Finally! macOS has unveiled integrated support for Window Tiling. Users no longer have to depend on external applications to organize their windows side by side on their display. Now, it’s as simple as launching a couple of programs and dragging one window to the side to secure it in position. Afterward, just click on the other app to snap it in as well.
The Window Tiling feature in macOS Sequoia 15 presents a range of layouts for organizing your applications. When you hover over the green Plus icon, additional options will appear, including Move and Resize, Fill & Arrange, and full-screen mode. Simply click on any of these selections to arrange your app as you desire. This new capability also supports keyboard shortcuts for faster access.
This functionality resembles the Snapping feature found in Windows 11, making it a highly awaited enhancement. If you’re utilizing an earlier macOS version and require a window tiling solution, consider trying applications like Rectangle (a personal favorite), Tiles, Aerospace, Amethyst, or Yabai. These alternatives are free, although Yabai and Aerospace necessitate text file configurations, which may not be as user-friendly as the rest.
iPhone Mirroring
As stated in the iOS 18 update, let’s reiterate this. Once you have installed macOS Sequoia 15, you will notice an iPhone icon in your dock. This will direct you to the iPhone Mirroring application. Open it, and it will automatically recognize your iPhone, provided both devices are logged in to the same Apple account and connected to the same Wi-Fi network. It accommodates multiple iPhones, allowing you to select which one to link.
Complete the setup process for connection verification, and you will be able to access your iPhone applications on your Mac using the keyboard and mouse. The application integrates with Spotlight search, and you can perform swipe gestures on the trackpad for seamless interaction with apps and notifications without needing to pick up your iPhone. For instance, you can access the Bitwarden Authenticator app on your iPhone to retrieve verification codes and paste them directly into Safari on your Mac. This feature delivers significant convenience, making it simple to customize your phone’s home screen and settings.
Remember that once you unlock your iPhone, the iPhone Mirroring will pause, and you’ll need to lock the screen again to reconnect. To exit an app, click the home bar, or move your cursor to the top of the window and click the grid icon. You can access your recent applications via the nearby icon that resembles stacked windows.
Important notice: iPhone Mirroring is not available in the EU, as Apple is apprehensive about potential non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act regulations.
iPhone Notifications on Mac
When your iPhone is nearby your Mac, notifications from your iPhone will show up in your Mac’s notification center. Each notification is accompanied by a sound alert. You can either dismiss these notifications or engage with them using your mouse.
To disable iPhone Notifications, navigate to the Settings app in macOS 15 and toggle the “Allow notifications from iPhone” option. There is also a specific setting to silence sound alerts for iPhone notifications.
Apple Safari – Highlights, Reader, Video Viewer
The Highlights feature identifies long articles on web pages and provides a succinct summary in a user-friendly panel. To access it, click the menu button in the address bar and select Show Reader. This tool is designed to assist you in quickly locating information such as phone numbers, addresses, or details about locations, films, and TV shows. However, at present, it may not operate on numerous websites.
Reader mode establishes a distraction-free reading atmosphere by eliminating unnecessary components from the page. It presents customization options allowing you to modify font styles, themes, and zoom levels.
Apple Safari also includes a feature to remove distracting elements from web pages. To activate this, click the menu button in the address bar and choose to hide distractions, allowing you to focus solely on the text of the webpage.
While this feature can assist in eliminating bothersome banners, it does not serve as an ad-blocking tool, thus it will not prevent ads from appearing.
When viewing a page with a video—such as on YouTube—a new icon will show up on the left side of the address bar. Click on it and select ‘Video Viewer’ to bring the video into a separate pop-out panel, making it the focal point while slightly dimming the rest of the page. Playback controls allow you to adjust speed, resize the video, and play or pause it. Furthermore, there’s an option for picture-in-picture mode, enabling you to watch the video in a movable window that stays on top of other applications.
Passwords App
Apple has launched a new Passwords app, accessible on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro, and Windows PC. This app acts as a standalone version of iCloud Keychain, providing a valuable upgrade. It automatically imports data from iCloud Keychain, and you can also transfer a password database utilizing a CSV file from other password management solutions. True to its name, the Passwords app can create strong passwords for your online accounts, manage passkeys and Wi-Fi passwords, and more. You can also autofill login credentials across a variety of applications. All data is end-to-end encrypted, effortlessly syncing across all your devices while also monitoring for any security breaches in your credentials and notifying you of potential issues.
You can utilize the Passwords app on a Windows PC with the iCloud for Windows application and iCloud Password extensions for browsers like Chrome, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, and Opera. Though this establishes a solid foundation, the app still requires additional features to effectively compete with renowned options like Bitwarden and 1Password.
Compatible Devices for macOS Sequoia 15
macOS Sequoia 15 is compatible with the following Mac models:
- iMac from 2019 and newer
- iMac Pro from 2017 and newer
- Mac Studio from 2022 and newer
- MacBook Air from 2020 and newer
- Mac mini from 2018 and newer
- MacBook Pro from 2018 and newer
Interesting fact: This marks the first occasion a new macOS version has been released simultaneously with iOS and iPadOS.
Overall, macOS Sequoia is more of a quality-of-life update rather than a major feature launch, particularly when compared to the extensive new functionalities in iOS 18. Importantly, Apple Intelligence is not yet available on macOS 15, iOS 18, or iPadOS 18; it will be introduced in a future update later this year. Please note, the Apple Intelligence feature is only available on Macs with M1 chips or newer.
For a detailed list of changes in macOS 15, refer to Apple’s documentation on their website. Additionally, macOS Ventura 13.7 and macOS Sonoma 14.7 are now available, offering several security updates.
Don’t forget to check our earlier articles for key highlights from iOS 18.
As an aside, there are reports that Apple has suspended the rollout of iPadOS 18 after some users encountered issues with their M4 iPads becoming unresponsive after the update.
Image Source: DenPhotos / Shutterstock
