Do you like the MacOS Ventura System settings? [MERGED]

[rehkram]

how long is 'so far'? and why would anyone abandon a new OS because of the look of system settings... a place they will rarely visit? 🤔

Well fisherking, the fact is that all the wailing and gnashing of teeth on this thread has always been completely moot. Some people take personal umbrage at even small changes to their reality. It's almost as if they think they own the software, rather than just being licensed to use it. You can't talk sense into these people.

As for me, I'm using both, a 2012 rMBP on Monterey, and a later Mac mini on Ventura. No big deal, I can use both versions perfectly well. This thread was always just a troll magnet that will go down in history as completely irrelevant. In a year everyone will have forgotten what the old "System Preferences" even looked like. Macrumors will get pretty boring otherwise.

 

[SoYoung]

Well fisherking, the fact is that all the wailing and gnashing of teeth on this thread has always been completely moot. Some people take personal umbrage at even small changes to their reality. It's almost as if they think they own the software, rather than just being licensed to use it. You can't talk sense into these people.

As for me, I'm using both, a 2012 rMBP on Monterey, and a later Mac mini on Ventura. No big deal, I can use both versions perfectly well. This thread was always just a troll magnet that will go down in history as completely irrelevant. In a year everyone will have forgotten what the old "System Preferences" even looked like. Macrumors will get pretty boring otherwise.

I don't want to start a war, but your comment seems to be extremely "fanboy-ish". Of course people know they don't own the software I don't even know why you say this. But even if we don't use the settings app frequently, its probably the most important app of an OS. You can't change it and use another one by default and you use it regularly so you have to deal with it so when a company decide to completely revamp it, I can easily understand why some people don't want to update or don't like the changes because some settings arent at the same place anymore and it can be confusing for a while. The new design feels like a cheaper version and unorganized compared to the older one.When its not broken, don't fix it.

If you like it, fine, but its easily understandable why some don't. There's also many tech related websites said this change was "questionable" and saying the settings app right now isn't ready and needed some work.

 

[MacGizmo]

...and why would anyone abandon a new OS because of the look of system settings... a place they will rarely visit? 🤔

I think you and I both know that nobody is actually going to do it—they're just looking to vent their frustration at having to deal with change.

 

[rehkram]

your comment seems to be extremely "fanboy-ish"

LOL

 

[fisherking]

I don't want to start a war, but your comment seems to be extremely "fanboy-ish". Of course people know they don't own the software I don't even know why you say this. But even if we don't use the settings app frequently, its probably the most important app of an OS. You can't change it and use another one by default and you use it regularly so you have to deal with it so when a company decide to completely revamp it, I can easily understand why some people don't want to update or don't like the changes because some settings arent at the same place anymore and it can be confusing for a while. The new design feels like a cheaper version and unorganized compared to the older one.When its not broken, don't fix it.

If you like it, fine, but its easily understandable why some don't. There's also many tech related websites said this change was "questionable" and saying the settings app right now isn't ready and needed some work.

apple changes what it wants, and we adapt; that's just how it is. people can rant all they want (and they do, sigh), but the sooner you accept the new settings, the sooner you'll get used to it.

there will always be multiple points-of-view ('it's better', 'it's worse') but a discussion on a web forum isn't going to change anything.

it won't be confusing once you get used to it (and you can always you the search window in system settings, to find what you're looking for).

change requires learning, adapting. and human beings are (mostly!) capable of doing just that.

 

[GlenK]

Been using Ventura for a couple months now and really like the new settings better than the old preferences. Just took some getting used to.

 

[Stella]

Nope. It’s pure gore. Apple should take advantage of the extra screen space in the desktop.

 

[coffeecatt]

I like it. The fact that I can easily switch panes from the sidebar is a legit usability improvement.

I do understand that some things have moved around, but it’s not like there was any divine law behind why they were elsewhere previously. Most of the time if I need to find a setting and I’m not sure where it lives, I’ll just search anyway.

In general I feel that way about most UI changes. Unless it’s a significant regression in features, functionality, usability, etc. with no clear benefits, then I’ll get used to it in a week and move on. I survived the great Windows Control Panel -> Settings transition, this is nothing in comparison.

