When deciding what kind of computer to purchase, Mac is a great choice because of many reasons. First of all, Macs are efficient and durable, which ensures that these computers will serve you for years if you take proper care of them.
Secondly, many people value Mac computers because Apple invests a lot of time and budget into innovation, both external and internal. And in 2020, many fans are happy to try out the new macOS Big Sur.
As with each new macOS that Apple releases, Big Sur has a unique design element, new sounds, and the latest features. Some of the features enhance your Mac’s performance, and some make it easier to use the computer. Think of this article as a 2020 review of macOS Big Sur, which covers the neat features that both recent and veteran Macbook users can look forward to experiencing.
Feature #1: A New Control Center Approach
It is a little surprising that Apple didn’t do this earlier since iPhones and iPads have had a Control Center like Big Sur’s for years now. And many iPhone users would agree that it is very comfortable to use because it includes anything you may want to access quickly, like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, Sound, Display, Do Not Disturb mode, and other items.
To preview the new Control Center, just look at the top right corner of your screen, and you will see an icon with a couple of dots in it next to the magnifying glass icon. Click on it, and you will be viewing the new control centre.
Feature #2: Control Center Items and the Menu Bar
If you want to have quick access only to certain Control Center items, for example, Keyboard Brightness, you can drag them straight to the menu bar that is located on the left side of the new Control Center.
Separating a specific item from the entire Control Center menu will give you faster access to other options because they will no longer be hidden.
Feature #3: Quick Widget Resizing
Widgets are also available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPad Pro, but they could be more interactive than they are now. Although this year, with macOS Big Sur, Macs now have resizable widgets.
Because of the feature of resizing widgets, you can quickly navigate from less detailed widgets to mode detailed ones. To do so, you need to press Control and click on the Trackpad if you are using a MacBook or right-click on a widget if you are using an iMac or Magic Mouse. Here, you can choose between Small, Medium, and Large size widgets.
Feature #4: Notification Management
The Notification Center has been renewed with the new macOS as well. The latest feature is that notifications are now sorted and stacked by apps, which is an excellent approach taken from iOS and iPadOS.
Thanks to the new feature, notifications now are easier to manage and less chaotic. More to it, now you can take action on a certain notification by simply right-clicking it and choosing to Deliver Quietly or Turn Off.
Feature #5: Accent Colors
Big Sur comes off as a very colorful macOS version. Although, you can change it by clicking the Apple icon in the upper left corner, choosing System Preferences, and clicking on General.
In the General menu, you will be able to change the appearance, choosing from Light, Dark, and Auto modes. You can also modify the colour accent to the one you prefer, which will change up the whole look of macOS Big Sur. Also, you can modify the highlight color and sidebar icon size.
Feature #6: Wallpaper Tinting in Windows
On the same General menu where you can spruce up the color accents to your taste, you can also disable the wallpaper tinting in windows. This will help avoid apps sort of blending into the wallpaper, especially when using the dark mode.
To disable wallpaper tinting, just uncheck the box next to the option “Allow wallpaper tinting in windows.”
Feature #7: Safari Customization
One of the key updates to macOS Big Sur is Safari, and it’s new customization features. When you open Safari, you will see a new icon at the top right corner of the browser window; it is the Customization icon. It lets you enable and disable tab categories, such as Favorites, Frequently Visited, Privacy Report, Siri Suggestions, Reading List, and iCloud Tabs.
More to it, Safari customization options even allow you to add a background image to each tab. Apple has worked quite a lot on the Safari browser this year, and apart from customization of tabs, Safari also runs a lot faster than it used to.
Feature #8: Battery Usage History
Another great feature for you to explore on macOS Big Sur is the stats of battery usage history. Here, you will view the current battery level, when it was last charged to 100%, and other insights.
To view battery usage history, click the Apple icon at the top menu, click System Preferences, and choose Battery.
Rudhra Nandu