Quick Answer: The latest version of macOS is macOS 13.0 Ventura. Apple announced Ventura in June 2022 and launched it publicly on October 24, 2022. Macs released in 2017 or later are eligible for an upgrade.

If you haven’t updated your Apple computer or laptop in a while, you may wonder what the latest macOS version is. 

It’s important to keep your Mac device updated. An updated Mac can access Apple’s computer operating system’s best features, performance, and security. 

Security features and security measures are important right now. A Mac still running the older version of its operating system is at risk of getting hacked.

So, what’s the current macOS?

Short answer: The latest macOS version is Ventura

Apple announced Ventura at its WWDC conference in June 2022 and launched it publicly in October 2022.

So, what are the top features of macOS Ventura? How do you know if your Mac device is compatible with Ventura? And how do you download Ventura? Read on to find out.

What are the top features of macOS Ventura?

Short answer: There are many great features

Like any new version of macOS, Ventura has features that’ll radically improve how you use your Mac device. 

With macOS Ventura, you can use Continuity Camera to use your iPhone as a webcam. This works wirelessly and can leverage your ultrawide lens to show a split screen of your face and desktop.

You’ll also get Stage Manager, which lets you bundle groups of apps and treat them as browser tabs. You can stack them at the left of your screen, and selecting any group opens the apps it contains.

Mail now has modern conveniences like scheduling messages, canceling delivery, and reminders to return to a message later.

Messages also improve, including editing and undoing recently sent messages and recovering accidentally deleted ones.

Ventura also brings Live Text recognition in paused videos, new accessibility tools, a redesigned System Preferences, and the Weather and Clock apps from iOS are now on Mac.

Will my Mac work with macOS Ventura?

Short answer: Yes, if it was released in 2017 or later

If you own a Mac model released in 2017 or after, you can upgrade to macOS Ventura without any issues. Apple published a definitive list of devices compatible with macOS Ventura: macOS Ventura hardware compatibility.

Some features will only work with certain Macs that are getting the update.

Live Captions, Dictation emoji support, and Reference Mode with Sidecar are all limited to Macs running Apple’s M1 or M2 processors.

How to check if you have the latest version of macOS

Short answer: Click on “About This Mac“

Determining whether your Mac device runs the latest macOS version is easy. Just click the Apple logo in the top corner of your screen, and press “About This Mac” in the dropdown menu.

A small box will then appear on your screen, and if it doesn’t say macOS Ventura, your Mac is using an outdated operating system. 

How to update to the latest version of macOS

Short answer: Head to System Preferences > Software Update

Before you can update to macOS Ventura, you’ll need to ensure you have enough storage. For Macs running on macOS Sierra or newer, 26GB of free storage is required.

Meanwhile, older versions of macOS will need 44GB of free storage for you to upgrade to macOS Ventura successfully.

We’d also recommend checking that your WiFi connection is stable and backing up your files to the cloud before the update.

So, how do you perform the update?

Well, if your Mac runs on macOS Mojave or newer, it’s pretty simple: head into System Preferences and click Software Update.

To make things easier, here’s a step-by-step guide in getting your Mac up and running on the latest macOS. Before you update your macOS, it’s always a good idea to do a Time Machine backup of your Mac. Once that is complete, follow along below.

That’s it. Here’s the full guide on how to update your Mac to the latest version of macOS: How to update your Mac.

Apple continues to improve macOS

macOS continues to improve as the years go by, and Apple shows no signs of slowing down. Each major update to Mac brings new features, security updates, and more. The same goes for the latest build, Ventura.

Now publicly released, macOS Ventura boasts lots of exciting new features. You’ll want to update your Mac if it’s compatible.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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The post What’s the latest macOS? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Mac offers various handy shortcuts, one of which is CMD+Q. With the help of this shortcut, users can easily quit apps that are running.

We are humans, and we make mistakes, right? While working on a Mac, if you have ever accidentally quit an app, then you are not alone. It happens with most Mac users at least once a day.

One frequently used keyboard shortcut is CMD+W, which closes the active tab within an application. For instance, executing this command will close the current tab if you use the Google Chrome browser.

Now, have a look at the keyboard on your Mac; you will notice that the Q and W are set next to each other. Due to this reason, lots of people accidentally press Q instead of W and lose valuable work.

