If you own a MacBook laptop or Mac desktop computer you’ll want to go checking today to see if you are getting one of the biggest free updates in years from Apple. The tech giant has just released macOS Sequoia into the world, the newest version of the Mac’s operating system – and there are several big upgrades that could improve your day-to-day computing, particularly if you also own an iPhone.

macOS Sequoia is the twenty-first official version of Macintosh software since 2001 when the famous computer firm first started using its ‘OS’ branding. The best thing about the update is it’s totally free for eligible computers and you can download it today.

Though macOS is a very mature operating system, meaning updates these days don’t tend to change too much, there are several useful and thoughtful new additions to the latest update that are worth adding to your MacBook, Mac mini, iMac or Mac Studio or Mac Pro machine if you want all the latest Apple tech goodness.

One thing to note is that Apple Intelligence, Apple’s new set of AI features, won’t hit your Mac until later this year, possibly in December – that’s when it’s coming to iPhones.

For now, the best new macOS feature is called iPhone Mirroring, and it lets you display your iPhone’s screen on your Mac. This lets you display your entire iPhone as a moving window, letting you run apps, check your notifications, and generally use your phone as if you were holding it.

“macOS Sequoia, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is available today as a free software update for Mac,” Apple said. “macOS Sequoia brings exciting new features, including iPhone Mirroring, which expands Continuity by enabling access to and control of iPhone directly from macOS.”

Because the Mac and iPhone are connected already thanks to Apple’s iCloud tech, you can already do things such as access your iMessages from your phone using the Mac’s Messages app. But only now can you use all your apps and services right there on your MacBook’s screen without having to get your iPhone out of your pocket or bag. It’ll be very handy for keeping your focus on one screen while still being able to access your phone, and look at apps on your Mac that aren’t available in the Mac app store.

Your iPhone’s notifications can also now appear natively in the Mac’s notification system. This link is also interactive, and you can drag and drop files, photos and videos between your Mac and iPhone.

This should improve how you can multitask on your Mac, which is also aided by another cool update called window tiling. The advantage of a large computer screen is being able to run several apps at once, but things have always been quite manual on MacBooks until now. With window tiling, you can now drag a window to the edge of your screen and the system will let you snap it into a half or quarter of the display and fill the rest of the screen with other programs. This is (whisper it) quite like Microsoft Windows but is a quick way to get working on two things at once without having to switch between apps.

If you have a modern iPhone you might also be enjoying the new iOS 18 which has a brand new Passwords app – and with macOS Sequoia and Mac has it too. This app does what it says on the tin, storing all your logins and password information, letting you look it up or having it autofill the information into the correct fields when you log into an app or website you already have credentials for. It can also help you create strong unique passwords rather than just reuse that easy-to-guess, insecure one you’ve been using for years.

This works well in Apple’s Safari browser, but it’s good to see Apple concede that some people use the Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on their Macs – a Passwords app extension is available for both these browsers.

The Notes app is a widely used app across all Apple devices and it particularly shines on the MacBook with the latest macOS update. You can now add audio clips and recordings directly to a note, really useful for remembering quick thoughts or bits of information. Likewise, the addition of collapsible sections within headings and subheadings means you can make long notes more digestible and interactive. It’s high time the Notes app was a bit more powerful, and we’re glad to see Apple taking, ahem, note.

These are our highlights of the new macOS Sequoia update, but there are also upgrades to the Calculator app, Calendar, Photos, and the system will play nice with AirPods updates that let you answer a call by nodding or reject it by shaking your head.

macOS Sequoia is available now as a free download for the following Macs and MacBooks: