Announced at WWDC in June and released in October, macOS Ventura was made available, bringing Stage Manager, the Weather app, and more.
As the nineteenth version of the macOS platform, you can expect more minor refinements and features from macOS 13 Ventura. It’s all the more impressive that Apple manages to wow us all through the years in the cycle.
After macOS 12 Monterey, which, if we’re being honest, was a little light outside of the impressive Universal Control functionality, macOS Ventura has been in beta for a while and there are plenty of new tweaks for newcomers and power users alike.
From the introduction of Live Text to getting data from pictures into the iCloud Shared Photo library for your family, or more impressive gaming quality on M1 Macs (and above), there’s plenty to explore.
Still, in this guide, we’ve played with macOS Ventura since its release and found some key features that are sure to make your Mac even more powerful than before.
stage manager
macOS has always had an on-off relationship with window management, with third-party utilities like Magnet or Moom to fill the gap. However, not many users expected Stage Manager to help alleviate this.
While features like Mission Control and the third-party apps mentioned above are still an option, Stage Manager makes it easier to focus on a single app or a predefined set of apps while everything else shifts to the left side of your display.
While we had some issues with the way it was implemented on the iPad, it can be of great help on Ventura by allowing users to finally avoid the mess of overlapping windows while the Apple anarchists continue the mess can accept.
continuity camera
Continuity has been a feature in macOS for a while, allowing users to capture a document instead of a scanner, or simply capture a photo to attach to an email or message.
However, in macOS Ventura, it’s gotten a new handy trick by adding a webcam feature. This means users can set their iPhone as a webcam using the (excellent) rear cameras to make everything from FaceTime to Zoom to Google Meet or the built-in Photo Booth app much more powerful.
Essentially, users can select their iPhone as a camera option in any app that needs one, which is likely to be a huge boon for anyone with a built-in 720p webcam. Apple is also beginning to sell some third-party mounts for your iPhone in the future.
There’s even a Desk View option to show your physical desktop, ideal for recording how-to videos.
That’s not the only improvement for FaceTime either – you can also transfer your calls between devices, so you can leave your desk and continue your conversation, or move a call to a larger screen in seconds.
Improved iMessage features
iPhone users have no doubt enjoyed additional iMessage features that allow users to undo and edit text messages after they’ve been sent, but it’s not immediately clear how to achieve the same thing in macOS.
You just have to hold on control while you click on the message to edit or cancel as you see fit. However, the same rules apply in Ventura, so you still have 15 minutes to make the changes or remove the message, and you can also only edit it five times. Hopefully you don’t need all of these options, as typing on a Mac keyboard is arguably a bit easier than on a touchscreen.
Weather and Clock are coming to macOS
As with iPadOS 16.1, macOS Ventura is finally adding some new apps as part of the stock pick that comes with every Mac.
Finally, the Mac (and iPad) has the new Weather app, inherited from iOS. It has a richly detailed interface with clever animations that mimic the weather outside just like the iOS app. It feels like a dashboard of sorts with sections for hourly forecasts, air pollution levels, 10-day forecasts, and more.
There’s also a clock app that’s finally here. This might seem like a minor addition, but the visual representation of time zones to show the time around the world is incredibly useful, as is the long-awaited option to set a timer on your Mac.
Sure, we should have had each app years ago, but we’re very glad they’re finally here.
New mail functions
While there are many third-party email clients out there, if you’re still using Apple’s own Mail app, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s getting some new features.
These include a much faster and smarter search feature that aims to make sifting through old emails a breeze, as well as the ability to undo sending an email up to ten seconds later if you change your mind (or notice a typo). ). Send.
And yes, Mail is finally able to schedule emails to be sent at other times – a huge boon for those working in multiple time zones.
