Apple’s latest desktop operating system, macOS Ventura, includes a redesigned settings menu. How to quickly navigate through the brand new menu.
macOS Ventura is a relatively minor upgrade to Apple’s desktop operating system, but it brings with it a new System Preferences menu that takes some getting used to, even for seasoned Mac users. At this point, macOS has matured into a solid desktop operating system, leaving only room for marginal improvement. The most impressive feature of macOS Ventura seems to be the Continuity Camera, which allows users to use their iPhone camera as a webcam. However, not every user will make use of this feature. But at some point every macOS user will need to access the System Preferences menu to make changes, so knowing how to navigate the new menu is important.
As the operating system evolved, there were many changes to macOS. Ever since Apple brought its own silicon to the Mac in 2020, a shift began that could define the platform over the decade. The company turned around to make the Mac more like its mobile devices, and that was reflected in the software. Apple added a Control Center to the Mac’s menu bar, a staple of iOS. It added features like battery health and support for iOS applications. Before this shift began, the original System Settings menu had remained essentially the same for over a decade. That has now changed with the introduction of a new system settings menu that feels both familiar and different.
At first glance, it seems like Apple’s System Preferences on macOS Ventura is just a redesigned version of the old System Preferences menu. This is not the case as the new system settings menu moves, adds and removes certain settings options. For example, an advanced Network Settings feature in System Preferences allowed users to create a preferred hierarchy of their wireless networks. Users could choose their preferred networks so the Mac would join the correct network when multiple networks were in range. On macOS Ventura, this feature has been removed. Although many settings are the same on macOS Ventura, users may encounter issues where settings are moved around or are missing entirely in the latest software.
The System Settings menu on macOS Ventura is visually similar to the Settings menu on iOS devices. This is an exciting decision as Mac displays typically don’t do very well with vertical applications. Therefore, when a user opens the System Preferences menu found by clicking Apple > System Preferences in the menu bar, they will encounter an oddly familiar menu. All of the different settings tabs are in a sidebar on the left that looks like the main screen of the iOS settings menu. Users can scroll down the sidebar to find the section they are looking for and click on it to view its settings.
The best way to navigate System Preferences on macOS Ventura is the search bar at the top of the Preferences window. Just enter a few keywords in the search bar and all related setting options will appear. This is crucial as the organization of the System Preferences menu is inappropriate for the Mac. Because of the window’s vertical aspect ratio, which cannot be resized horizontally, settings can be difficult to find, and important settings are buried under less important ones. This is because the Printers and Scanners tab is the last one in the list of tabs, below tabs like Game Center and Screen Time. system settings macOS Ventura appears to be buggy on startup, but users can quickly find the settings they need by using the search function.
Source: Apple Support
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