How to never accidentally quit apps on Mac again

Fortunately, there is a solution to avoid this issue, starting with a freeware program called SlowQuitApps.

SlowQuitApps is a handy Mac app that helps you avoid accidentally closing an app when you press Cmd-Q.

To use it, just set a specific time, and the app will only close if you keep pressing the button for that amount of time. This way, you can be sure you really want to close the app before it happens.

When you hold down the Cmd-Q keys together, a little countdown timer appears on your screen. If you let go of the keys before the timer runs out, the app won’t close.

Plus, you can tweak different settings in the app to make it work even better for you.

If SlowQuitApps doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, CommandQ is a good alternative. The only kicker is that it isn’t free. The app will set you back a one-time $9 fee.

In conclusion, don’t let accidental app closures interrupt your productivity on your Mac.

With SlowQuitApps and CommandQ and the helpful tips provided in this article, you can confidently use your keyboard shortcuts without fear of losing valuable work.

Go ahead and give SlowQuitApps or CommandQ a whirl – you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Do you force close and quit apps accidentally? What have you done to prevent that? Let us know in the comments.

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The post How to avoid accidentally quitting Mac apps appeared first on KnowTechie.

Quick Answer: To find a saved WiFi password on your Mac, you need to head to the Passwords section under Keychain Access. We’ll walk you through the process below.

When you attempt to join a new WiFi network, your Mac prompts you to enter a security key.

You only need to enter this password the first time you connect. But what happens when you eventually need to find your saved WiFi passwords on Mac?

Typically, macOS automatically joins known wireless networks using previously-stored keys. But occasionally, you might need to find that password.

If you need to know a forgotten saved password, you’re in luck. macOS stores security credentials in the keychain, which you can access at any time to extract the information you need.

Let’s discuss how to find and view saved WiFi passwords in macOS using Keychain Access and Terminal.

How to find saved WiFi passwords on Mac using Keychain Access

Here’s how to view saved WiFi passwords in the macOS keychain:

The above is going to be the best way to access your saved passwords on Mac, but you do have another, more complicated option.

How to find saved WiFi passwords in Terminal

If you simply can’t stand intuitive user interfaces, you can instead use Terminal to find WiFi passwords on Mac.

READ MORE: How to add a printer to Mac

To use this method, you’ll need to know the exact name of the wireless network whose security key you want to see.

Here’s how to view saved WiFi passwords in Terminal:

1. Launch Terminal via Applications > Utilities

2. Enter the following command, replacing “SSID” with your wireless network name, and press Return:
security find-generic-password -ga “SSID” | grep “password:”

3. Enter your admin username and password when prompted to show the security key in Terminal

Use Keychain Access to find forgotten passwords

While Keychain Access is great for finding WiFi passwords on Mac, it can also reveal your other saved application passwords. You’ll find most of the relevant entries in your login keychain.

Having a repository of saved passwords is handy when you inevitably forget all of those rarely-used app logins you’ll undoubtedly need to use again.

READ MORE: How to find saved WiFi passwords in Windows 11

Who needs a functioning memory when our gadgets can remember things for us? Soon, our brains will be obsolete. In truth, some of ours already are.

Bonus Tip: Password managers

Apple may have some impressive safeguards, but there’s no harm in investing in a password manager to keep your online accounts secure.

The best part? You don’t necessarily have to spend a dime. In fact, some of the best password managers out there are totally free of charge.

Check out our roundup of the best free password managers to find one that works for you. Don’t feel like jumping pages? Honestly, we get it. Here’s one of our favorites from the list: NordPass.

Editor's Choice

NordPass

4.5

Starts at $2.29

NordPass is our go-to choice for password management, it's sleek, user-friendly, and packs a punch when it comes to security. Sure, it's on the pricey side, but the peace of mind it brings is totally worth it.

Quick Verdict: NordPass offers strong security features and an easy-to-use interface with great business options. However, it's pricier than competitors, and the free version has limitations compared to others. Overall, it's still among the best choices available right now.

Who is it good for?:

• People who struggle to remember multiple passwords
• Useful for couples or families who need to share passwords securely and efficiently
• Businesses that prioritize strong security features and ease of use in managing password

Pros:

• Easy-to-use interface that only requires one master password
• Its data breach scanner and actionable password health report help users identify weak and compromised passwords
• Supports secure credential sharing

Cons:

• The free version has limitations
• It's a bit more expensive than some of its competitors

See Current Offer

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

Want to get the most out of your Mac?

