What's new with macOS Sequoia's System Settings

AppleInsider

Apple has refreshed the System Settings app of macOS Sequoia, with tweaks to how it looks and performs. Here's what to expect.

System Settings has changed in macOS Sequoia

Apple used its WWDC 2024 keynote to introduce macOS Sequoia, alongside its other operating system upgrades. Shortly after the keynote, Apple made betas available for all of the operating systems.

While features like Apple Intelligence will claim the most column inches, there are still some smaller changes to the way macOS functions. That includes alterations to the System Settings app.

Many of the changes AppleInsider raised in a late May report actually made it into the new version.

This is what Apple has changed to the System Settings between macOS Sonoma and macOS Sequoia.

Apple ID to Apple Account

Originally surfacing in March, Apple was rumored to be shifting its account branding from Apple ID to Apple Account. It was thought that the change was to make it easier for users to more immediately understand what it was.

In the System Settings app, that change has now taken effect. While macOS Sonoma showed the user's name then the words "Apple ID," that's now altered to show "Apple Account."

It's a small change, but notable.

Sidebar Shuffle

The biggest difference for System Settings is that Apple has shuffled around the positioning of items in the sidebar. This does make it slightly difficult to find things if you're used to Sonoma placements, but everything's still findable.

For a start, the network and connectivity trio remain at the top, joined by a shifted-up Energy Saver and a broken-out VPN section.

macOS Sonoma's System Settings [left], and in macOS Sequoia [right]

The Notifications, Sound, Focus, and Screen Time block is now further down the listings, but still grouped together. Instead, General, Appearance, Accessibility, and Control Center shift up in place.

That group is joined by the Desktop & Dock, Displays, Screen Saver, and Wallpaper segments, with the Notifications block following after that.

Privacy & Security drops down to join other related items, including Lock Screen, Login Password, and Users & Groups.

Siri & Spotlight goes down to join Internet Accounts, Game Center, and Wallet & Apple Pay, but now in separate Siri and Spotlight sections.

At the bottom is the peripherals section, including Keyboard, Mouse, Trackpad, Game Controllers, and Printers & Scanners.

Password changes

If you're heading to System Settings to change your passwords, you won't have that much luck in macOS Sequoia at all. While there was previously a Passwords section in System Settings, Apple has now moved it to its own dedicated Passwords app.

The macOS Sequoia Passwords app

The app has a more user-friendly interface than macOS had previously for the function, with Reminders app-style sections to the left and an option to easily share passwords with Family members.

Not all password elements are now in the Passwords app, though. There is still a section within System Settings for managing the Login Password, as well as if the Apple Watch can unlock the Mac for you.



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dewme

What is under the "General/Device Management" selection?

appleinsideruser

Does Keychain still exist? They tried to discourage us from using it this year, but I find is so easy and familiar, compared to awkward Passwords (in Sonoma).

TravisV

the macOS Sequoia Passwords app is one of the best features coming to Sequoia. Hopefully it won't be to buggy by the fall. Ay least I can then get rid of my iPassword app and subscription.

jony0

TravisV said:

the macOS Sequoia Passwords app is one of the best features coming to Sequoia. Hopefully it won't be to buggy by the fall. Ay least I can then get rid of my iPassword app and subscription.

I've used 1Password for a decade and have been looking at macOS' forward progress for a few years now to get rid of that subscription as well. Their last revisions are going backwards and less useful, especially since they've introduced their useless 'Suggestions' and insist on defaulting to it. I used to get to my bank account with only 2 clicks but it gradually takes more and more with every revision and now it takes 7 clicks. The dropdown in Safari is no longer resizable, the passwords of many websites are no longer filed in, etc.

CheeseFreeze

appleinsideruser said:

Does Keychain still exist? They tried to discourage us from using it this year, but I find is so easy and familiar, compared to awkward Passwords (in Sonoma).

In a way, ‘Passwords’ is simply a visualization of the keychain, both the one in Sonoma and Sequoia.

appleinsideruser

CheeseFreeze said:

appleinsideruser said:

Does Keychain still exist? They tried to discourage us from using it this year, but I find is so easy and familiar, compared to awkward Passwords (in Sonoma).

In a way, ‘Passwords’ is simply a visualization of the keychain, both the one in Sonoma and Sequoia.

Thanks. Good to know that for now, it's still in Sequoia

netrox

When there are bugs, most of the time, it is the website causing the bug, not the manager. The website HTML should have clear semantics to provide the login credentials. Some HTML code are confusing password managers due to improper HTML structure or the paranoia of IT techs that think somehow the password manager is a bad thing so they put code that block password managers or autofills. It's a huge no no. I always send feedback to those websites and warn them that it's a security risk as it only motivates users to create easy passwords when they're denied the ability to automatically generate hard to guess passwords. 




  

CheeseFreeze

netrox said:

When there are bugs, most of the time, it is the website causing the bug, not the manager. The website HTML should have clear semantics to provide the login credentials. Some HTML code are confusing password managers due to improper HTML structure or the paranoia of IT techs that think somehow the password manager is a bad thing so they put code that block password managers or autofills. It's a huge no no. I always send feedback to those websites and warn them that it's a security risk as it only motivates users to create easy passwords when they're denied the ability to automatically generate hard to guess passwords. 

This! It’s extremely annoying when developers don’t properly label UI fields as ‘username’ and ‘email’ (so simple!) or use custom UI solutions that render the login forms in such a way that password managers struggle to understand what is going on. 

MacPro

I cloned one of my Macs' 1TB boot drive, an M2 Mac Studio Ultra, with Carbon Copy Cloner, and then upgraded it to Sequoia on June 10th. I've been using it ever since, and honestly, I'd forgotten I had. Everything just works. Initially, I looked for AI-type things but never came across any of the new things mentioned. I did see the new travel smart category in Photos, but that's about it. I assume there are AI features, but I have not found anything.  Adobe CC all works, as does everything else I've tried, including Parallels running Windows 11 ARM.