 

[Cram]

As an iPhone and iPad user, it makes complete sense to me. When I upgraded this morning, it was a pleasant surprise (No, I hadn't seen this thread before).

 

[Merkava_4]

I do not like it. I want System Preferences with the icons back.

 

[usagora]

I like it except it seems to be very laggy when switching between settings. I hope they fix this.

 

[philippe2014]

Why make it simple when you can make it complicated, frankly it was better before simpler more playful.
The imacs have become like packs of cigarettes we consume we throw away, ventura what's new good question??

 

[fisherking]

Why make it simple when you can make it complicated, frankly it was better before simpler more playful.
The imacs have become like packs of cigarettes we consume we throw away, ventura what's new good question??

i agree, it's far simpler now, as a list, with logical items under each setting, than it was in the previous system preferences 👍

 

[maxoakland]

how long is 'so far'? and why would anyone abandon a new OS because of the look of system settings... a place they will rarely visit? 🤔

There’s your problem: you think design is how something *looks* but in reality, design is how it *works*

The reason a grid makes more sense on a device with a mouse is that you don’t have to scroll… and scroll… and scroll… to find what you’re looking for

If people give up and use the search box, the design failed. And that’s exactly what I do on iOS except for the small number of settings I remember go somewhere specific

 

[fisherking]

There’s your problem: you think design is how something *looks* but in reality, design is how it *works*

The reason a grid makes more sense on a device with a mouse is that you don’t have to scroll… and scroll… and scroll… to find what you’re looking for

If people give up and use the search box, the design failed. And that’s exactly what I do on iOS except for the small number of settings I remember go somewhere specific

not a problem at all... since it *works*. the grid makes sense to you, i get that. but again, you'll get used to this, and one day it will seem perfect (or close enough).

once you configure the things you want to configure in system settings, how often will you need to return to it? 🤔

 

[bsmr]

Yes. Perfect!

 

[jasnw]

I dread it every time I am forced to go into Settings on any iMobileDevice. It always takes far too long to find where the setting is that I need to tweak, and often I need to go to more than one place to get something done. I've not yet moved to Ventura so I don't know whether they've managed to avoid this problem, but the rush to iOS-ify macOS seems to trample over such things as usability. Sure, I can google where to go in Settings to do what I want, but that just says that the interface is an abject failure.

 

[usagora]

There’s your problem: you think design is how something *looks* but in reality, design is how it *works*

The reason a grid makes more sense on a device with a mouse is that you don’t have to scroll… and scroll… and scroll… to find what you’re looking for

If people give up and use the search box, the design failed. And that’s exactly what I do on iOS except for the small number of settings I remember go somewhere specific

If I expand System Settings to my display's height, literally every icon is visible in the left pane--no scrolling required. And if I reduce the window size to half the display's height, one tiny scroll movement is all I need to get to the bottom of the list. So, no, it's not "scroll . . . and scroll . . . and scroll". I used the search box all the time in the old style System Preferences, so using your logic I guess the old design failed 😉 Of course, that's not true. The search function is there precisely to make System Settings/Preferences faster to use, especially for settings that are a few layers deep in the hierarchy.

Having said that, it WOULD be nice if Apple had multiple layout choices for System Settings (sort of like Windows has their "new" Settings view but you can still use Control Panel), because I don't see how that could hurt anything, but unfortunately they did not code that in at this time.

 

[PinoRavvit]

i literally want to tear off my eyes everytime i see the settings which is why i won't upgrade

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Surprised at how many times the new Settings breaks Apple's own human interface guidelines. Even the blue 'toggle' switches are different sizes in several instances.

I don't understand why they don't make use of the additional screen estate of a Mac display. The icons for each category are ridiculous, they are not only tiny but they're each stylised to look like an app icon, which makes absolutely no sense. It's as if Apple literally just ported the iOS settings framework and didn't bother optimising it.

