Less than a month ahead of WWDC, Apple has released macOS Sonoma 14.5 update to all compatible Macs, likely the last update before we get our first look at macOS 15. There are a few new features in the update but it’s mainly filled with performance and security fixes.
macOS 14.5: Release notes
Apple’s release notes for macOS Sonoma 14.5 state that the update includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- Quartiles is a new and original daily word game that is now available in Apple News+
- Scoreboard in News+ Puzzles gives you access to new player data for Crossword, Mini Crossword and Quartiles, including stats and streaks
Apple notes that some features may not be available for all regions or Macs.
macOS 14.5: New features
The only known new features for macOS 14.5 are for News+ subscribers. There is a new game called Quartiles that joins the Crossword and Crossword mini games in the Puzzles section. The iOS 17.5 update also includes a new Scoreboard that shows stats and streaks as well as an offline mode that still gives you access to the Today feed and News+ tab when you don’t have an internet connection, so it’s likely the macOS update 14.5 includes those features as well.
macOS 14.5: Bug fixes and security updates
The Sonoma 14.5 update includes nearly two dozen security patches, including several that may lead to arbitrary code execution. Additionally, Apple has also fixed the following issues that affected some users:
- Users might not be able to approve or decline a FaceTime link call because notifications might not be received on the caller side for them to accept or decline the call.
- macOS might launch the wrong version for (Designed for iPad) apps after double clicking the icon or after building from Xcode.
macOS 14.5: How to install the update
Here’s how to install the update on your Mac:
- Go to System Settings
- Go to the General tab, then Software Update.
- Tap Update Now next to macOS 14.5
- Follow the onscreen prompts
- Restart your Mac
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.