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5 Things to Know About the macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 Update

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4 years ago

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Apple’s pushed its macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 update to Mac users.

macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 is a point release which means it brings a small list of changes to Macs. macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 is a security upgrade and it doesn’t have any known features or fixes on board.

Note, if you try and upgrade to macOS Monterey via the Software Update section in your Mac’s Settings, you will likely see macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 before you see macOS Monterey.

With that in mind, we want to take you through everything there you need to know about the macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 update and its release for your Mac.

In this guide we’ll take you through the macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 update’s performance, the current list of macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 problems, the best places to find feedback about macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 problems, and more.

We’ll start out with some quick impressions of macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 update’s performance on Mac.

macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 Review

If your Mac is currently running macOS Big Sur 11.6, macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 still requires a fairly large download. The exact macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 download size varies based on your Mac model and the version of macOS its running.

If your Mac is running macOS Big Sur 11.6, the installation should take less than 15 minutes to complete. It took around 13 minutes on a MacBook Pro (2017).

For more on the macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 download and installation, take a look at our guide.

We’ve been using the macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 update on a MacBook Pro (2017) for several days now and here’s what we’ve learned about its performance thus far:

Connectivity

  • Battery life is currently stable.
  • Wi-Fi connectivity is fast and reliable.
  • Bluetooth is working normally.

App Performance

  • Third-party apps including Twitter, Slack, Asana, Gmail, Chrome, and Spotify are working fine at the moment.
  • First party apps like Safari and Podcasts are also stable.

Speed

  • macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 feels as fast as macOS Big Sur 11.6 did.

If your Mac is struggling on macOS Big Sur 11.6, or an older version of macOS, you might want to install macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 on your Mac today.

If you need help making a decision, check out our reasons to, and not to, install the macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 update.

macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 Problems

The macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 update is causing problems for some Mac users.

We’re hearing about installation issues, UI lag, issues with first and third-party apps, abnormal battery drain, Wi-Fi problems, lockups, freezes, and crashes.

If you decide to download the macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 update, and you encounter bugs and/or performance issues, here are a few resources that could help.

Before you get in touch with Apple, check out our fixes for the most common macOS Big Sur problems. We’ve also released a guide that will show you how to fix macOS Big Sur battery life problems.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for in our guides, head over to Apple’s discussion forums. If they can’t help you, you might want to get in contact with Apple Support via Twitter or with customer support via Apple’s website.

If you still can’t fix your issue(s), you might want to schedule an appointment to see a Genius at your local Apple Store.

macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 Update: What’s New

macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 is an extremely small update. Apple says it includes security updates for Mac and you can read about those over on the company’s security site.

You Can Downgrade from macOS Big Sur 11.6.1

If you run into problems on macOS Big Sur 11.6.1, you can downgrade your Mac’s software back to an older version if you think that might help.

There is no time frame for this to expire so if you decide you need to go back, it’s fairly easy to do if you are prepared. Here’s our guide to downgrade and it will help you understand the process and make your move.

What’s Next

It’s unclear when we’ll see the next version of macOS Big Sur.

macOS Big Sur 11.6.1 could serve as the final version of Big Sur though Apple may continue to update the operating system with new security patches throughout the year.

Apple’s also released its new macOS Monterey operating system and the software is available to download right now if you own a compatible Mac.

The company won’t force you to install macOS Monterey on your Mac so if you want to stay put on macOS Big Sur you can do so. That said, if you want the latest features and bug fixes, you’ll need to upgrade to macOS Monterey.

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