5 Things to Know About the macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 Update

Apple’s pushed a new macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 update to Mac users and it’s available to download right now if you own a compatible model.

macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 is a small point upgrade for the company’s macOS Sonoma operating system. It brings an important bug fix to Mac devices.

If your Mac is still lingering on macOS Ventura or an older version of macOS, this is the version of macOS Sonoma you’ll see if you decide to move your Mac to the operating system.

With that in mind, we want to take you through everything you need to know about Apple’s macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 update for Mac right now.

We’ll highlight macOS Sonoma 14.3.1’s changes, provide you with some thoughts about the software’s performance, go over the current list of macOS Sonoma problems, and more.

We’ll start with a quick look at macOS Sonoma 14.3.1’s performance.

macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 Review

The macOS 14.3.1 Sonoma download is fairly big so you’ll need to plan accordingly.

The exact size of the download depends on your Mac model and the version of macOS it’s currently running. If you’re running really old macOS software, the download will be substantial.

After the download finishes up, you’ll need to initiate the installation process and it should take around 10 or so minutes to complete.

For more on the macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 download and installation, take a look at our guide.

We’ve been using macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 on a 16-inch MacBook Pro (2023) for a few days now and we haven’t run into any trouble thus far.

Here’s how the software’s performing thus far:

macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 Battery Life & Connectivity

• Battery life is stable, we haven’t noticed any abnormal drain
• Wi-Fi connectivity is fast and reliable
• Bluetooth is working normally

App Performance

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

Speed

• macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 feels fast and we haven’t run into any UI lag, random reboots, or freezes

If your Mac is struggling on macOS Sonoma 14.3, or an older version of macOS, you might want to install the macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 update on your Mac today.

If you’re feeling leery about a move, we’ve put together a list of the best reasons to, and not to, install the latest version of macOS Sonoma 14.

macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 Problems

We haven’t noticed any problems on our Macs yet, but some users are complaining about unstable Wi-Fi, broken Bluetooth, abnormal battery drain, and problems with various first and third-party applications.

If you run into issues with macOS Sonoma 14.3.1, here are a few resources that could help.

Have a look at our list of fixes for the most common macOS Sonoma problems. If your Mac’s battery life is struggling, check out our fixes for macOS Sonoma battery life problems.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for in our guides, head over to Apple’s discussion forums. If the users there can’t help you, you might want to get in touch with Apple via its website.

If you still can’t fix your issue(s), you’ll probably want to schedule an appointment at your local Apple Store.

macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 Features

Apple’s point updates (macOS x.x.x) usually bring under-the-hood improvements to Mac users and that’s what macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 brings to Mac devices.

The company says the software delivers a fix for an issue where text may unexpectedly duplicate or overlap while typing.

The update doesn’t bring any new features or security patches to the operating system.

macOS Sonoma Downgrade

If you run into problems on macOS Sonoma 14.3.1, you might try moving your Mac’s software back to an older version.

If you’re interested in moving back to older software, have a look at our downgrade guide. It will help you get familiar with the process and make the move.

What’s Next

Apple’s confirmed a new macOS Sonoma 14.4 update and the software’s currently in beta testing ahead of its release later on this year.

The company hasn’t confirmed a release date, but as of right now we expect the software to arrive in March.

For more about macOS Sonoma 14.4 and the beta, have a look at our walkthrough. And for more about the macOS Sonoma 14.4 release date, check out our guide.

Install macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 for Better Security

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If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 update right away. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 includes two security patches and these will help protect your device and it data from harm.  You'll also get patches from updates you missed when you upgrade to macOS Sonoma 14.4.1. macOS Sonoma 14.4 brought 50+ security updates to compatible Mac devices. The update also delivered quantum security protection for iMessage. Apple says the upgrade gives iMessage "the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world." Apple's macOS Sonoma 14.3 update brought 16 new security patches to Mac. These will help keep your device and its data protected from harm.  macOS Sonoma 14.2.1 featured one security patch and it fixed an issue where a user who shares their screen may unintentionally share the incorrect content. macOS Sonoma 14.2 included a whopping 20 security patches for your Mac. If you want to learn more about them, head here. The software also included iMessage Contact Key Verification which improves the security of iMessage. macOS Sonoma 14.1.2 delivered two security patches, both related to WebKit. These patches were extremely important. macOS Sonoma 14.1 had numerous security patches on board and they addressed issues with Photos, Safari, Siri and more. You can learn more about them over at Apple. macOS Sonoma 14.0, the first version of macOS Sonoma, brought a ton of new security patches to Mac. And when we say a ton, we mean a ton.  It delivered over 50 security updates to Mac users. You can learn more about the particulars over on Apple's security site. In addition to the patches, macOS Sonoma brings additional enhancements to privacy and security including improvements to Communication Safety beyond Messages. It now includes content sent and received in the systemwide photo picker and third-party apps. You also have an option to blur out sensitive photos and videos before you choose to view them. There's also an expanded Lockdown Mode which will help protect you against cyber attacks and improved sharing permissions which means you have more control over what you share with the apps on your device.  If you skipped older versions of macOS, you'll get the security patches from those updates with your macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 update.

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