You need to make sure your Mac is up-to-date to get the latest and greatest features.

How to update your Mac

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post How to find saved WiFi passwords on Mac appeared first on KnowTechie.

While Siri’s name and original default voice point to her being female, she’s the product of a different time, and Apple has been willing to let her evolve.

Let’s discuss how to enable Siri’s gender-neutral voice on iPhone and Mac.

How to enable Siri’s gender-neutral voice on iPhone

Here’s how to use Siri’s gender-neutral voice on iOS:

READ MORE: 4 of the best apps for freeing up space on Mac

If American accents aren’t your thing, you’ll either have to deal with it or settle for one of the more gender-full options.

But, perhaps, we’ll see Apple expand its voice collection in the future. But for now, only the American variety offers gender neutrality.

How to enable Siri’s gender-neutral voice on Mac

Here’s how to use Siri’s gender-neutral voice in macOS:

1. Go to System Preferences > Siri

2. Select American and Voice 5

READ MORE: How to change iPhone alert sounds and ringtones

Although Siri’s neutral voice is new, the AI assistant has been claiming genderlessness for some time now. If you do enquire about her gender, she clears up any confusion by comparing herself to a cactus.

Will Apple add more Siri voices?

If American gender-neutral Siri becomes popular, perhaps Apple will add similar options for different accents. Currently, the choices are limited to just one or two voices for most other varieties.

The difficulty may be in finding actors who actually sound gender-neutral, as the label can be rather subjective when describing someone’s voice.

Or perhaps we should just let the robots sound like robots and abandon human-like voices altogether.

READ MORE: How to add a printer to Mac

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post How to enable Siri’s gender-neutral voice on iPhone and Mac appeared first on KnowTechie.

Quick Answer: One of the quickest ways to type letter accents on Mac is to hold the key of the character you wish to modify. A menu with available options should appear. From here, click the character you wish to use.

If you’ve ever had to type a word and couldn’t figure out how to add letter accents on Mac, you’re not alone.

Moments of uncertainty can interrupt your workflow and leave you searching for answers.

Luckily, typing letter accents and other special Mac characters is simple in macOS once you know how. And you have several viable options. Some are swift, while others take additional time.

Let’s discuss several ways to type special characters on a Mac.

How to type letter accents on Mac

READ MORE: How to type an en dash and em dash on Windows and Mac

One of the quickest ways to type letter accents is to hold the key of the character you wish to modify, and a menu with available options should appear.

For example, holding the e key brings up: è, é, ê, ë, ē, ė, and ę. You can either click the character you wish to use or press the corresponding number key.

Learning the various key combinations is worth the effort if you use letter accents a lot.

Once your fingers familiarize themselves with the appropriate actions, adding accents becomes a normal part of typing.

How to type accents on Mac using key combinations

1. Hold Option and press the key that corresponds to the appropriate accent. For example, e=´, n=˜, u=¨, i=ˆ, and `=`

2. Release Option and press the letter you want to accent

You can only modify letters that normally have an accented version, which means you can’t go throwing a squiggly line over any old character.

With enough practice, accented letters soon flow onto the page like any other standard symbol.

Bonus Tip: Pressing Shift + Option + ? will type a ¿.

How to type special characters in macOS

If you’d prefer to see a complete list of accented letters and other special characters, the symbol viewer has the goods.

Using key combinations may be the quickest way to drop an accent on a character, but the symbol viewer provides a comprehensive list of all available options.

Letter accents and special characters are yours to command

You now have the knowledge to accent letters and type special characters on Mac without interruption.

Whatever technique you choose—swift fingers, button presser, or constant clicker—your workflow should improve, and moments of idle head-scratching should reduce.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post How to type letter accents and special characters on a Mac appeared first on KnowTechie.

Sometimes a simple minus symbol isn’t enough, and a longer en or em dash is more fitting for the occasion.

Generally, you can type most common symbols by hitting the right keys at the right time and, quite often, in the right order. Let’s discuss how to type en and em dashes on Windows and Mac.

How to type en and em dash on Windows

READ MORE: How to add a printer to Mac

When it comes to dropping dashes in Windows, you have several options. A simple key combination is the quickest method, or you can opt for Alt codes if you prefer to hit a few extra buttons.

