Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

macOS Ventura launches with Stage Manager and redesigned apps

Many months after being announced at WWDC 2022, macOS Ventura has now exited beta and is available to download for all.

In addition to a bright orange new wallpaper, the update comes with a number of new features, including Stage Manager, Continuity Camera, and a host of redesigned apps.

Stage manager in macOS Ventura.

Stage Manager is the biggest — and most controversial — new feature. While some have enjoyed the intuitive way it handles window organization, the new approach to multitasking certainly feels designed more for the iPad than for MacBooks.

Continuity Camera, on the other hand, is a neat way of replacing your crusty old MacBook webcam with the camera of your iPhone. If you have a MacBook that is a couple of years old, using Continuity Camera offers a significant upgrade to image quality in video calls.

Other smaller upgrades include redesigned System Preferences (now called Settings), FaceTime Handoff, SharePlay in Messages, an overhauled Mail app, and more. There are even some new dedicated apps, such as Clock and Weather.

Apple's Craig Federighi using an iPhone as a webcam with Continuinty Camera in macOS Ventura.

The announcement comes just a week after Apple announced some updates to its iPad lineup and iPadOS.

MacOS Ventura is compatible with the following Mac computers:

  • iMac (2017 and later)
  • MacBook Pro (2017 and later)
  • MacBook Air (2018 and later)
  • MacBook (2017 and later)
  • Mac Pro (2019 and later)
  • iMac Pro
  • Mac mini (2018 and later)

The Ventura update leaves out any Macs before 2016 that last year’s macOS Monterey supported.

In particular, those include the 2013 Mac Pro, 2014 Mac Mini, 2015 MacBook Air, 2015 MacBook Pro, 2015 iMac, 2016 MacBook, and 2016 MacBook Pro.

The update comes as a part of Apple’s fall releases, which have been dropped on Apple’s website without the buzz of a full-on event.

Editors' Recommendations

Meta Quest Pro vs. Quest 2: a clear choice for VR gaming
Playing a fitness game in VR with the Quest Pro.

The Meta Quest Pro and Quest 2 are among the best VR headsets you can buy, and now that the Quest Pro has seen a sizeable discount, it's time to revisit which of Meta's most recent headsets is the best.

Before getting into the fine details, it's immediately obvious that the newer, more expensive Quest Pro is a much better headset. The Quest Pro now costs $1,000 versus the Quest 2's much more affordable $400 price. What's more important, usually, is which model has the best value while still meeting your needs. Now let's check out what's new and improved on the Quest Pro and how it compares to the Quest 2.
Quest Pro vs. Quest 2: display quality

Read more
Windows 12: the top features we want to see in the rumored OS
A laptop running Windows 11.

Windows 12 might be in development at Microsoft, at least according to the latest rumors. A leak from Intel made mention of Windows 12, and with a new Windows Insider channel promising cutting-edge versions of the operating system, it seems Microsoft is eyeing the next major release.

Windows 11 is less than two years old, but reports say Microsoft could release Windows 12 as soon as 2024. Microsoft hasn't made any official announcements yet, but it's still not too early to get a wish list going. Here's what I want to see out of the next major version of Windows.
A set Windows 12 release date

Read more
Apple could soon put an M3 chip in its worst laptop
Fortnite running on a Macbook M1.

Apple’s MacBook lineup is full of great laptops, but the 13-inch MacBook Pro really doesn’t feel like it belongs. Yet a new report claims Apple will update that device with an M3 chip later this year instead of simply killing it off.

The news comes from 9to5Mac, and the website says its sources have confirmed the 13-inch MacBook Pro is going to get a refresh with a new M3 chip, potentially at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

Read more