Now that we’ve spent nearly two weeks with Apple’s new developer beta 1 of macOS Sequoia, it’s time to bring to light a few little-known features and changes. We’re not talking about the flagship features that were publicly unveiled last week at the company’s WWDC 2024 presentation, like Apple Intelligence or Window Snapping.
Instead, they’re smaller details that may now even have been mentioned on Apple’s macOS Sequoia preview page. Some of the best upcoming features aren’t available in the first developer beta, which is why these hidden features are so important. You can find and use them today – as long as you’re willing to take the risk of installing beta software on your Mac.
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6 iPhone mirroring
It doesn’t work yet, but it’s there
One of the bigger features that macOS Sequoia will bring is iPhone mirroring, which will let you control all the best iPhones from your Mac. It’s not fully working yet in the first developer beta, but you can still see it. Search iPhone mirroring in the macOS Finder should open the iPhone Mirroring app. If that doesn’t work, you can Applications Folders and show hidden files to reveal the next app. And if you’re familiar enough with macOS Terminal, you might even be able to launch the hidden app before Apple asks you to.
A few clever hobbyists have managed to get iPhone mirroring working, although it is not fully functional at the moment. One of them even shared the process on GitHub so you can follow it at home. We would like to warn you that you should only try this if you Really know what you’re doing. Still, it’s always cool to take a look at an unreleased macOS application before it hits the market, and anyone can do that in macOS Sequoia.
5 Apple Account
Apple no longer calls it Apple ID
One small change in all Apple operating systems this year is the renaming of Apple ID to Apple Account. I will miss the days when it was called Apple ID, even though it now makes more sense to call it Apple Account. This wasn’t explicitly mentioned during the WWDC 2024 keynote, but you can already see the change in the System Preferences app in macOS Sequoia. In the sidebar, it now says “Apple Account” under your name. The system will also display Apple Account everywhere on macOS where the term “Apple ID” was previously mentioned.
4 calculator
macOS Sequoia automatically completes equations in any text field
All kidding aside, it was a big moment when Apple added a revamped calculator app to the iPad this year. It’s not just any calculator app, because a feature called Math Notes can auto-complete handwritten equations with the correct answers. This has been talked about a lot in the days since WWDC 2024, but you may not know that part of the Math Notes feature works in any text field in macOS Sequoia. For example, when you open the new Apple Notes app, just type 4+5= asks macOS to autofill the correct answers. This is a very simple math problem, but it can be extended. You can try it in Notes, Messages, or really anywhere else you can type text and use autocomplete on macOS Sequoia.
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3 Macintosh wallpaper
There is a new macOS wallpaper and a retro-style screensaver
With macOS upgrades, we always get new wallpapers, and macOS Sequoia is no exception. However, in the first developer beta, there is another new wallpaper that is separate from the regular macOS Sequoia wallpaper. It’s called Macintosh, and it’s a retro-style wallpaper that matches the aesthetic of earlier Macintosh computers and System 7 software. What’s really cool is that the Macintosh wallpaper automatically changes over time and becomes a live wallpaper on the lock screen. If you’re a fan of old Macs, this wallpaper is a must-have in macOS Sequoia developer beta 1.
2 Settings
There are new privacy and security switches, and General is now the default
Apple redesigned the System Preferences app in macOS a few years ago, but macOS Sequoia has made a few small improvements. First of all, when you open the app, the Generally tab by default, which is a tiny but useful change that makes it easier to find quick switches. There are also new options on the Privacy & Security Page. In keeping with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, there are now descriptions at the top of some settings pages that describe what you can do on each page. Of course, there’s also the new Apple account branding we mentioned earlier. For better or worse, the System Preferences app and macOS Sequoia are more like their iOS counterparts than ever this year.
1 Rotating WLAN addresses
macOS Sequoia can automatically swap MAC addresses for additional security
A key privacy and security feature of macOS Sequoia that you can take advantage of starting with developer beta 1 is Wi-Fi address rotation. The feature does exactly what it sounds like. macOS can periodically swap out your MAC addresses to help you stay incognito on the internet. You’ve long been able to manually change your Mac’s Wi-Fi address using the Terminal, and macOS Sequoia now does it for you. While it still won’t replace a good VPN, it’s better than nothing. It complements a number of other internet privacy features on the Mac, like Private iCloud Relay And Limit IP address tracking.
Plus all other important functions
These are just the lesser-known features of macOS Sequoia, and more will likely come to light as more betas are released. They complement the highlights of this year’s upgrade, such as window snapping, improved video calling capabilities, and a new Apple Passwords app. And that’s without even mentioning the Apple Intelligence features that are set to arrive in the macOS Sequoia beta this fall. All in all, macOS Sequoia seems to be a pretty solid upgrade, even if it’s not the most flashy one at the moment.
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