Apple today released macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1, bringing the first Apple Intelligence features to Macs like Writing Tools, new Siri features, Smart Replies, and more. Additionally, macOS 15.1 adds a handful of welcome tweaks and improvements to existing Mac features.

Here’s what you can expect from the first major macOS Sequoia update after downloading and installing the update (System Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update). Note that Apple Intelligence features require Macs powered by Apple Silicon.

Drag and drop support for iPhone mirroring

One of the most anticipated iPhone mirroring features in macOS 15.1 is drag and drop support. After updating to the new software, you will be able to drag files from ‌iPhone‌ to Mac and vice versa.

‌iPhone‌ mirroring makes it easy to transfer files between devices, even when the ‌iPhone‌ is locked and charging. With an iPhone running iOS 18.1, you can drag files, such as photos, from your Mac directly to the Photos app open on your ‌iPhone‌, and they will be transferred instantly. For PDFs, open the Files app and drag the document from your Mac to the ‌iPhone‌. Transferring files from ‌iPhone‌ to Mac follows the same process: just drag the file to the desired location on the Mac.

New low power mode toggle

Low Power Mode is a long-standing battery-saving feature of the iPhone‌ and was introduced to the Mac with macOS Monterey. Since then, it has remained hidden in the system settings, but in macOS 15.1, Apple simplifies access by adding a low power mode toggle to the Battery menu for MacBook users, allowing it to be turned on or off with just two clicks.

The battery icon also turns yellow when low power mode is active, like on iOS. It’s worth noting that some advanced settings, like automatically enabling low power mode when unplugged, remain in the system settings. When enabled, Low Power Mode optimizes the system to save power by slightly reducing performance, suspending background tasks, reducing screen brightness, and capping screen refresh rates. ProMotion display at 60 Hz, if applicable.

Writing tools

Apple Intelligence

You can select any text on your Mac and use Apple Intelligence to access writing tools for summaries and other features. The proofreading feature scans your text for spelling and grammar errors, providing suggestions for word choice and improving sentence structure. You can quickly accept all recommendations or review them individually with accompanying explanations.

If you want to refine your writing style, the rewrite feature allows you to adjust the tone without altering the main content. You can choose from options like Friendly, Professional, or Concise to tailor your message to your target audience.

Additionally, the update introduces versatile synthesis features. You can select text and generate concise summaries in different formats, including paragraphs, key points, lists, or tables. This feature integrates seamlessly with apps like Mail and Messages, making it easier to distill and share written information.

Improved Siri

Apple Intelligence

The Siri window now offers greater flexibility, allowing you to position it anywhere on their screen. A new responsive light animation provides visual feedback, indicating when Siri is actively listening without disrupting ongoing tasks.

If you prefer to type, the Type to Siri feature is quickly accessible by pressing the Command key twice, and it now includes suggested requests. Siri’s enhanced contextual awareness also allows you to ask follow-up questions without repeating previously established information.

The update also brings more natural language processing capabilities. Siri can now better understand and interpret you if you stumble over your words or change direction mid-sentence, making interactions more conversational and less rigid.

Finally, Siri’s knowledge base has been expanded to include comprehensive information about Apple products and support, so you can learn about device features and settings. Siri can even locate specific settings even if you’re not sure of their exact names.

Smart replies and mail summaries

Apple Intelligence

To facilitate faster responses, Mail and Messages now include a Smart Reply feature. This intelligent system offers quick contextual responses based on the content of messages received, allowing you to respond quickly with minimal effort.

In Mail, a new summary button lets you quickly distill the content of incoming emails, providing concise, at-a-glance overviews. This feature also extends to multiple message notifications and your Mail inbox, where brief summaries replace the first few lines of each message. Mail also prioritizes urgent communications by automatically elevating them to the top of your inbox.

Photo Cleanup Tool

Apple Intelligence

With macOS Sequoia 15.1, Apple is bringing a powerful new feature to the Photos app called Clean Up. Using advanced object detection algorithms, this editing tool can automatically identify potentially unwanted objects in your images, allowing you to remove them effortlessly.

At the same time, users maintain full control over the editing process, with the ability to manually select objects to be deleted by clicking, circling or flicking them.

You can zoom in on images to meticulously remove small blemishes or imperfections using brush strokes. Notably, Clean Up is designed to preserve the integrity of primary topics like people, even if they are inadvertently selected during the editing process.

Transcription summaries

Apple Intelligence

In macOS Sequoia, Apple added a transcription feature to Notes that lets you capture audio recordings and automatically generate a text transcription of the content.

In macOS Sequoia 15.1, the feature also provides a concise summary of transcribed text, providing a quick overview of the recorded material. Transcription is useful for recording lectures and meetings as it ensures no important details are missed, while adding a summary provides a quick reference for key topics, action items or main points discussion.

Focus modes

Apple Intelligence

A new focus mode dedicated to reducing interruptions filters all but the most important notifications, ensuring you only see the ones that need your attention.

When customizing or creating a new Focus mode, there is a new option to enable Smart Breakthrough and Silence. This feature allows critical notifications to pass through while muting less important ones, similar to how the Reduce Notifications focus works.