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When will macOS sequoia come out? Here’s what we know so far

macOS 15 features.
Apple
Promotional logo for WWDC 2023.
This story is part of our complete Apple WWDC coverage

During Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 keynote, we got our first look at the latest macOS version, macOS 15 — otherwise known as Sequoia.

The update is bringing the exciting new customization features from iPadOS 18 and iOS 18, as well as iPhone mirroring, iPhone notifications, window tiling, Safari updates, and a new password app. Plus, a load of these features will be powered by the new Apple Intelligence.

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It sounds pretty good, so it’s no wonder you’re clicking on this post to find out exactly when you’ll be able to get your hands on it. Here are the answers.

macOS Sequoia developer beta release date

iPhone screen mirroring on a MacBook.
Apple

The developer beta for macOS Sequoia was released the same day it was announced, on June 10. Developers use this beta to test their apps and find out what kind of things might go wrong. They can also find out how the new features work and start planning to make use of them in their apps.

Getting access to this developer beta used to be tied to a $99-per-year subscription to the Apple Developer Program, but that is now a limitation of the past. As of last year, you can get access to the beta just by signing in with your Apple ID.

Now, just because this means anyone can get their hands on the beta doesn’t mean everyone should. Things can be pretty messy this early on, and dealing with bugs and compatibility issues on your main Mac or MacBook could be troublesome.

If you want to play around with the beta, it might be smart to install it on a secondary device for now.

macOS Sequoia public beta release date

The Passwords app in MacOS 15.
Apple

The public betas for Apple OS versions usually get released some weeks after developer betas. This gives the developers, both at Apple and at third-party companies, some time to work out the biggest issues and make things a little more stable.

It’s not quite ready for final release at this point but it is a good time to release it to a smaller number of users who can start exploring and finding smaller, less obvious bugs.

Apple hasn’t said anything yet about the exact release date for the macOS Sequoia public beta, but if previous years are anything to go by, it’ll happen sometime between late June and early July.

To get access to the public beta, you just need to sign up to the Apple Beta Software Program, where you can enroll the devices you want to access the beta with. You can also sign up to try other betas like iOS 18, too. If you want to help with the testing, it’s probably still best to install the beta on a secondary device.

When you find something that doesn’t work as you expected, you can let Apple know about it with the Feedback Assistant. This beta-exclusive feature lives on the Dock on your Mac, and you can access it any time you want.

macOS Sequoia release date

Tiled views on a MacBook with macOS 15.
Apple

The official and final release of macOS Sequoia should drop during the fall, either in September or October. Apple hasn’t confirmed this yet, but it usually follows a similar schedule to previous years.

We don’t know when Apple will announce the exact date, but for now, it’s important to keep things flexible since the developers don’t know what issues they might run into in the betas.

The Apple Intelligence-powered features, however, may only be available to newer Apple silicon Macs. We’ll find out for sure in the coming months!

Willow Roberts
Willow Roberts has been a Computing Writer at Digital Trends for a year and has been writing for about a decade. She has a…
Apple Intelligence: Here’s everything we know so far
Apple Intelligence features.

Apple Intelligence is Apple's take on AI, and it looks to fundamentally change the way we interact with technology, blending advanced machine learning and AI capabilities into everyday devices.
Promising more conversational prose from Siri, automated proofreading and text summarization across apps, and lightning-fast image generation, Apple's AI ecosystem is designed to enhance user experiences and streamline operations across its product lineup. Here's everything you need to know about Apple's transformational new AI.

Apple Intelligence release date and compatibility
Apple Intelligence was originally slated for formal release in September, coinciding with the roll out of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. However, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported, Apple subsequently decided to slightly delay the release of Intelligence. It is currently available to developers as part of the iOS 18.1 beta release on September 19, though it's looking unlikely that Apple Intelligence will be released publicly before the official 18.1 roll out scheduled for October, per Gurman.
https://twitter.com/markgurman/status/1817632719175901531
The company has specified that, at least initially, the AI features will be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, as well as iPads and Macs with M1 or newer chips (and presumably the iPhone 16 handsets as well, since they'll all be running iOS 18). What's more, the features are only available at launch when the user language is set to English.
Why the cutoff? Well, Apple has insisted that the processes are too intensive for older hardware, as they utilize the more advanced neural engines, GPUs, and CPUs of these newer chips.
Users who run an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max part of Apple's Developer program gained access to an early version of Intelligence in July with the release of iOS 18.1 beta.

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The macOS Sequoia update just launched. Here’s why you should install it
The iPhone Mirroring feature from macOS Sequoia being demonstrated at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

The macOS Sequoia update is finally here, bringing iPhone Mirroring, Safari updates, window tiling, and the new Passwords app to Mac. As promised, there are no Apple Intelligence features in this update, but they will start rolling out from next month.

iPhone Mirroring is the most exciting thing coming with this update, allowing you to check your messages, notifications, and apps without switching devices. The feature makes a lot of sense as the one time we truly don't need our phones is when we're already using a computer. Instead of taking your hands off the keyboard to pick up your iPhone, you can simply access it on your Mac like a phone-shaped app.

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You can finally try out Apple Intelligence on your Mac. Here’s how
macOS Sequoia being introduced by Apple's Craig Federighi at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

The second developer beta of macOS Sequoia is open for business and it includes Apple Intelligence features. It looks like anyone can try it out as long as you're not in China. That includes people in the EU -- even though the AI features might not launch there right away. The features available for testing include Writing Tools, Siri, Safari and Mail summaries, Smart Replies, Memory Movies, transcription features, Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode, and a few more. If you want to have a look yourself, here's everything you need to do to download the beta and activate Apple Intelligence.

Before you start, make sure you've backed up your Mac with Time Machine so you can restore the previous version if anything goes wrong. You can also use a secondary device if you have another Apple silicon Mac lying around because beta versions can go wrong and you have to download them at your own risk.

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