Apple released macOS Monterey on 25 October 2021 and it is currently in version macOS 12.0.1. 

Apple has been at work on macOS Monterey 12.1 ever since and on 7 December it released the Release Candidate, suggesting that the final version will be available for all very soon.

macOS 12.1 release date

macOS Monterey 12.1 will probably be released simultaneously with iOS 15.2 which is also in development and will add many of the same new features.

We expect that both updates will arrive in the next week.

What’s coming in macOS 12.1?

The macOS 12.1 update will allow Apple to bring some of the previously announced features that didn’t make it into Monterey to Mac users, of which there are a few.

One of the most eagerly awaited and as yet unavailable features is Universal Control, which will make it possible to use the same mouse or trackpad to select your Mac screen, type on your Mac with the keyboard, and then select your iPad screen with the same mouse and type there. However, we don’t expect that to arrive in macOS 12.1.

It does look like at least one of the new features promised when Apple announced its plans for macOS Monterey in June 2021 will be making an appearance.

Shareplay

Shareplay will make it possible for a group of people to watch series and movies together on their different devices and at their different locations. The macOS 12.1 beta suggests that it will soon be available on Macs.

SharePlay works with Apple TV and Apple Music and support for other services is expected, although third-parties will be responsible for adding it.

iCloud+ Hide My Email

Another new feature that appears in the macOS 12.1 beta relates to iCloud+.

When sending an email you will be able to hide your own email address. Instead the iCloud server will creates an alias for you so you don’t need to share your address, similar to how it works when signing in to Apple in some apps. If the recipient responds to such an anonymized mail, iCloud the answer to the original address.

iCloud subscribers will be able to use Hide My Email from within the Mail app on their Mac following the update.

Legacy contacts

It will be possible to specify contacts who will be able to access your accounts in the event of death. This will make it so much easier for relatives or friends to access digital photographs and other personal content.

It will also possible to specify who should be able to help access an account in the event of a forgotten password. This feature is called Account Recovery Contacts.

Apple Music Voice Plan

Apple announced a cut price version of Apple Music back in October, but until now there was no sign of it. That’s about to change – the service appeared in the public beta on 7 December. It’s half the price of the usual subscription to Apple Music at £4.99/$4.99 per month, but there are some limitations and you’ll be completely reliant on Siri to control playback. You can expect this subscription service to arrive with the next update to Monterey.

Bulk rename or delete tags

It will be possible to rename or delete all your tags in the Reminders or Notes app.

Graphics card support

It seems that macOS Monterey 12.1 will add support for AMD’s Radeon 6600XT GPU.

Bug fixes

Apple has also fixed some bugs in existing functions in the beta. For example, saving the Safari extensions locally did not work for some extensions, and some people were experiencing YouTube crashes while playing HDR video. Both of these issues are addressed in the update.

The update also address a MagSafe charging problem experienced by some new MacBook Pro owners, and an issue with charging a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro when connected to an external display. An issue with an unresponsive trackpad is also addressed.

Those who have a 14in or 16in MacBook Pro will find that items in their menu bar are not obscured by the notch.