Apple seeds release candidate beta build of macOS Big Sur 11.2

Apple's betas are made available via the Apple Developer Center for participants in the Developer Beta program, though hardware already using beta software can also perform an over-the-air update. Public beta versions of the developer builds are usually issued a short time after the developer version, and can be acquired from the Apple Beta Software Program site.

The release candidate version follows the second beta, issued on January 13, while the first was provided on December 16. Version 11.1 was released to the public on December 14.

The first beta didn't seemingly introduce any notable new features, lending itself to the suggestion that Apple was using it as a performance and bug fix release. The second beta does offer a more detailed error message when users attempt to sideload an iOS or iPadOS app, which Apple has attempted to block.

Other fixes are included in the release notes:

• External displays may show a black screen when connected to a Mac mini (M1, 2020) using an HDMI to DVI converter
• Edits to Apple ProRAW photos in the Photos app may not save
• iCloud Drive could turn off after disabling the iCloud Drive Desktop & Documents Folders option
• System Preferences may not unlock when entering your administrator password
• Globe key may not display the Emoji & Symbols pane when pressed

Both AppleInsider and Apple strongly suggest users avoid installing betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, due to the potential for data loss or other issues. Instead, the recommendation is to install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of important data before making any major changes.

Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at [email protected].