100% spot on. I still have no idea where anything is in the new prefs, which would be fine if search was good, but it isn’t and there are so many things it can’t find.
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macOS 15 System Settings to Get Design Overhaul
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100% spot on. I still have no idea where anything is in the new prefs, which would be fine if search was good, but it isn’t and there are so many things it can’t find.
One thing I think could be done to improve it on iOS is strip out all the app-related settings. Each should be available from a Settings item on the shortcuts menu displayed by long pressing an app’s icon on the home screen or App Library. By definition, even apps like Safari and Mail don’t belong in Syatem Settings now you can choose a replacement.
Exactly. And similarly, what does, "priority and overall importance" mean? Priority when? During system setup? When I am connecting to a new monitor or other device? Or when some new notification has annoyed me for the last time?
It seems odd to have to say this explicitly but System Settings should be organized by concepts that would make sense to a typical end-user and that they could remember. The exception would be something where the UI/UX needs to put certain things all in one place to grab for the users attention in a 'this is important and I need you to focus for a minute' and 'eat your brocilli' sort of way (security comes to mind).
The previous System Preferences wasn't perfect in this way starting with the name. It would have made more sense (to me) to catagorize some items as system settings and some as preferences. And to your point I still to this day have to check General versus several other settings catagories (shifting somewhat between OS version) when looking for the setting I want to tweak even though I know what it is just not where I saw it last...
Does anyone know if Apple has fixed Print Presets (not being saved)? I had to wipe Ventura and reinstall Monterey because I could not print reliably, and haven't dared to upgrade again.
They should stick to that theme for the entire OS. I don't know, call it Aqua, something so good you'll want to lick it.
Me too. I can’t remember the exact problem, but I had a friend call me a couple of years ago before the redesign. I was driving down the road and he had some complicated problem about the sound or volume something. I just remember from memory while driving I could tell him how to fix it which involved diving multiple levels deep into sys prefs, and the reason I could do that is because everything has pretty much stayed the same going back to the Aqua days...
Compare that to today when (for reasons related to reading) I change the time it takes for the screensaver to start. and-every time-I have to remember that I don’t adjust the screen saver time in the screen saver settings. oh no. but to adjust a screen saver setting I have to go, get this now, to a different section that is not in the screen saver section.
I think to myself, how can a multi-trillion dollar company make decisions like that? production lines for making millions of iPhones and global shipping and regulations etc etc I admit I'm an ignorant clueless person. But the cooperate management that lets a choice like "we're going to make a setting for screen savers go in another section not called screensaver" lol
More seriously, I think it reflects the two stories (if they are accurate): when Jobs died at the funeral a workbench table was used that Jobs and Ive would spend hours at every day looking at details of the products… and supposedly when the Watch was made Cook only came to see its development a handful of times. Jobs: turning off his phone and hiding in the development area for hours a day. Cook: going to see a product in an entirely new line a few times over the course of years.
I hate current System settings UI. Why do Apple steer macOS towards iOS? On a Mobile screen, sub menus are necessary because of the size. But what's the point in having same UI on a 13-27" screens? When you have so much screen real estate, there is enough space to display settings at once.
Apple is not alone in this strange implementation of mobile UI on computer screens. Two of the largest banks in Sweden has done the same. All of a sudden I do have difficult to use it fast as I could do before. I am sure that they have spent millions to make it like this. As private customers are using mostly mobile apps, it works well. But as an entrepreneur using a notebook is easier. And their website sucks. All because, web interface looks more like mobile app.
Apple is not alone in this strange implementation of mobile UI on computer screens. Two of the largest banks in Sweden has done the same. All of a sudden I do have difficult to use it fast as I could do before. I am sure that they have spent millions to make it like this. As private customers are using mostly mobile apps, it works well. But as an entrepreneur using a notebook is easier. And their website sucks. All because, web interface looks more like mobile app.
Every time I interact with that app I want to punt my Mac through a plate glass wall. The old app wasn't perfect by any means, but holy snot is the current iteration ever a few steps back right into the stone age. I'd rather change my settings with a bare PCB covered in unlabled jumpers and DIP switches than that thing.
Unfortunately, based on what's reported here, I doubt these changes are going to be anywhere near drastic enough to fix the issues.
Unfortunately, based on what's reported here, I doubt these changes are going to be anywhere near drastic enough to fix the issues.
Looks more professional then Apples kids icons now
That was what happened with the change in Ventura
Hopefully they just go back to the SysPrefs design from before
"too big to care" and "shareholder value". I do think one thing that set Jobs apart was that he really did not think about share price (could be wrong). Anyway, Cory is always on point here:
System Settings, like all other iPhoneOS to macOS apps, is a complete disaster. With System Preferences you could just see everything at once, now you need to scroll all the time and you still can’t find what you’re looking for. Apple always said that iOS and macOS are different because you use the devices different. THEN WHY BEING THOSE IOS APPS TO THE MAC?
Please Apple, get rid of System Settings and being back System Preferences and Make The Mac Great Again!
Please Apple, get rid of System Settings and being back System Preferences and Make The Mac Great Again!
I saw your message before the edit, but didn't want to reply on my phone. I have run into the issue of inability to write from HME addresses. It's funny, I made a ton of HME addresses and am now moving away from them.
Perhaps the cost to operate HME is why the setting is tucked away? This is the only reasoning I can muster as to Apple's UX flow/decision.
+1 for multi-window support on System Settings, as well as most other apps without it.
I've said it before with iOS, but Apple should just make or buy a password manager at this point. I can already hear the antitrust screeching, but Google and Samsung offer native password management. macOS has Keychain Access, which covers the basics already. This password manager app could offer HME generation easily. It could also notify users of sites adopting Sign in with Apple, to expand the user base further for that sweet walled garden lock-in.
I need security updates without UX being changed. I'm an adult and I do work with my devices to make money and pay for all this kid garbage because there's no better alternative. Do better people.
Just hide all the panels, im unable to find anything but using the spotilight search box to find even “sound”
I have to use the search feature to find what I'm looking for now. Current application is a disaster.
Dumping all the 'about this mac' info in there was a weird decision too, at best it's an extra click to get to, at worst the visualisation is now worse than before due to the fixed size settings window
I’m using Mac’s since 1992, and I really don’t like the direction of the evolution of macOS. I don’t like the full screen mode and I hate the new system settings.
I hope apple returns from this mistake.
I hope apple returns from this mistake.
The new System Settings is pretty bad but I've gotten used to the nonsensical arrangement. The only thing they really need to fix is all the absurd horizontal scrolling that makes it unusable with any mouse other than the Magic Mouse.... and it's still stupid even with a Magic Mouse.
Priority and importance according to whom? Certainly not the user. I constantly access Sound settings since macOS stopped keeping user prefs for L-R balance for my AirPods Pro. Every time I connect, the balance resets to default and I have to reset to accommodate my one-sided hearing loss. This was not a problem before macOS 14 and has become my most-used setting. My priority for my system and my needs has been demoted according to Apple's definition of priority, a very un-Apple approach to the user experience.