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The macOS Big Sur public beta is now available

You can try out big updates to Messages, Maps, Safari and more.

Apple

If you’ve been eager to get your hands on the next big macOS update without having to run a developer build, now’s your chance. The public beta of macOS Big Sur is now live.

Apple has redesigned many aspects of the OS this time around, and it has described Big Sur as the biggest upgrade since it introduced Mac OS X. You’ll get to try out significant updates to the likes of Messages, Maps and Safari. The latter includes biometric sign-in options for website sign-ins, along with 4K HDR support for Netflix playback. Apple has overhauled the Notifications Center with support for more customizable widgets, while the new-look Control Center takes its cue from iOS.

As ever, since this is a beta, there’s an element of risk as there might be some bugs. So be sure to back up all of your data before installing it.

macOS Big Sur
macOS Big Sur (Apple)