 

[fisherking]

i literally want to tear off my eyes everytime i see the settings which is why i won't upgrade

this, again 🙄.

people who won't update their OS (you know, the thing that runs their apps, email, online life) because of the aesthetic change in system settings (which, i will say again, just takes getting used to).

so, you'll stay on your current OS... forever? since the settings will probably be much like this for years to come... 🤔

 

[aPple nErd]

No. While I understand that people like it because it’s so similar to IOS, that’s exactly why I dislike it. It speaks loudly as to what Apple plans to do with MacOS in the next few years. Let me just say this… if I want to use IOS on a large display, that’s what an iPad is for. I do not want a mobile OS running on my mac. MS tried this whole thing with Windows 8, and look how that turned out. As of right now, I plan on staying on Monterey. If Apple decides to move further towards making MacOS IOS next year, I may stay, I may go. I really only use my Mac as a media manager machine, and as a backup base for my iPhone. Everything else, I have a very capable Windows PC for. The only reason I even own a mac anymore is because I like some of Apple’s built in apps that I can’t run on Windows.

 

[fisherking]

No. While I understand that people like it because it’s so similar to IOS, that’s exactly why I dislike it. It speaks loudly as to what Apple plans to do with MacOS in the next few years. Let me just say this… if I want to use IOS on a large display, that’s what an iPad is for. I do not want a mobile OS running on my mac. MS tried this whole thing with Windows 8, and look how that turned out. As of right now, I plan on staying on Monterey. If Apple decides to move further towards making MacOS IOS next year, I may stay, I may go. I really only use my Mac as a media manager machine, and as a backup base for my iPhone. Everything else, I have a very capable Windows PC for. The only reason I even own a mac anymore is because I like some of Apple’s built in apps that I can’t run on Windows.

yes, it's terrible that the new system settings is similar to the ios settings; what is apple thinking? why make it easy for users of both OSes to move between devices?

there's so much whining on these forums (this is nothing new). 'why can't it be the way i want it?' is just... tiresome.

i use my mac to do things like email, online work; writing, organizing my projects... you know, important things. if i don't like something in the OS, that's life; apple (or microsoft, or whoever) cannot make every single person happy.

but some people here are determined to bankrupt apple, by refusing to upgrade their OS. that will show them 🤔

 

[aPple nErd]

yes, it's terrible that the new system settings is similar to the ios settings; what is apple thinking? why make it easy for users of both OSes to move between devices?

there's so much whining on these forums (this is nothing new). 'why can't it be the way i want it?' is just... tiresome.

i use my mac to do things like email, online work; writing, organizing my projects... you know, important things. if i don't like something in the OS, that's life; apple (or microsoft, or whoever) cannot make every single person happy.

but some people here are determined to bankrupt apple, by refusing to upgrade their OS. that will show them 🤔

Okay, but I’m not asking Apple to do it my way, I’m saying they should have just left it how it’s been for 20 years? The thread asks of peoples’ opinion on the change. Of course some won’t like it. Especially when a lot of people, myself included, didn’t see anything wrong with the old way. Not sure how I would be determined to bankrupt Apple when it’s a free update in the first place. End users are allowed to stay on a past version if they like it better just as they’re allowed to update to a new one if they prefer it. I happily stayed on ios 14.8 for a year because of CSAM.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

yes, it's terrible that the new system settings is similar to the ios settings; what is apple thinking? why make it easy for users of both OSes to move between devices?

Because they're separate devices with different input methods and screen sizes?

there's so much whining on these forums (this is nothing new). 'why can't it be the way i want it?' is just... tiresome.

Users have legitimate reasons to "whine".

• The Settings window isn't resizable and doesn't resize contextually.
• The category icons on the left are barely legible; they're too small and, for some bizarre reason, designed to look like app icons. They're a step back from the easy-to-see and clear icons of the previous Sys Pref.
• Apple breaks its own human interface guidelines in several instances.
• Wasted, dead space in many categories.
• Some features, especially those in networking, have been retired.

But you're right. Let's not complain.

i use my mac to do things like email, online work; writing, organizing my projects... you know, important things.

Congratulations. I do photo editing and design work for a living. That's important to me.

if i don't like something in the OS, that's life; apple (or microsoft, or whoever) cannot make every single person happy.

But they can fix bugs and make better design choices, no?