These six apps gained smaller features in macOS 27 Golden Gate, though two of them close gaps that have annoyed people for years.
Freeform on the Mac
The Freeform app now supports drawing tools, just as many iPhone and iPad apps have done for years (click the Add Drawing button on the toolbar). You can also add folders to organize your boards (click the Folder button on the toolbar), and each folder can be shared with others (hover over the folder name, click the More button, and choose Share). When sharing boards or folders, Freeform may suggest recipients based on the contents of what you’re sharing. In addition, Freeform now supports Dark Mode.
Image Playground on the Mac
The Image Playground app, which lets you alter or create AI images in various styles using a text prompt, now has a much simpler interface. Instead of making you choose a style from a menu, for example, you simply describe exactly what you want. You can also describe changes, and the image adjusts accordingly.
iPhone Mirroring
Previously, the iPhone Mirroring app had only three sizes: Small, Actual Size, and Large. Now, you can resize it by any arbitrary amount, either by dragging a corner with your mouse or by using the zoom controls (View > Zoom In or Zoom Out, ⌘-+ and ⌘-– (minus), respectively).
In addition, you can now, finally, access Control Center on your iPhone from iPhone Mirroring—choose View > Control Center or press ⌘-4. And you can even watch copy-protected videos (such as those from Apple TV) on your iPhone while using iPhone Mirroring.
Journal on the Mac
The Journal app now automatically adds a time stamp to new journal entries, rather than just a date. It also raises the attachment limit (though Apple doesn’t say by how much).
Podcasts on the Mac
When you’re watching a video podcast in Podcasts, there’s now a Hide Video button beneath the progress bar that does just that (while keeping the audio going); bring back the video by clicking Show Video.
Safari on the Mac
Safari has three notable new features, all of which rely on Apple Intelligence:
- Automatic tab grouping: If you go to Safari > Settings > Tabs and choose Automatically Create Topics from the “Organize tabs” pop-up menu, Safari examines the contents of each page and groups them by similarity, reducing the amount of space taken up by open tabs. Click a group to expand its contents.
- Notify Me: Safari can now monitor a webpage and let you know when it changes. To set a notification, click the Page button in the address bar and choose Notify Me. Describe the type of change you’re looking for (such as a new news article or a change in a particular number), click Edit to adjust when and how often Safari should check, and click Done.
- Describe an extension: Can’t find the extension you need? Safari can create a custom extension for you on the fly. It syncs to your other devices via iCloud but can’t be shared with anyone else. To create an extension, click the Page button in the address bar and choose Describe an Extension.
