Software Update: Apple macOS 11.0.1

Apple has released macOS 11.0, also known as Big Sur. In version 11, which can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store, Apple has given the user interface a facelift with icons that are reminiscent of iOS and buttons that appear when they are needed and disappear when they are not. Furthermore, the message center, Apple Maps and Safari have also received major improvements. Below is an overview of the main changes and improvements we can find in version 11:

Design

• New app design makes it easier to focus on content, with space-efficient button bars and full-height sidebars
• The updated menu bar has wider spacing and a new translucent material that becomes more vibrant when you use the menu bar
• Updated system sounds for booting, copying files, moving items to the Trash, locking files and more

Control panel

• The control panel puts your favorite menus and controls in one convenient place in the menu bar, so you can quickly adjust settings
• Additional controls appear when you click to expand the control panel menus
• You can pin favorite control panel menus to the menu bar

Message Center

• Updated Notification Center brings notifications and widgets in one view
• The interactive notifications show more tasks when you expand them
• Beautiful new widgets full of data from Calendar, Clock, Notes, Photos, Podcasts, Reminders, Screen Time, Stocks and Weather
• In the edit view, you can add new widgets and resize them
• Support for widgets from third-party apps

Safari

• The world’s fastest desktop browser with industry-leading performance and energy efficiency*
• The customizable new home page lets you set a background image and control what’s displayed, including the Reading List, iCloud Tabs, and the Privacy Report
• Extended support for extensions and a new dedicated App Store category for extensions
• New tab design with favicons in tabs and website previews when you hover over a tab
• Translation (beta) for English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Russian or Brazilian Portuguese
• The privacy report shows how Safari protects your privacy, with an overview of trackers blocked by Intelligent Tracking Prevention
• Your saved passwords are securely screened for passwords that may have been involved in a data breach
• Safari protects your privacy by asking if a website can use an extension

Messages

• Pinning conversations allows you to move up to nine of your favorite threads to the top of the list
• Mentions let you message a person in a group conversation
• You can also reply to a specific message earlier in the conversation
• Message effects for balloons, confetti, lasers and more
• #images lets you find and add popular GIFs to messages
• Memojis make it easy to create a personalized character and send stickers to match your mood and personality

Cards

• Guides curated by trusted brands provide recommendations for places to visit and things to do
• ‘Look around’ feature to explore cities in a high-resolution interactive 3D experience
• Indoor maps for major airports and shopping centers
• You can request bicycle-friendly routes to your destination
• Electric vehicle routes allow you to plan trips for supported vehicles added to iPhone

Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices.

* Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection, and other factors.