And if all else fails, the character viewer can step in to save the situation. Let’s go over the options for Windows.

Using key combinations on Windows

Here are the key combinations for the en and em dashes on Windows:

Using Alt codes to type en and em dashes on Windows

Here’s how to type en and em dashes using Windows Alt codes:

Using character viewer

Here’s how to insert an en or em dash using the Windows character viewer:

1. Open the character viewer using Windows + Period (.) and click the Symbols button

2. Locate the En (–) or Em (—) dash and click to insert

Now, you are fully equipped with the knowledge to add all the dashes you want on Windows.

How to type en and em dash on Mac

In macOS, dropping dashes is as easy as hitting a few keys.

If you prefer to do things the hard way—or if your keyboard has malfunctioned—you can also use the character viewer instead. Let’s go over the options for macOS.

Using key combinations on macOS

Here are the key combinations for the en and em dashes on Mac:

Using character viewer to type en and em dashes on Mac

Here’s how to insert an en or em dash using the macOS character viewer:

Multiple ways to drop a dash

Dropping dashes is a great way to give your punctuation some style and flair. Key combinations keep it simple, while character viewers offer a more tedious alternative.

If none of the methods mentioned work for you, you could always try disguising a collection of minuses as the dash you want to drop—and hope that no one notices.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post How to type an en dash and em dash on Windows and Mac appeared first on KnowTechie.

That’s right, the “ergonomically terrible” touchscreen, derided by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs will be coming to Macs shortly. The report says the first touchscreen Macs could be for sale in 2025.

It’s a big about-face from Apple. The company spent the last decade telling anyone who wanted a touchscreen Mac to buy one of its iPad range.

Here’s a clip from 2016, with Craig Federlighi, SVP of Software Engineering at Apple, dismissing the idea by saying, “lifting your arm up to poke a screen is a pretty fatiguing thing to do.”

Apple’s thinking on touchscreen Macs has changed

We’d be skeptical if it were any other outlet or journalist reporting this news. Mark Gurman has built a reputation over the years, and if his sources say it’s in progress, we believe it.

Gurman does quantify things by saying, “a launch hasn’t been finalized, and the plans could change.” Still, the fact engineers are “actively engaged in the project” likely means it’s no longer a theoretical device.

What else does this news mean? It could mean that macOS will come to the M1 or M2-powered iPads.

After all, they will be running the same hardware, including touchscreens. The Mac operating system needs software changes to handle a touch-based interface.

Finger taps need larger UI elements compared to mouse cursor clicks. Gesture controls work well on the existing touchpad but could need tweaks for a larger surface.

That could open the door for Apple to segment its devices to compete with Microsoft’s Surface line.

The other factor is that Mac sales are surging, partly because of the power of Apple Silicon. The computer range has been outselling its iPad range in recent years.

That wasn’t the case for most of the years that Apple resisted adding touchscreens to the Mac.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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When it comes to putting your Mac to sleep or shutting it down, each option has a place and purpose.

No solution is superior to another in all situations. Your choice will depend on your schedule and device use.

Generally, you’ll want to put your Mac to sleep during the day when not in use and shut it down to rest and reset overnight.

Sleep and shutdown serve specific functions, so let’s discuss the features of each option.

Sleep vs shutdown – which is better for your Mac?

As we’ve mentioned, each option can offer benefits. But, if you want a more detailed explanation, continue reading below.

Advantages of putting your Mac to sleep

If you need to walk away from your Mac for more than a few minutes, we recommend putting it to sleep. A sleeping Mac will:

• Temporarily disable unnecessary hardware to save power
• Quickly wake to resume work
• Keep apps open and saved in their current states
• Use Power Nap to update iCloud services and macOS
• Utilize safe sleep to avoid data loss if Mac loses power

READ MORE: How to set sleep schedules on iPhone

The primary purpose of Mac’s sleep mode is to save power. Therefore, non-essential hardware — such as the display and hard drive — can power down when your device goes to sleep.

That helps keep energy consumption to a minimum.

Other components, such as the CPU, enter low power mode and continue to serve only necessary functions.

Because a sleeping Mac stores its current state in the device’s RAM, waking is a swift process, and, in most cases, you can resume work instantly.

READ MORE: How to quickly record your Mac’s screen

While shutting down forces all apps to close, sleeping allows them to retain their current states and resume on wake up.

