Apple's macOS Monterey release candidate beta is now available

By Malcolm Owen

As Apple inches ever closer to a final public release, it has offered the 11th beta and release candidate of macOS Monterey for testing by developers.

The newest builds can be downloaded via the Apple Developer Center for those enrolled in the test program, or via an over-the-air update on devices running the beta software. Public betas typically arrive within a few days of the developer versions, via the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The eleventh round arrives after the last beta on October 13, and round 9 took place on October 6. Apple is expected to release macOS Monterey sometime in the fall, presumably to coincide with new MacBook releases, but has yet to confirm when that will be.

The list of changes for macOS Monterey includes Siri Shortcuts, AirPlay to Mac, Focus modes, a system-wide Quick Note feature, and Universal Control with other Apple hardware. On app-specific changes, there's Live Text support for Photos, SharePlay for iMessage, and grid views and Spatial Audio support for FaceTime.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly recommend users avoid installing betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, due to the small chance of data loss or other issues. Instead, testers should install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to make sure there are sufficient backups of important data before updating.

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