The new desktop OS brings a lot of useful new features and changes to apps, such as Maps, FaceTime, Notes, Photos, Messages, and more.
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Apple has made a number of changes to macOS that aim to make the time you spend using your Mac more efficient, functional, and enjoyable. We pulled out 40 additions and improvements to Monterey, some of which may have gone under your radar, and we've highlighted 20 of them in the video above. If you want to refresh your memory or learn something new, keep reading.
1. You can save photos in messages.
It's easy to save the photos you receive in the Messages app to your Photos library with macOS Monterey.
You don't have to open the image or stack of images to save it. The Save to Photos button can be found at the right of the image.
2. Mouse Pointer color can be changed.
You can change the color of the mouse pointer from the standard white outline and black fill to any color combination you want, thanks to Apple.
Click the display in the left column to do it. Click the Pointer tab in the window of options and you'll see the Pointer outline color and Pointer fill color settings. Click the swatch to see a custom color. To return to the default colors, you can always click reset.
3. Disk Utility can be used to manage APFS Snapshots.
You can now see individual APFS drive snapshots in the macOS Disk Utility app. If you know what you're doing, you can copy items from the snapshots you have taken of the APFS volume.
To view them as a list, simply select a volume and choose View from the menu bar. The most recent snapshot has a partition symbol beside its "Tidemark", while the fixed order list shows you the name, creation date, and cumulative size of each snapshot. You can mount a snapshot from the list if you click the ellipsis button at the bottom of the list.
4. Network quality is tested.
It's now possible to measure the quality of your Mac's internet connection. Simply type network quality into the command prompt when you open a terminal window.
After a short time, you'll have an upload/download measurement and the number of "flows" used for the responsiveness test. The upload/download capacity is roughly the same as the result metric you get from online internet speed tools like Speedtest.
5. Mail activity should be protected.
Mail Privacy Protection is a new feature in the Mail app. It prevents senders from knowing when you open an email and it also prevents them from linking your other online activities to your location.
Click the Privacy tab in the menu bar and then check the box next to Protect Mail Activity to turn on the feature. If you disabled it, you can still hide the address and block the remote content.
6. It's possible to use AirPlay on a Mac.
You can use the AirPlay feature in macOS Monterey to stream content from an iPad to a Mac. If you want to play a song or a video on your Mac, you need to tap the AirPlay icon in the app's media playback interface, and then select your Mac from the list of AirPlay devices.
If you want to control the audio on your Mac, you can open the Control Center, which will allow you to do so. If you want to control video on your Mac directly, you can move the mouse and select the onscreen controls.
MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, M1 Mac mini, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro only work with AirPlay.
7. Hello Screensaver.
There are two new screen savers in macOS 12. "Hello" and "Monterey" are both homages to the original Macintosh, with "Hello" written in joined-up handwriting and "Monterey" written in shades of pink, purple, and blue.
The Hello screen saver has several themes to choose from, including Soft Tones, Spectrum, and Minimal. Soft Tones and Spectrum use the same colors and text, but with different shades. The "Hello" wording is shown in black, white, and gray.
By default, the screen saver will display "Hello" in multiple languages, but you can force it to use only your native language by toggling off Show 'hello' in all languages in the Screen Saver Options. A match system appearance switch can be used to match light and dark mode preferences.
8. You can convert image quickly.
A new pre-installed Quick Action in Finder called Convert Image allows you to quickly convert an image file from one format to another. You can change the size of the file and choose whether to keep the file's information in the image.
To use the Convert Image Quick Action, right-click an image file and then select Quick Actions. You can choose your settings in the dialog that appears. You can see the Quick Action in the preview pane when you look at images.
9. You can create a group of tabs.
Tab Groups in the browser aim to make it easier to organize and preserve your open browser tabs. They offer a way to easily save and manage related tabs, such as those used when planning trips or shopping, or groups can be used to store the tabs you visit daily.
Click the Show Sidebar icon next to the traffic lights to create a new Tab Group. If you click the down arrow next to the Show Sidebar icon, you will be able to choose between the New Empty Tab Group or New Tab Group With X Tabs. The sidebar has a list of any Tab Groups you can create.
10. Change the playback speed.
You can adjust the speed of video in Apple's native player.
You can choose your preferred speed by clicking the chevrons in the bottom-right corner of the media controls.
11. The compact tab bar has a small screen.
The default compact and unified Safari design was introduced in the early versions of macOS, and it did away with the dedicated URL and search interface. The original design of the URL/search bar was restored by Apple after the design caused an uproar from many users.
The Compact tab bar design is an option in the Preferences section of the browser. To turn on the original compact tab bar, click the Tabs tab and select Tab layout: Compact.
12. Erase settings and contents.
The "Erase All Content and Settings" option is now available in the macOS Monterey version.
It also signs out your Apple ID, removes Touch ID fingerprints, purchases, and all Apple wallet items, and turns off Find My and Activation Lock, making it much easier to restore your Mac.