However, applications that rely on internet access may experience a delay when reestablishing a connection.

Power Nap is a nifty feature that allows your device to sync to multiple Apple services. These include Mail, Calendar, and other iCloud services while sleeping.

When connected to power, your Mac will also download software updates and perform Time Machine backups.

Safe sleep is a Mac notebook feature that writes the current state of your computer to the hard drive in case of battery depletion while sleeping.

If your MacBook loses charge while asleep, safe sleep pulls information from the hard drive to resume the previous state and avoid data loss.

READ MORE: How to turn off Sleep Focus on iPhone

Because of this, sleep should be the default choice in most situations, but shutting down also serves a purpose.

Advantages of shutting down your Mac

If you’re done using your Mac for the day, we recommend shutting it down. A shut-down or rebooted Mac will:

• Install downloaded software updates
• Empty RAM for a fresh start

Keeping your Mac’s software up-to-date is paramount. Apple frequently releases important bug fixes and security patches, and delaying the installation of a new update could allow unavoidable issues to arise.

As well as restarting regularly, you should also consider enabling automatic updates if appropriate.

Clogged RAM can decrease system performance. While modern versions of macOS are quite good at managing memory, occasionally cleaning the slate for a fresh start will keep things running smoothly.

Should you put your Mac to sleep or shut it down?

Realistically, you don’t have to shut your Mac down every night, and letting it sleep while connected to power can be useful for downloading software updates during idle times.

However, shutting down regularly is a good habit to adopt and can help prevent minor issues from arising.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post Sleep vs. shutdown: what’s better for your Mac? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Apple has released macOS Ventura, the latest version of its desktop and laptop operating system.

One of the coolest features is Continuity Camera, which lets you use your iPhone as a webcam. You can also use the ultra-wide camera to do a dual-camera view of your face and your desk.

FaceTime now gets Handoff, so you can start a call on one device and continue on another. And Stage Manager gives you a new way to organize your workspace.

Safari now supports passkeys. Mail now allows message scheduling and other modern mail client features like rich links and AI-powered reminders. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Who is the macOS upgrade for?

Apple dropped support for many Intel-based Macs this year. MacOS Ventura supports Macs as old as 2017, so anyone with an earlier model will remain on macOS Monterey.

Keep in mind, some features will only work with certain Macs. For example, Live Captions, Dictation emoji support, and Reference Mode with Sidecar are limited to Macs running Apple’s M1 or M2 processors.

Here’s how to download macOS Ventura

If you’re updating a MacBook, connect it to power before you start. That is the real step one.

Now your Mac is on macOS Ventura, and you’re all set for it to stay automatically up-to-date as Apple releases new features and security updates.

Don’t see the macOS Ventura update?

If you don’t see a software update option in ‘System Preferences,’ click the Search field at the top-right corner of that window and type Software Update.

If you have an older version of Mac, open the App Store (you can also find it in the Applications folder) and check for updates by clicking on the Updates tab.

If you still don’t see it, you can always search for the update by name too.

If you’re worried about installing Ventura on your Mac, don’t be. With the easy-to-follow steps mentioned above, you can have macOS Ventura running on your machine in no time.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Think of it as a helper for your memory or your organizational skills. When installed, it indexes everything you work on, read online, type in chat apps, or say in video meetings.

Then it creates a searchable timeline, so you can always find those pieces of information, even if you can’t remember where you had seen them.

Rewind was created by Dan Siroker, of Optimizely fame, and Brett Bejcek. Here’s what you need to know.

This Mac app is the ‘search engine for your life’

So you know, only some Macs are going to be compatible. Rewind’s AI uses every single part of Apple silicon to create the searchable index.

That means you need a Mac with either an M1 or M2 chip; Intel Macs won’t be powerful enough.

All you have to do after installing is to use your Mac how you would normally. Rewind uses APIs to determine which app is focused on your Mac and then records the behavior from that app.

That could be your daily video conference with your workmates, your research on your browser, or creating files in cloud services. Rewind takes note of everything and creates a timeline you can search.

Those recordings never make it off your Mac, with all the processing done locally using the power of Apple Silicon.

Users can pause or delete recordings anytime or exclude sensitive apps like password managers from being recorded.

Rewind is currently in early access. You can sign up on their website to get access once the company increases availability to more users.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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