macOS 13 Ventura superguide: Everything you need to know

Apple released the first version of macOS Ventura to Mac users on Monday, October 24. Here’s what you need to know about the new features, whether they will run on your Mac, and how Apple’s apps including Mail and Safari will be changing.

The Ventura name maintains Apple’s recent tradition of giving every version of macOS a name in addition to a version number. As usual, the name is taken from a landmark or area in California as has been the tradition since Mavericks launched in 2013. Prior to that, large cats were used as names for Apple’s Mac operating systems (Jaguar, Lion, etc.). This time the version number will be 13 (unlucky for some, but that didn’t stop Apple from calling the 2021 iPhone the iPhone 13).

Update February 17 2023: Major Mac security flaw patched in macOS Ventura 13.2.1 and beta of macOS 13.3 is now being tested.

macOS Ventura: latest version

Apple unveiled its plans for macOS Ventura during the WWDC 2022 keynote on June 6 at 10 a.m. PT. The final version of the Mac operating system arrived on Monday, October 24. As with previous releases, it became available for download at 10 a.m. PT.

The latest version of macOS Ventura is macOS Ventura 13.2.1, which arrived on February 13 and included three critical security fixes, including one for a WebKit vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary code execution.

macOS Ventura macOS 13.2 arrived on January 23 and included 22 security updates (many critical fixes) and several new features and fixes including support for physical FIDO-certified security keys that were announced as part of the Advanced Data Protection for iCloud. Advanced Data Protection also comes to users outside the U.S. for the first time.

Apple also used the 13.2 beta to push the first Rapid Security Response updates to the Mac, which will allow Apple to push smaller, targeted releases are for security updates that arrive between full OS updates on Macs, iPhones, and iPads.

macOS 13.1 arrived on December 13, 2022 and brought with it a new app called Freeform and iCloud Advanced Data Protection. Other new features include the ability to use a Mac to make an AirTag to play a sound so you can locate it, an improved Home app, better search in Messages, and fixes for various issues.

That update came just over a month after macOS Ventura macOS 13.0.1, which arrived on Macs on November 9, 2022. The macOS Ventura 13.0.1 update included bug fixes and two security updates. The security updates includes fix for an issue where a remote user could cause unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution.

macOS Ventura: Latest beta version

Now Apple has completed work on macOS 13.2 the company has moved on to macOS 13.3. The first release for those with a developer account came on February 16, 2023.

It takes Apple about around six weeks to properly test new versions of its operating systems, so we anticipate that macOS Ventura 13.3 will arrive at the end of March or beginning of April 2023.

What’s in macOS Ventura 13.3?

macOS Ventura 13.3 shows warning on Apple silicon MacBooks when an SD card is inserted.

Ventura 13.3 includes fixes related to the iWork apps, virtualization software, iCloud, and Task Manager.

macOS Ventura: Compatibility

Apple has confirmed that the following Macs are supported by macOS Ventura:

• MacBook models from 2017 or later
• MacBook Air models from 2018 or later
• MacBook Pro models from 2017 or later
• Mac mini models from 2018 or later
• iMac models from 2017 or later
• iMac Pro (all models)
• Mac Pro models from 2019 or later
• Mac Studio (all models)

This means the following Macs, which were previously supported by Monterey, have now fallen off the list:

• iMac (models from 2015)
• MacBook Air (models from 2015 and 2017 models)
• MacBook Pro (2015 and 2016 models)
• Mac mini (2014 models)
• Mac Pro (2013 model – cylinder/trash can)
• MacBook (2016 model)

The 2014 Mac mini was sold until 2018, the ‘trash can’ Mac Pro until 2019, and the 2017 MacBook Air was sold until July 2019. We had thought that Apple wouldn’t remove those Macs from the supported list, since people might have purchased the model just such a short time ago. At least they will still be supported by macOS Monterey for at least two more macOS generations. See: This is how long Apple supports Macs. To find out if your Mac will support Ventura read: macOS 13 Ventura compatibility: Can your Mac run the latest version?

Some of the Macs that are supported by Ventura may not support all the new functions. Read: New macOS features that will only work on the newest Macs.

Wondering how Ventura compares to Monterey? Read macOS Ventura vs Monterey.

macOS Ventura: Known issues

While the macOS 13.0.1 update fixed some bugs it’s not known what these were.

• Malwarebytes has flagged an issue with Ventura that it claims “disables security software”, which appears to be related to the inability to grant Full Disk Access to the software. According to Malwarebytes “Apple is aware of the issue and has said that it will be fixed in macOS Ventura version 13.1.” Malwarebytes does offer a fix for the problem.
• A Wi-Fi bug is reportedly affecting some Mac users running macOS Monterey and Ventura, with M1 and M2 MacBook users complaining of lost Wi-Fi connections, slow internet performance in general, and dropped Zoom calls. This is according to San Francisco-based internet infrastructure provider Meter. More information here: Pesky Wi-Fi bug in M1 and M2 MacBooks is likely related to AirDrop.
• macOS 13.1 fixes an issue that causes some notes not to sync with iCloud after updates are made
• macOS 13.1 fixes an issue where you may lose keyboard and mouse input in some apps and games

There are no other known bugs or issues with macOS Ventura. We’ll update this section as they arise.

macOS Ventura: New features

Stage Manager

Continuity continues to evolve with the introduction of Stage Manager – a new way to manage your desktop clutter that reminds us a little bit of Spaces, because it allows you to organize working areas and hide them away, albeit at the side of your screen, rather than the top. Here’s how to use Stage Manager to organize your windows.

