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macOS Ventura launches with Stage Manager and redesigned apps

Luke Larsen
By

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.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

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.

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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.

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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.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

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.

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Luke Larsen
Luke Larsen
Senior Editor, Computing
Luke Larsen is the Senior editor of computing, managing all content covering laptops, monitors, PC hardware, Macs, and more.
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