Last year, Apple treated us to Big Sur, a significant macOS update that comes with a whole lot of amazing features, from a fresh look to a better way to message and browse. Despite the issues one can easily troubleshoot, Big Sur is an experience worth at least trying. If you are still contemplating moving to Big Sur, this post will walk you through its top new features. Let's dive in!

  1. Introduction of Control Center

It’s probably the most significant upgrade that brings your Mac closer to an iPhone or iPad in terms of user experience. You can adjust the Control Center to your liking by adding your favorite apps and amenities there, such as Wi-Fi, AirDrop, Sound, Display, Music, and more. Once you set it up, you will be able to instantly access the features of your choice without having to go to System Preferences each time.

  1. A redesigned Notification Center

The Notification Center has also changed. In particular, it now can display notifications and widgets in one place, looking a lot like the widgets you might have seen on iOS 14. Not only do all your notifications fit in one screen, but they also are interactive. Now, when you tap and hold a notification, you can take action or get more information about it. As an example, by tapping and holding a notification from a Mail app, you can shoot a reply quickly. To customize the macOS Big Sur widgets, click Notification Center, then find the Change Widgets button and go from there.

  1. New Safari features

Safari has also undergone a visual overhaul, including a new start page you can bend to your will. You can now set up a background image and decide what your start page will show. If you run into a page in a foreign language, Safari will offer a built-in translation feature. Keeping multiple tabs open is now more convenient than ever, given that the browser lets you preview what’s in it upon hovering over. Finally, Safari offers privacy reporting, showing you how it protects your browsing experience.

  1. AirPods can automatically switch between devices

Big Sur is designed to support automatic device switching for AirPods. This feature lets your AirPods connect to iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple Watch interchangeably, depending on the device you are currently using. Let's say your AirPods are connected to your iPhone, but you start playing audio on your Mac, then your AirPods will automatically switch to your Mac.

  1. Brand new Messages

Years of developing the Messages app for iPhone and iPad has culminated in implementing Messages on macOS, a novelty introduced by Big Sur. You can now pin important conversations to the top, share your name and photos instantly, send messages directly to a person in a group chat, and more. Moreover, you can choose to receive message notifications only when you’re tagged and add flavor to your conversations using different visual effects and customized Memoji.

  1. Updated Maps

The new Maps app in Big Sur includes a wide array of features that help you explore new places (parks, restaurants, etc), share them with friends and family, view detailed maps of major airports and shopping malls, get a 360-degree view of your surroundings, and find the nearest charging station compatible for your electric vehicle.

  1. Finally, widgets

Apple has updated widgets in Big Sur to make them even more visually appealing and useful. Not only do they resemble their iOS counterparts, but they also come with high levels of customization. You can adjust the widget's size, move it around, and set it up to display relevant information. You can find the widget feature in the Notification Center by clicking on the menu bar's date and time.

The list of Big Sur features is far from being exhaustive, as there's so much more to explore in the new macOS version. Hopefully, you'll give it a try soon! 

July Mayer - a freelance writer who lives in with her husband, 7-years old son and a medium-sized dog. Before she became a freelance writer, she experimented with various occupations: marketing, dog-training, scientific dating… But her favorite job is the one she’s now doing full time - writing articles.