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Not to be confused with OS X 10.11 (El Capitan).

macOS Big Sur (version 11) is the seventeenth major release of macOS from Apple, succeeding macOS Catalina (version 10.15). It was announced on June 22 at the 2020 Worldwide Developers Conference and released on November 12, 2020. It was succeeded by macOS Monterey (version 12) on October 25, 2021.

New features[]

Big Sur features an iPadOS-style dock, translucent menus, and other new features closely tied to iOS 14.[2]

Changes[]

MacOS Big Sur Apple Development Platform 2020 desktop

Big Sur's desktop somewhat resembles iPadOS

  • App design changes introducing full-height sidebars and more integrated toolbars.
  • Simplified Dock interface.
  • Application icons now conform to iOS' Round Rect boxes.
  • Control Center arrives to the Mac.
  • Notification Center is now more iOS-like, with grouped notifications in-line with widgets, and all interactive.
  • Safari: improved performance and energy consumption, new privacy protections, more customizable home screen, in-tab previews, data breach notifications, privacy reports, on-system translation service.
  • Messages: group tracking, contextual linking, pinned conversations, inline replies, mentions, group photos, improved Memoji, stickers, hashtags and message searching.
  • Maps: new trip-planning tools, location research tools, guides, EV and bicyle-centric route planning, 3D look Around, charging station tracking, indoor maps.
  • App Store: Safari Extensions get their own area, privacy information enhanced.
  • Photos: retouch now machine learning enhanced.
  • Peripherals: AirPods now automatically switch across devices using macOS 11, iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and later.
  • HomeKit: improved face recognition and activity zones.
  • Music: iTunes/Apple Music now includes a Listen Now tab for curated music.
  • Siri: better website integration.
  • Software Update: improved updating mechanism; non-interactive bits happen in the background, update process sped up.
  • Startup: The Mac startup chime is once again played by default upon booting.
  • USB: Added USB4 support.
  • Apple Silicon: Added support for new Macs with the Apple M1 processor, the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini.

History[]

Development[]

Apple Developer Transition Kit 2020

The 2020 Developer Transition Kit

Big Sur was developed with Xcode as a dual-binary (referred to as Universal 2) that supports both Intel and Apple processors. Rosetta 2 will allow 64-bit Intel software to run in emulation on Apple processors. The first system provided by Apple to registered developers to run Big Sur natively on an Apple A12Z processor is the 2020 Developer Transition Kit.[2]

Release history[]

Version Build Release date Notes
11.0 beta 1 20A4299v
20A4299w
2020-06-22
2020-06-??
First developer beta.
Pre-installed on early 2020 Developer Transition Kits.
11.0 beta 2 20A4300b 2020-07-07 2nd developer beta.
11.0 beta 3 20A5323l 2020-07-22 3rd developer beta.
11.0 beta 4 2020-08-04
2020-08-06
4th developer beta.
First public beta.
11.0 beta 5 20A5354i 2020-08-18
2020-08-20
5th developer beta.
2nd public beta.
11.0 beta 6 20A5364e 2020-09-03
2020-09-08
6th developer beta.
3rd public beta.
11.0 beta 7 20A5374f
20A5374g
2020-09-17 Pre-installed on some 2020 Developer Transition Kits.
7th developer beta.
11.0 beta 8 20A5374i 2020-09-22 8th developer beta.
4th public beta.
11.0 beta 9 20A5384c 2020-09-29
2020-09-30
9th developer beta.
5th public beta.
11.0 beta 10 20A5395g 2020-10-14
2020-10-16
10th developer beta.
6th public beta.
11.0 20A2411 2020-11-?? Pre-installed on early Apple M1-based Macs.
11.0.1 20B29
20B50
2020-11-12
2020-11-19
First public release.
Security update.
11.1 20C69 2020-12-14 Added support for AirPods Max, TV app enhancements, Apple News widgets, and App Store privacy information.
11.2 20D64 2021-02-01 Bug fixes, including improved Bluetooth reliability.
11.2.1 20D74 2021-02-09
11.2.2 20D80 2021-02-25
11.2.3 20D91 2021-03-08
11.3 20E232 2021-04-26 Added support for AirTag, includes improvements for running iPhone and iPad apps on Macs with Apple M1 processors
11.4 20F71 2021-05-24 Added support for Apple Podcasts subscriptions and channels, and includes bug fixes.
11.5 20G71 2021-07-21 Added a Library tab to Apple Podcasts to choose to see followed programs.
11.5.1 20G80 2021-07-26 Security fixes.
11.5.2 20G95 2021-08-11 Bug fixes.
11.6 20G165 2021-09-13 Security fixes.
11.6.1 20G224 2021-10-25 Security fixes.
11.6.2 20G314 2021-12-13 Security fixes.
11.6.3 20G415 2022-01-26 Security fixes.
11.6.4 20G417 2022-02-14 Security fixes.
11.6.5 20G527 2022-03-14 Security fixes.
11.6.6 20G624 2022-05-16 Security fixes.
11.6.7 20G630 2022-06-09 Bug fixes, including the opening of email attachments.
11.6.8 20G730 2022-07-20 Security fixes.
11.7 20G817 2022-09-12 Security fixes.
11.7.1 20G918 2022-10-24 Security fixes.
11.7.2 20G1020 2022-12-13 Security fixes.
11.7.3 20G1116 2023-01-23 Security fixes.
11.7.4 20G1120 2023-02-15 Security fixes.
11.7.5 20G1225 2023-03-27 Security fixes.
11.7.6 20G1231 2023-04-10 Security fixes.
11.7.7 20G1345 2023-05-18 Security fixes.
11.7.8 RC 20G1403 2023-05-19 Security fixes.