Click the Apple symbol in the menu bar to select System Preferences. The Erase Assistant will give you instructions on how to Erase All Content when the preferences pane appears.
13. The mode is low power.
Low Power Mode reduces the system clock speed and the display brightness of your Mac in order to extend battery life. If you're doing less intensive tasks like watching videos or browsing the web, you can turn it on to get more out of your Mac's battery.
Click on the battery pane to open System Preferences. Check the box next to Low power mode if you select battery in the sidebar.
There's a new feature in the Messages app called "Shared with You" that allows you to share content you've received in Messages with the relevant app on your Mac. If someone shares an Apple Music song with you, it will be listed in the For You section of Apple Music. The "Shared with You" section of the start page of the browser shows a link if someone shares it.
You can turn off the content for individual contacts if you don't want it shared by a particular person. To do so, click the info icon in the top-right corner, and then select the conversation thread in Messages.
Monterey has a new productivity feature called Quick Notes that will allow you to keep track of things without having to use the Notes app.
You can add a link to the specific message you're viewing in Mail, or the website you were just viewing in Safari, if you add a link to Quick Notes at the top of the editor window. You can click the link in the note to get to the related content.
16. Memoji user profile
You can use an animated Memoji as your Mac user profile in macOS Monterey. Go to System Preferences and hover your pointer over the circled profile picture to edit. You can make your own Memoji characters, including any you've made yourself, and there is a full gallery of them, right down to the frames of their glasses and the clothes they're wearing.
When you log in to your Mac, you'll see your Memoji avatar, which is animated. If you get your password wrong a few times, just watch their expression as they get angry. They may take a nap if you leave them hanging.
17. Text can be selected in Quick Look Previews.
Quick Look is a great way to preview files in Finder without opening them in their associated app or the dedicated preview app.
The ability to select text in a document was removed from previous versions of macOS. This ability has been quietly and happily restored in Monterey. Apple's Live Text feature means that the text you select doesn't have to be in a document, and you can perform different tasks on it, such as translation and web search.
18. Blur your background on a call.
Portrait mode in video calls is one of the enhancements that Apple has brought to FaceTime. With this mode enabled, you can blur your background so that the focus is on you.
Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar to enable it, then select Video Effects to use it.
19. Add a few quick actions.
The introduction of the Shortcuts app to macOS allows you to add quick actions in Finder.
You can launch the app and drag the shortcuts from All to Quick Actions in the sidebar. You can make Finder's contextual menu more accessible by checking the shortcuts in System Preferences.
20. Maps are interactive.
In Monterey, Apple has added a new globe view to the Maps app that will allow you to zoom into different regions of the world.
The new globe view in Maps is a lot more fun to navigate than the flat world map of the previous versions. You can find more detailed information on geological features like mountain ranges, deserts, forests, and oceans by drilling down into areas.
You can enable anyone, even if they don't have an Apple device, to join a call with you by creating a link to a conversation that can be shared anywhere. If you have a web browser open on a non-Apple device, friends and family members who don't have an Apple account can log into a FaceTime call with you.
You can create a link in the interface and then share it via the Actions menu. Once you've sent the link, the recipient will be directed to a website where they can join the conversation. Once they join the call, they'll have the usual options to leave the call, disabling video, and muting their microphone.
22. Camera access and a spot mic.
If you have the menu bar hidden, a small indicator light will appear in the menu bar next to the Control Center icon, if an app is using the camera or microphone on your Mac.
The green and orange dots mean that the app is using the camera and microphone, respectively. You can see which app is responsible for using the camera or mic by clicking the Control Center. You can be sure that apps aren't secretly recording conversations or videos if you know this.
23. Offline speaking.
All processing on-device means that keyboard dictation is completely offline, which protects user privacy. Users can dictate text of any length without a timeout. There is a time limit on Intel Macs.
The feature improves the more you use it, and you can dictate text anywhere you want. The Start Dictation command can be found in the Edit menu.
24. Full access to the keyboard.
You don't have to use a mouse or a trackpad to use your Mac with Apple's expanded Full Keyboard Access options. The settings can be found in System Preferences.
The item on the screen that has focus is highlighted when Full Keyboard Access is enabled. You can change the color, contrast and size of the highlight using the options in the navigation tab. When Full Keyboard Access is turned on, you can quickly navigate the lists by pressing Tab-H and using the arrow keys.
25. View the file path.
The option key can be pressed while holding the pointer over a file or folder to show the path bar, so you can easily see where the file or folder is located.
You can either copy the file path to the folder or right-click it to open it in Terminal. Shift-click a folder to see or navigate to any of the other subfolders in the same directory.
26. Go to the folder window.
Monterey has an enhanced version of the Go to Folder menu bar option.
The command brings up a Spotlight-style floating search bar that features a vastly improved auto-complete engine and even a Recents list.
27. Quick note can be added.
Quick Notes can include links to emails, web URLs, and so on. The New Quick Note command deserves special mention.
