You must try these 4 features in macOS Sequoia 15.1

Although macOS Sequoia 15.1 is a point release, it brings some useful features that Mac users have been excited about since WWDC 2024. So, once you update your Mac to this build, be sure to check out these new additions.

Writing Tools is one of the Apple Intelligence features to help you enrich your writing in macOS Sequoia 15.1. Use the writing tools to quickly review text or overwrite highlighted text to change its tone. You can also use it to quickly summarize and organize selected text.

If you frequently send emails or work on documents, writing tools can greatly speed up your workflow and allow you to refine your draft with just a few clicks. The best part? You can use and access the writing tools in any app – it’s not limited to Apple apps.

To use the writing tools, highlight the text you want to edit or edit, Management-click on the selected text and select Writing tools. From the menu that appears, choose whether you want to adjust the tone, summarize the text, or edit it.

Note that like the other Apple Intelligence features announced at WWDC 2024, you can only access the typing tools on Apple Silicon Macs with the system language set to English (US).

2 Redesigned Siri

macOS Sequoia 15.1 improves Siri and gives it a fresh new look. You can drag and drop the Siri window anywhere on your Mac display. Plus, you can use “Type to Siri” instead of speaking. This is useful when you’re using your MacBook in public and don’t want to attract unwanted attention by talking into the computer.

Apple Intelligence also makes Siri smarter than ever. It can better understand natural language and process your commands, even if you fumble for certain words. Siri’s contextual awareness has also improved significantly; he can now understand follow-up questions without straining as before.

Apple’s voice assistant can now also help you with problems you may encounter on your iPhone, Mac or other Apple products. These simple but important changes make Siri much more useful than before.

3 Reduce Interruption Focus Mode

Like iOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1 introduces a new Reduce Interruptions focus mode that supports Apple Intelligence. As the name suggests, it limits unwanted notifications and prioritizes only the important ones to reduce distractions.

Limiting interruptions Focus mode is fully customizable so you can choose apps and people whose notifications will always scroll through. Otherwise, Focus mode uses Apple Intelligence to analyze the content of notifications and only inform you if it’s important.

Tap to activate the Reduce Interruptions focus mode Apple logo on the menu bar go to System Settings > Focusand select Reduce interruptions.

In addition to limiting interruptions, you should also use the notification summary feature in macOS Sequoia 15.1. Summarizes stacked notifications so you can quickly scroll through them at a glance.

4 Drag and Drop files when using iPhone Mirroring

iPhone Mirroring is one of the best features of macOS Sequoia. It allows you to wirelessly mirror your iPhone’s screen to your Mac. Even better, you can use your iPhone from your Mac, including running all your apps and games.

With macOS Sequoia 15.1, iPhone Mirroring is even better. Now you can wirelessly transfer files between your Mac and iPhone (and vice versa) with a simple drag-and-drop gesture. This is much more convenient than using AirDrop on your Mac, especially if you often use iPhone Mirroring.

You don’t need to enable any other settings to take advantage of this new addition. Open the appropriate app on your iPhone and drag the file from your Mac to the mirrored window. So, to transfer an image, open the Photos app on your iPhone through the mirrored window, then drag the image file from your Mac into it. For PDFs and other documents, you can open the Files app on your iPhone and perform the same gesture.

There are a few other small additions in macOS Sequoia 15.1 worth checking out, like the new Low Power Mode toggle and Apple Intelligence features like the Clean Up tool in Photos and Smart Reply in Mail.