Apple releases first macOS Sonoma beta to developers

June 5, 2023

2 min read

Apple on Monday announced macOS Sonoma, the next major update to the Mac operating system. It comes with multiple enhancements, such as a new Game Mode, desktop widgets, and aerial screen savers. Now the company is rolling out the first beta of macOS Sonoma, or macOS 14, to developers.

macOS Sonoma

“Apple today previewed macOS Sonoma, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, bringing a rich set of features that elevate the Mac experience. Stunning screen savers and powerful widgets unlock an entirely new way to personalize,” the company said.

For gamers, macOS Sonoma introduces a new Game Mode that takes full advantage of the Mac’s hardware when the user is playing games. The new mode “delivers an optimized gaming experience with smoother and more consistent frame rates, by ensuring games get the highest priority on the CPU and GPU.” There’s also a new API to let developers port Windows games to the Mac.

And just like iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, iMessage on macOS Sonoma comes with a bunch of new features. This includes emoji tapbacks and a new emoji stickers interface. The little-used iMessage apps have also been hidden away behind a sub-menu, for a cleaner and simpler overall design.

How to download the beta

Developers can now try out macOS Sonoma by enrolling their Mac in the Apple Developer Program. More details on how to get the beta update can be found on the Apple Developer website. Apple says that macOS Sonoma will be released for everyone this fall, while a public beta is expected to be released by July.

macOS Sonoma is compatible with Macs from 2018 and later.