At this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple officially introduced macOS High Sierra, the newest macOS update. macOS High Sierra is not a huge software update, as it only comes with small changes and improvements. That doesn’t mean that it’s not worth our attention.
macOS High Sierra includes a lot of little things that add up to a better user experience. However, some of macOS High Sierra’s new features are hidden from our sight and may be unknown to many folks. With that in mind, we have created a list of the best macOS High Sierra features.
For some background, Apple officially released the final build of macOS High Sierra to all users worldwide following months of beta testing. The update is still rolling out to Mac owners, so it may arrive later than expected on your device.
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Apple File System
With macOS High Sierra, Apple has removed the company’s HFS+ format in favor of a modern File System. Apple File System (APFS) runs on a 64-bit architecture, is secure and highly optimized for the current storage systems. Apple’s new File System also features native encryption and crash protection.
Apple’s decision to switch to a 64-bit File System has been widely welcome by users and tech experts worldwide. This is a wise move on Apple’s part, as its HFS+ format turns 20 years old this year.
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Better Safari
Apple’s web browsing platform tends to get better every time Apple releases a new software update. In macOS High Sierra, Safari received a handful of features and improvements, thus making your web browsing experience less painful.
Apple says that Safari has seen a huge performance boost in macOS High Sierra. Apple’s web browser is now faster and smarter than it used to be in macOS Sierra. Safari also includes a new auto-play blocking feature that automatically blocks those annoying auto-play videos while browsing the web.
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Intelligent Tracking Prevention
With macOS High Sierra, Apple poured a lot of love into Safari. The company’s web browser also features Intelligent Tracking Prevention, a long-awaited feature in macOS. The feature serves as Apple’s latest effort to cut back on ad-tracking.
Intelligent Tracking Prevention is not something new out there, as we have already seen some similar features on Android. To enable the feature, open Safari on your Mac > Preferences > Privacy and check the box next to “Ask websites not to track me”.
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Messages in iCloud
One of the highlights of macOS High Sierra is the Messages on iCloud feature. Basically, the feature allows you to sync all of your messages to iCloud, so you can access them across all your devices.
This comes in handy, as it helps you better manage your messages across your devices; you can delete old messages or conversations to free up some space on your Mac.
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Photos app
The Photos app received a mass improvement in macOS High Sierra, with the introduction of two new pro-level tools and Live Photos editing options. Besides, there are also improvement to face recognition and Memories.
Face recognition now can better recognize faces, mainly thanks to Apple’s new neural networks, while Memories section now includes support for a wide range of events, like birthdays, outdoor activities, weddings, and more.
Also read: Unable to connect to Wi-Fi in iOS 11? Here is the fix
Got any questions? Let us know in the comments below.