Issues[]

Installation bug[]

Users discovered that the macOS Big Sur installer may not accurately anticipate the free space needed for the upgrade, which requires about 35.5 GB plus an additional 13 GB for the installer inself. If the installation process runs out of drive space before the process is completed, the resulting failure would result in an unrecoverable install loop and potential data loss. The installation bug still exists as of the beta version of macOS 11.3.[3] It is also recommended to check Energy Saver settings so that the computer does not go to sleep during installation.[4]

Gallery[]

Big Sur includes dynamic desktops, which change according to time and lighting conditions.

References[]

External links[]

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Mac OS X   Mac OS X / macOS versions
Mac OS X Server : Server 1 (Rhapsody / Hera)
Mac OS X Developer Preview : DP1 | DP2 | DP3 | DP4
Mac OS X Public Beta : Public Beta (Kodiak)
Mac OS X 10.0 (Cheetah) : 10.0.0 | 10.0.1 | 10.0.2 | 10.0.3 | 10.0.4
Mac OS X 10.1 (Puma) : 10.1.0 | 10.1.1 | 10.1.2 | 10.1.3 | 10.1.4 | 10.1.5
Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar) : 10.2.0 | 10.2.1 | 10.2.2 | 10.2.3 | 10.2.4 | 10.2.5 | 10.2.6 | 10.2.7 | 10.2.8 (G3 / G4 · G5)
Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) : 10.3.0 | 10.3.1 | 10.3.2 | 10.3.3 | 10.3.4 | 10.3.5 | 10.3.6 | 10.3.7 | 10.3.8 | 10.3.9
Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) : 10.4.0 | 10.4.1 | 10.4.2 | 10.4.3 | 10.4.4 | 10.4.5 | 10.4.6 | 10.4.7 | 10.4.8 | 10.4.9 | 10.4.10 | 10.4.11
Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) : 10.5.0 | 10.5.1 | 10.5.2 | 10.5.3 | 10.5.4 | 10.5.5 | 10.5.6 | 10.5.7 | 10.5.8 | 10.5.9 (PPC)
  Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) : 10.6.0 | 10.6.1 | 10.6.2 | 10.6.3 | 10.6.4 | 10.6.5 | 10.6.6 | 10.6.7 | 10.6.8
Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) : 10.7.0 | 10.7.1 | 10.7.2 | 10.7.3 | 10.7.4 | 10.7.5
OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) : 10.8.0 | 10.8.1 | 10.8.2 | 10.8.3 | 10.8.4 | 10.8.5
OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) : 10.9.0 | 10.9.1 | 10.9.2 | 10.9.3 | 10.9.4 | 10.9.5
OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) : 10.10.0 | 10.10.1 | 10.10.2 | 10.10.3 | 10.10.4 | 10.10.5
OS X 10.11 (El Capitan) : 10.11.0 | 10.11.1 | 10.11.2 | 10.11.3 | 10.11.4 | 10.11.5 | 10.11.6
macOS 10.12 (Sierra) : 10.12.0 | 10.12.1 | 10.12.2 | 10.12.3 | 10.12.4 | 10.12.5 | 10.12.6
macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) : 10.13.0 | 10.13.1 | 10.13.2 | 10.13.3 | 10.13.4 | 10.13.5 | 10.13.6
macOS 10.14 (Mojave) : 10.14.0 | 10.14.1 | 10.14.2 | 10.14.3 | 10.14.4 | 10.14.5 | 10.14.6
macOS 10.15 (Catalina) : 10.15.0 | 10.15.1 | 10.15.2 | 10.15.3 | 10.15.4 | 10.15.5 | 10.15.6 | 10.15.7
macOS 11 (Big Sur) : 11.0 · 11.0.1 | 11.1 | 11.2 · 11.2.1 · 2 · 3 | 11.3 · 11.3.1 | 11.4 | 11.5 · 11.5.1 · 2 | 11.6 · 11.6.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 | 11.7 · 11.7.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10
macOS 12 (Monterey) : 12.0 · 12.0.1 | 12.1 | 12.2 · 12.2.1 | 12.3 · 12.3.1 | 12.4 | 12.5 · 12.5.1 | 12.6 · 12.6.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 | 12.7 · 12.7.1 · 2 · 3
macOS 13 (Ventura) : 13.0 · 13.0.1 | 13.1 | 13.2 · 13.2.1 | 13.3 · 13.3.1 | 13.4 · 13.4.1 | 13.5 · 13.5.1 · 2 | 13.6 · 13.6.1 · 2 · 3 · 4
macOS 14 (Sonoma) : 14.0 | 14.1 · 14.1.1 · 2 | 14.2 · 14.2.1 | 14.3
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