Continuity Camera

Another continuity-related feature allows you to use your iPhone as a webcam as well as Handoff a FaceTime call from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac. Continuity Camera is a great way to benefit from the superior camera on the iPhone. One really impressive feature is Desk View, which displays two views to the person you are calling – your face and your desk. Using the iPhone camera means that Mac users can benefit from features like Portrait mode and Centre Stage and the new Studio Light feature. Read about how to use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac.

iCloud Shared Photo Library

You can now set up an album in Photos that lets you select up to five people that can all add photos and videos and quickly share them with each other. Here’s how to set it up on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Advanced Data Protection for iCloud

In macOS 13.1 Apple added more than 20 data categories protected using end-to-end encryption, including iCloud Backup, Notes, and Photos.

Spotlight

Apple’s method to search your Mac – Spotlight – also received a revamp. Quick Look allows you to preview files and you can search photos by location, objects, people, and more. Live Text improvements mean that you will be able to search text within images and videos. Users will even be able to create a new document, start a timer, or more, from within Spotlight. More information here: How Apple has improved Spotlight search in Ventura.

Reminders

In macOS Ventura, Apple has added several new features to make Reminders more helpful. You’ll be able to see your reminders grouped by time and date, you will be able to pin a list and save lists to be used as templates. Read about the new features in Reminders here: Reminders in macOS Ventura.

System Settings

System Settings is the new name for System Preferences. A name that iOS users will likely feel at home with. Read about how Apple has revamped System Preferences in macOS Ventura in our in-depth article. We also discuss Mac preferences that have a new location in Ventura’s System Settings, including Storage, Hot Corners, Extensions, Mission Control, Appearance, Time Machine and Warranty Information.

Background noises

You can play soothing white noise on your Mac in Ventura, including the sound of rain, the ocean, or a stream. Read: How to play soothing white noise in macOS Ventura.

Gaming

Expect gaming on the Mac to truly take off (well Apple does anyway). Apple says that every new Mac will be able to run AAA games “with ease”. Improvements in Metal 3, MetalFX Upscaling, and Fast Resource Loading API should benefit game developers.

AirPods

In macOS Monterey and earlier, users didn’t get to control much of the AirPod’s settings, but that’s changing in Ventura. When Ventura launches users will finally get access to the full complement of AirPods settings, just like in iOS. Read more here: Full AirPods settings coming to your Mac.

macOS Ventura: App updates

Over the years at the same time as Apple has updated the Mac operating system it has also made changes to various apps that ship with the Mac, and we can expect more this year. Several new features are coming to Safari and Mail along with updates to Weather, the Clock, new accessibility tools (such as Live Captions).

Freeform

This is a brand new app that arrived in macOS Ventura 13.1 in December 2022. The Freeform app is a whiteboard app for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac that lets you work across devices and share sketches, notes, files, web links, documents, photos, video, and audio in real time.

Home

In macOS 13.1 Apple redesigned the Home app and improved performance.

Mail

Mail now has improved search, but probably the most anticipated feature will be the ability to cancel delivery of an email after clicking send (we imagine there is a time limit here) and also schedule sending an email. Both are features offered by third parties, but it’s good to see them coming to Apple’s email software. Read How to unsend and schedule e-mail in Apple Mail for more information.

There is some confusion over the inclusion of the Hide My Mail feature, which should mean that it isn’t a requirement to share your email with third parties. Initially, Apple referred to the feature, but this has since been erased from the webpage describing email features in Ventura, at least in some countries. Hide My Email isn’t new to Ventura – it arrived in Monterey in 2021, but in Ventura Apple was expected to extend it to third parties.

Messages

Like its iOS counterpart, Messages on the Mac will allow users to edit a message once sent and recover accidentally deleted messages.

In macOS 13.1 Apple improved search in Messages allows you to find photos based on their content, like a dog, car, person, or text.

Notes

In macOS 13.1 Apple improved collaboration in Notes by adding Participant Cursors so you can see live indicators when others are making updates in a shared note.

Safari

Passkeys will be generated as a more secure means of identifying you and are associated with Touch ID or Face ID. These will replace passwords. Apple claims that “Passkeys are unique digital keys that stay on the device and are never stored on a web server,” therefore they are more secure because it is impossible to leak one, or for anyone to phish one from you.

You may like to read about what to expect from Apple in 2023 as well the latest information about iOS 16.

Mac, MacOS, Personal Software