Discover the Exciting New Features in macOS Sequoia!

MacOS Sequoia, also referred to as macOS 15, represents the latest iteration of Apple’s desktop OS. This updated version introduces several new features for Mac users, including a password management tool, enhanced videoconferencing capabilities, and notable updates to Safari, along with all functionalities included in Apple Intelligence, the company’s advanced artificial intelligence system. Below, we outline how to download it, along with the newest enhancements in this software upgrade.

Don’t miss our iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 overview for a comprehensive look at all the new features available on your iPhone and iPad, as well as the latest innovations on the Apple Watch with watchOS 11.

Updated January 2025: We’ve included information about macOS 15.3.

MacOS Sequoia Features

Below, you’ll find an overview of the major features included in macOS 15. Additional information is available from Apple here.

At times, your iPhone might be out of reach or buried in your bag. For those moments when you need to use it without getting up, you can access your iPhone directly on your computer. As part of Apple’s Continuity features, iPhone Mirroring enables you to wirelessly interact with your iPhone via your Mac.

When this functionality is active, your iPhone’s personalized home screen appears on the display. You can then utilize the keyboard, trackpad, or mouse to drag and drop content (like photos, videos, and files) between the devices, launch and use any apps, navigate through all home screen pages, as well as view and respond to notifications—all while your iPhone stays locked. This feature also operates when your iPhone is in Standby mode, a function from iOS 17 that turns your iPhone into a smart display while it charges.

MacOS Sequoia brings multiple enhancements to Safari. With Highlights, Safari utilizes machine intelligence to present pertinent information from the webpage, such as directions, links, summaries, and restaurant reviews. The Reader has undergone a redesign to minimize distractions, providing a sleeker article view, along with a summary and a table of contents for longer articles. Furthermore, if a webpage contains a video, the Viewer will prioritize it while still allowing access to playback controls (including Picture in Picture).

Those who frequently keep multiple browser windows open will find the new Window Tiling feature beneficial, optimizing organization for a superior viewing experience. By dragging a window to the screen’s edge, macOS will automatically suggest a tiled position for the window. This functionality mirrors the Snap feature found in Windows. You can drop the window into place, arrange several windows side by side, or position them in the four corners to accommodate additional applications. For quicker arrangement, keyboard and menu shortcuts are also available.

In 2023, Apple introduced new tools for videoconferencing with macOS Sonoma, including Presenter Overlay, Reactions, and features catering to the Mac’s built-in webcam. In macOS 15, the company expands on this with several more tools. With applications like FaceTime and Zoom, users can utilize a new presenter preview feature to review content before sharing. Additionally, the built-in backgrounds feature allows users to apply system wallpapers, color gradients, or personal photos as backgrounds during video calls. This capability is available on FaceTime and various third-party applications like Webex.

If Keychain wasn’t your favorite, you’ll be pleased to learn that macOS Sequoia introduces a new Passwords app, granting access to all your passwords (including Wi-Fi passwords), passkeys, and verification codes—all in one location. This application synchronizes all your Apple devices, operates on Windows through the iCloud for Windows app, and ensures end-to-end encryption.

Several new features are being introduced to Messages with macOS Sequoia, which will also extend to iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. You can format your messages using bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough options. You will also be able to add animated effects to specific words within a message. When typing, suggestions will be displayed for particular phrases and words. New Tapbacks have been introduced, allowing for emojis and stickers in place of the traditional options like hearts and thumbs up or down. Another highlighted feature is the ability to schedule messages to be sent later.

• Apple Maps: The Maps app now features access to thousands of hiking trails throughout all 63 national parks in the US, which can be filtered by elevation, length, and route type. You can also save them for future reference while in remote areas without a data connection.
• Calculator App: The Calculator app has received an upgrade, incorporating features that let you enter and view complete expressions (including trigonometry, parentheses, and multiple operations) prior to pressing equals to find the final result. Tapping the equals sign twice lets you repeat the last mathematical function, and you can now view a history of calculations.
• Calendar: The Calendar app now shows both events and tasks from the Reminders app. An updated Month View has also been introduced to make it easier to see all appointments at a glance, color-coded for clarity.
• Photos: A new Collections feature in the Photos app will automatically sort your library by topics such as Trips, Recent Days, and People & Pets. Pinned Collections allow for quick access to certain albums, and you’ll notice your Favorites album placed under Utilities and in Pinned Collections, with the ability to clear your Recently Shared album and Recently Viewed history.
• Game Mode: Originally announced in 2023 with macOS Sonoma, Game Mode is now enhanced in macOS Sequoia, offering smoother frame rates and “advanced power management features” to enhance performance across Macs. It now supports Personalized Spatial Audio and minimizes audio latency with AirPods Pro (2nd generation).
• Home App: The Home app introduces guest access that allows you to determine how and when visitors can enter your home. A new feature provides insights into your electricity consumption and its associated costs, based on current utility rates.
• Battery: The Low Power Mode feature, introduced in macOS Monterey, is now accessible directly from the Battery menu located in the top-left corner of your display, eliminating the need to search through System Settings.
• Find My: In the Find My app, there is now a new Lost AirTag section that allows you to share an AirTag’s location with up to five other users to assist in tracking. Soon, you’ll also be able to share it with airlines if your luggage is lost by sending a specific link via Messages, Notes, Mail, AirDrop, etc. Recipients will need to authenticate with their Apple account, and links will expire after a week.

Apple Intelligence Features

In addition to the aforementioned features, Apple Intelligence—the company’s personalized intelligence system—has been integrated into macOS Sequoia, as well as iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. These functionalities are only available in Sequoia 15.1 and later versions. It’s important to note that Apple Intelligence is now enabled by default in Sequoia 15.3. For detailed instructions on how to disable it manually, please refer to our tutorial here.