Apple updates macOS Monterey to version 12.3 with Universal Control

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in macOS edited March 2022
After two months of testing, Apple has released macOS Monterey 12.3 to the public with Universal Control, security upgrades, and other fixes.

macOS Monterey
macOS Monterey


The public release of the update to macOS Monterey to version 12.3 introduces a few feature changes, with the main addition being Universal Control, accompanied by a raft of new Emoji, among other changes.

Universal Control

Originally introduced ahead of the release of macOS 12 but yet to make it to a public release until now, Universal Control aims to improve a user's workspace by effectively allowing a keyboard, mouse, and trackpad connected to a Mac to be used on a nearby iPad.

Far from providing an extra screen like the existing Sidecar function, Universal Control instead lets users work on the iPad and its installed apps with their Mac-based peripherals. The feature also works automatically, detecting nearby devices and enabling the cursor to transition between the Mac and iPad display as it meets the edge of the screen.





Along with cross-device peripheral control, the feature also inherits the Universal Clipboard's features, in that files and content can be transferred between the devices automatically. While this does make for a more seamless work environment, users still have to be mindful of the limitations of each platform, such as not being able to simply drag a file onto the iPadOS homescreen like they would in macOS.

Universal Control requires all devices to be running iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3 or later on respective hardware to work. All devices also need to have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Handoff turned on, and to be either placed within 30 feet of each other, or connected via USB.

Other Features and Improvements

  • Matching changes in iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, 37 new emoji are included as part of Unicode 14.0.
  • Depreciation of kernel extensions used by Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox.
  • Fixes a Bluetooth battery drain issue from macOS 12.2.
Mac users can download macOS Monterey 12.2 via the Software Update section within System Preferences, which can also be accessed by clicking on the Apple logo in the menu bar, selecting About This Mac, then Software Update. The build number for this release is 21E230.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    mobirdmobird Posts: 759member
    In the headline and first paragraph - Monterey 12.3.
    Last paragraph - Monterey 12.2.

    I'm confused... :*
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  • Reply 2 of 10
    killroykillroy Posts: 294member
    mobird said:
    In the headline and first paragraph - Monterey 12.3.
    Last paragraph - Monterey 12.2.

    I'm confused... :*

    Looks like some one jumped the gun on 12.3. Oops 12.3 just pop up on download updates.
    edited March 2022
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  • Reply 3 of 10
    foregoneconclusionforegoneconclusion Posts: 3,001member
    What are the odds that UC might get expanded to devices that connect to iPadOS? Using Apple Pencil as a non-pressure sensitive point/click device would have some value.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 10
    tokyojimutokyojimu Posts: 537member
    The word is “deprecation”, not “depreciation”.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 10
    MacPromacpro Posts: 19,873member
    For me on numerous Macs I've tested, Apple products e.g. Photos, Preview, and Finder, can't understand Sony A7IV RAW images, either compressed or uncompressed. They can't even access the preview image. I expected this to be solved in macOS 12.3 but it doesn't seem to be unless I am missing something.  Meanwhile Adobe RAW and Capture One have no such issue.  The A7IV is one of the best cameras in the world and has been out for quite a while now, this seems very strange.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 10
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,189member
    I understand and appreciate all the additions to the various OS's. Certainly a large number of people using them are creative people, and they find these additions useful and helpful in carrying out their work or however else they use their devices. Apple's assistive technologies are important features to make their device useable by people with different abilities.

    But a day doesn't go by where my Apple device does something strange or unexpected, and I tell myself "what made it do that?" What the OS's need is "moron mode" where one can turn all this off so as to be able to never trigger what is a feature, but is perceived by a user to be a bug. My new MBA running monterey will occasionally open all tabs on Safari while I am scrolling. I have no idea why. It is likely some control i have no idea how to turn off.

    A family member needs Messages to display full screen on the iPad and Mac. This is not available, but you sure can multitask. Old people (like me) need to be able to see what they are doing, not do many things at once. 
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  • Reply 7 of 10
    willettwillett Posts: 27member
    I’m running the same new versions of MacOS and iPadOS mentioned, but contrary to this video, I DID need to do setup before it worked.  Specifically, I had to go into System Preferences->Displays->Universal Control button.  Then check the box ”allow your cursor and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad” and click “Done’.  Until doing that, the cursor just stops at the edge of screen, no indication anything isn’t set correctly, and no switch over to the iPad.  That is, as downloaded, MacOS 12.3 has Universal turned off.

    After that it is as smooth as claimed in the video.  I’m typing this from my Mac Mini keyboard, “on” the iPad.  This is truly an amazing new capability that is really convenient.
    edited March 2022
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  • Reply 8 of 10
    welshdogwelshdog Posts: 1,925member
    Sometimes I think Apple spends all this time and effort developing things like Universal Control for no reason other than to crete an enticement to upgrade hardware. Does this new feature actually have a broad potential user base? Or is it just a FOMO generator to poke the easily manipulated into buying a new iPad or Mac?
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  • Reply 9 of 10
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,484member
    eightzero said:
    I understand and appreciate all the additions to the various OS's. Certainly a large number of people using them are creative people, and they find these additions useful and helpful in carrying out their work or however else they use their devices. Apple's assistive technologies are important features to make their device useable by people with different abilities.

    But a day doesn't go by where my Apple device does something strange or unexpected, and I tell myself "what made it do that?" What the OS's need is "moron mode" where one can turn all this off so as to be able to never trigger what is a feature, but is perceived by a user to be a bug. My new MBA running monterey will occasionally open all tabs on Safari while I am scrolling. I have no idea why. It is likely some control i have no idea how to turn off.

    A family member needs Messages to display full screen on the iPad and Mac. This is not available, but you sure can multitask. Old people (like me) need to be able to see what they are doing, not do many things at once. 
    What do you mean? Messages of course is full screen on iPad as that's the default behavior, and it works fine in full screen mode on Mac. 
    edited March 2022
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  • Reply 10 of 10
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,484member
    welshdog said:
    Sometimes I think Apple spends all this time and effort developing things like Universal Control for no reason other than to crete an enticement to upgrade hardware. Does this new feature actually have a broad potential user base? Or is it just a FOMO generator to poke the easily manipulated into buying a new iPad or Mac?
    Why would it make people buy newer hardware unless it also had a broad potential user base? 
    killroy
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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