macOS Big Sur elevates the world’s most advanced desktop operating system to a new level of power and beauty. Experience Mac to the fullest with a refined new design. Enjoy the biggest Safari update ever. Discover new features for Maps and Messages. And get even more transparency around your privacy.

Design

• New design for apps makes it easier to focus on your content and take action with space efficient toolbars and full height sidebars
• Updated menu bar features wider spacing and a new translucent material that becomes more vibrant when you interact with it
• Refreshed system sounds include the boot chime and sounds for transferring files, moving items to the trash, locking files, and more

Control Center

• Control Center puts your favorite menus and controls in one handy place in the menu bar so you can quickly adjust settings as you work
• Additional controls appear when you click to expand Control Center menus
• Support for pinning favorite menus from Control Center to the menu bar

Notification Center

• Updated Notification Center brings notifications and widgets together in one view
• Interactive notifications display additional actions you can take with a deep press
• Beautiful, new data-rich widgets for Calendar, Clock, Notes, Photos, Podcasts, Reminders, Screen Time, Stocks, and Weather
• Edit view lets you to add new widgets and customize their size
• Support for widgets from third-party apps

Safari

• World’s fastest desktop browser with industry-leading performance and energy efficiency*
• Customizable new start page lets you set a background image and decide what appears, including Reading List, iCloud Tabs, Privacy Report and more
• Expanded extensions support and new dedicated category in the App Store for discovering new extensions
• New tab design featuring favicons in tabs, and website previews that appear when you hover over a tab
• Translation (beta) for English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Russian or Brazilian Portuguese
• Privacy Report gives you visibility into how Safari keeps your browsing your business, with an overview of trackers blocked by Intelligent Tracking Prevention
• Safari password monitoring securely screens saved passwords for any that may have been involved in a data breach
• Safari privacy prompts for extensions let you choose when a website can work with an extension

Messages
Pinned conversations keep up to nine of your favorite threads at the top of the list

• Mentions let you direct a message to an individual in a group conversation
• Inline replies let you reply to a specific message earlier in the conversation
• Message effects for balloons, confetti, lasers and more
• #images helps you find and add trending GIFs to messages
• Memoji makes it simple to create a personalized character and send stickers that match your mood and personality

Maps

• Guides offer recommendations for places to go and things to do, curated by a selection of trusted brands
• Look Around to explore cities in a high-resolution, interactive 3D experience
• Indoor maps for major airports and shopping centers
• Cycling directions helps you find bike-friendly routes to your destination
• Electric vehicle routing helps you plan trips for supported vehicles that you add on iPhone

Big Sur compatible Macs:

• MacBook 2015 and later
• MacBook Air 2013 and later
• MacBook Pro Late 2013 and later
• Mac mini 2014 and later
• iMac 2014 and later
• iMac Pro 2017 and later
• Mac Pro 2013 and later