessly switch between your active devices paired to the same iCloud account — making it even easier to use them with your Apple devices.
HomeKit Secure Video notifications
Cameras that support HomeKit Secure Video can now take advantage of Face Recognition and Activity Zones, allowing you to tailor notifications to specific people or specific areas in your camera’s view.
Listen Now
Listen Now is the new home for Apple Music, featuring new releases, artist interviews, and playlists personalised for you — all in one place.
Deeper web knowledge for Siri
Siri can now help you find answers to a broader set of questions by leveraging information from across the web. Ask questions like “How do hybrid cars work?” or “What causes seasons?” and Siri helps you find the answer you’re looking for.
Faster updates
Once macOS Big Sur is installed, software updates begin in the background and finish faster than before — so it’s easier than ever to keep your Mac up to date and secure.
See a full list of what’s new in macOS Big Sur.
See if your Mac can run macOS Big Sur.
iMac
2014 and later
MacBook Air
2013 and later
iMac Pro
2017 and later (all models)
MacBook Pro
Late 2013 and later
Mac Pro
2013 and later
MacBook
2015 and later
Mac mini
2014 and later