Useful macOS Big Sur Features You Might Not Know

[MacRumors]

macOS Big Sur has been out for about a month now, but macOS releases never get quite as much attention as iOS releases, so there may still be some features that you're not aware of. In our latest YouTube video, we rounded up some useful but lesser known macOS Big Sur tips that are worth checking out.

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• AirPods Auto Switching - With macOS Big Sur and iOS/iPadOS 14, your AirPods will swap automatically to the device that you're using at the current time, with no need to manually change the device you're using them with. AirPods will work with iPhone, iPad, or Mac you're actively using and listening to audio on. It mostly works, but this feature seems to sometimes be buggy.
• Drag and Drop Menu Bar Icons - If you open up the Control Center, you can click and drag on any of the options to add it to the menu bar. So if you want Do Not Disturb to have a one-click menu bar toggle, just drag it to the menu bar from Control Center. This works for Now Playing, AirDrop, DND, and more.
• Enhanced Voice Memos - When you use Voice Memos in Big Sur, there's a new option to automatically reduce background noise and echo with a single click, useful when you're recording lectures or meetings. You can also use Smart Folders for improved organization.
• 4K YouTube Videos - YouTube videos can be watched in 4K HDR in macOS Big Sur because the OS supports YouTube's VP9 codec. Note that 4K YouTube options are going to be limited to newer Macs by default, but there's a trick to enable them on older Macs. Enable the Develop menu in Safari settings, select Experimental Features, and make sure both VP9 Decoder and VP9 SW Decoder on Battery are enabled.
• Resize Widgets - macOS Big Sur has a new widget interface, and if you right click on any widget that has sizing options, you can choose a new size.
• Silent Notifications - On any incoming notification in the Today center, if you right click you can select "Deliver Quietly." This setting will prevent future notifications from that app from popping up on your screen, but you'll see them in the notifications list.
• Message Effects - Messages in Big Sur is a lot more like the Messages app on iOS devices. You can use Message Effects to enhance messages, find GIFs and insert photos. Just click on the little "A" on the left of the text bar to see a dropdown list of the options.
• Disable Tinting - Want a Dark Mode that's even darker or a Light Mode that's brighter? That's possible if you turn off window tinting. Open up System Preferences, choose General, and uncheck "allow wallpaper tinting in windows." With this disabled, windows won't be affected by the wallpaper that you're using.

For more on macOS Big Sur, we have a detailed roundup with all of the features, plus a features guide highlighting what's most important, and a guide that has 50 must-know features.

Article Link: Useful macOS Big Sur Features You Might Not Know

 

[MacAddictPM]

Your forgot the prolonged boot feature. 😀

 

[Steve121178]

I wouldn't know as Apple yanked support for my late 2013 MBP as Apple's fabulous QA testing missed the mass bricking of systems bit.

Edit:

I'd love to know why people have given me a thumbs-down because I can't update my MacBook Pro to Big Sur.

My MacBook Pro late 2013 model was on the original list of supported machines.

 

[SirChristopher]

AirPods auto switching works peeerfectly between my iPhone X and iPad Pro, but only works maybe 20% of the time switching with my 2015 iMac. And even when it does connect automatically, I still have to manually select AirPods as the preferred audio output from the Music app. Anyone else having this issue?

 

[Rochy Bay]

I won't know until i install it. First let's fix the million bugs.

 

[dogslobber]

Big Sur will likely be the best and fastest macOS for M1 devices. Given the iPhone and iPad experience, M1 devices will slow to a crawl due to OS bloat and mandated obscelence.

 

[adrianlondon]

Resize Widgets

Didn't know about that. Thanks!

 

[Apple_Robert]

That is a rather lengthy plug for Sophos towards the end.

Voice memos is something I need to try. I wonder if it works better than dictating to Apple Notes.

 

[Joniz]

Right-clicking notifications. I’m sure the large majority of people who don’t hang out at tech sites will figure that one out.

And you forgot #9: you can actually run latest GarageBand. That’s why I have Big Sur.

 

[FaustsHausUK]

Wouldn’t know because apparently nobody who makes music software/hardware is capable of delivering compatibility updates.

 

[BaltimoreMediaBlog]

What if the VP9 Decoder and VP9 SW Decoder are not on the list of Safari Experimental features to enable 4k YouTube Video?

 

[Rocko99991]

Missing feature-Revert back to fast, stable OS.

 

[pdaholic]

My MacBook with BigSur refuses to stay connected to my AirPods for more than a second. Other devices on ios14 work great.

 

[posguy99]

Missing feature-Revert back to fast, stable OS.

That's supposed to be difficult?

 

[chris4565]

I personally really like this style of video. Short, precise, useful. I love it.

 

[posguy99]

That's the best list people can come up with for installing Big Sur? Still no reason to bother, then. The "Features Guide" is overall just sad.

 

[alexandr]

regarding airpods auto switching... it works well, except that when i'm watching something on youtube on my computer while playing a game on my phone. when ad ad plays - it switches to my phone. wtf? i get that it would switch for an incoming phone call, but if i'm already watching a video, perhaps i'd like that to stay this way?

 

[posguy99]

regarding airpods auto switching... it works well, except that when i'm watching something on youtube on my computer while playing a game on my phone. when ad ad plays - it switches to my phone. wtf? i get that it would switch for an incoming phone call, but if i'm already watching a video, perhaps i'd like that to stay this way?

Can you at least disable it? I won't be bothering to replace mine after the left side one finishes dying but it seems like a feature to make sure is OFF.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Can you at least disable it? I won't be bothering to replace mine after the left side one finishes dying but it seems like a feature to make sure is OFF.

Yes, you can turn off auto switching.

How AirPods device switching works in iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur

With the arrival of their latest firmware update alongside iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and, soon, macOS Big Sur, AirPods have gotten even easier to use with multiple devices. Here's what you should know about

www.imore.com

 

[posguy99]

Yes, you can turn off auto switching.

Good. Have done. Thank you.

 

[alexandr]

Can you at least disable it? I won't be bothering to replace mine after the left side one finishes dying but it seems like a feature to make sure is OFF.

you can, but i'd like to use this feature - it would be very convenient, if it worked just a little better...

 

[ghanwani]

since we've covered the features, we now need a "macos big sur bugs and weirdnesses you might not know". haha

 

[d7d19285f0bd48]

The only "tip" or "trick" I have done to fixe one of the most horrible UI decisions (one of many) in Big Sur is fixing the menu bar. Specifically,

1) Take a screenshot of your desktop with all icons turned off.
2) Open screenshot in Preview and replace the menu bar with a "white" rectangle".
3) Set new desktop as edited screenshot.
4) Profit!!! Solid menu bar!!!

(Also fixed some icons....

 

[ghanwani]

.

I'm thinking I should set my password to your username.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

AirPods auto switching works peeerfectly between my iPhone X and iPad Pro, but only works maybe 20% of the time switching with my 2015 iMac. And even when it does connect automatically, I still have to manually select AirPods as the preferred audio output from the Music app. Anyone else having this issue?

Older Macs don’t work as well unfortunately since they are on BT 4.0. Mine works about 80% of the time but with a 10 second delay.