To highlight some elements on the page, right-click and select New Quick Note/Add to Quick Note. When you click the captured elements in the Quick Note, you'll be taken to the original website with the highlighted elements still there. Clicking on your highlights will open the note again.
There is a new shared collaboration folder in the Finder sidebar, where you can easily find documents shared with you over the internet or in Apple's productivity apps. It can show information such as invitation status, the person who last modified the file, and other sharing related information to help you manage your files.
To add or remove the iCloud shared folder, click the Sidebar tab, and then click the checkbox next to it.
29. Automate a focus mode for specific apps.
You can set up your Mac to help you be in the moment and zone in on a single thing with Apple's new Focus feature. You can change the focus mode for specific scenarios, such as when you open a particular app, and it filters notifications based on what you're doing.
Click the + button at the bottom of the box labeled Turn On Automatic, and then select Add App Based Automation to set up a focus mode. You'll be prompted to choose which apps turn on the Focus mode.
30. Click to translate.
The Translate feature is available in all of macOS Monterey. The Translate option works with several languages if you select some text and click on it.
If you click the play button, you can get macOS to say it out loud so that you can better understand the pronunciation.
31. Skip Silences and Playback Speed can be changed in voice memos.
The Voice Memos app now has a couple of welcome features. You can change the speed of the recording and also skip silences.
Simply select an audio recording, click the controls icon in the top-right corner of the window, and you'll find both settings under "Playback Speed."
32. Stereo effect.
A new audio feature called "Spatialize Stereo" is included in Apple's new audio software. To access it, you need to connect a pair of headphones to your Mac. Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar to go to the Sound volume bar. You should see the option to Spatialize Stereo under your headphones.
Spatial Audio and Spatialize Stereo are not the same. Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos creates a three-dimensional experience by moving sound all around you. Apple's attempt to recreate the sound of sound coming at you from different directions is called Spatialize Stereo. It works with any content.
33. Automatic window closing.
Monterey is a lot more display aware than previous versions of macOS, and will automatically resizing a window to fit a secondary screen. This means that you don't need to manually reduce the size of a window to fit on a smaller display.
When you drag a window manually to another display or click- hold on the green traffic light in the top- left corner of the window, the automation works. When working with two apps open side by side, the window options in the green traffic light menu include tiling windows for hassle-free Split View management.
34. Always show a full-screen menu bar.
In previous versions of macOS, launching an app in fullscreen mode hides the menu bar, so you have to hover the mouse over the top of the screen to see it. In Monterey, you can force the menu bar to always remain visible in fullscreen mode.
To hide and show the menu bar in full screen, you must go to System Preferences and click on the option to hide and show the menu bar in full screen.
35. Photo libraries can be imported.
The Photos app in Monterey has been updated to allow the import of photos from another Photos library. To open a file browser window, select File... from the menu bar.
You can review the Photos library before you import it into your main library.
36. HomeKit devices can be controlled from the menu bar.
You can now add specific shortcuts to different parts of macOS with the Shortcuts app coming over to Mac from the App Store. You can make them available as Quick Actions in Finder, but you can also add them to your menu bar.
A new menu item will appear in the Menu Bar section of the Shortcuts app if you add some HomeKit devices to the list.
37. MacBook Pro refresh rate can be changed.
If you have a MacBook Pro with a 14-inch or 16-inch display, you can adjust the refresh rate to match the video content you're editing.
Click the button if you want to change the display settings. If you're using an external monitor, select your MacBook Pro's built-in Liquid Retina XDR display in the side column, then click the button next to the refresh rate to choose from the following: 120Hz, 60hertz, 59.94hertz, 50hertz.
The Reminders and Notes apps now support tags, a feature that will allow you to organize your notes and to-dos with the help of the hashtags.
There is no limit to how many tags you can have, and a single note or reminder can include multiple tags, so the same note can show up in different tagged categories that you've created. macOS will suggest existing tags for you to pick when you input a hash symbol.
39. Turn on a private relay.
In Monterey, Apple introduced iCloud Private Relay for Mac, a feature of all iCloud + paid plans that's designed to protect the traffic leaving your computer so no one can intercept it or read it.
Private Relay works by sending web traffic to a server that is maintained by Apple. Once the traffic has been sent to a second server maintained by a third-party company that assigns a temporary address, it will prevent your location, browsing activity, and your email address from being used to create a profile about you.
You can turn Private Relay on and off for individual networks in the Network preference pane, which can be found in System Preferences. You can choose how the assigned address uses geographical information to hide your location once the iCloud Private Relay is enabled. If you still want to receive local content when you're browsing in the browser, you can choose to have the address include your country and time zone, or you can set it to be more private.
40. There is a resume copy in the Finder.
The new pie chart indicator in Finder makes it easier to know how long it will take to copy a file. It has also added the ability to start or pause a long copy and resume it later.
A ghosted version of the file or folder will remain in the destination location if you cancel a copy midway through. If you click on it, you will be given the option to finish copying it or keep the copy for later use.
