5 Things to Know About the macOS Monterey 12.7.3 Update

Apple’s released a new version of macOS Monterey dubbed macOS Monterey 12.7.3. It’s available to download right now if if you own a device that doesn’t support macOS Ventura or macOS Sonoma or if you’ve decided to keep your Mac on macOS Monterey.

Like many of its predecessors, macOS Monterey 12.7.3 is a small update, one that’s aimed at patching up issues discovered within the aging operating system.

It doesn’t have any new outward facing features, but it’s still an important release for Mac users.

With all that in mind, we want to take you through everything Mac users need to know about the macOS Monterey 12.7.3 update.

In this guide we’ll take you through the macOS Monterey 12.7.3 update’s performance, problems impacting the firmware, places to find feedback about macOS Monterey 12.7.3, and more.

We’ll start out with some quick thoughts about macOS Monterey 12.7.3’s performance.

macOS Monterey 12.7.3 Review

The macOS Monterey 12.7.3 download size will vary. The size is based on your Mac model and the version of macOS it’s currently running.

If your Mac is currently running macOS Monterey 12.7.2, the download and installation should take 15 minutes or less to complete. It took around 12 minutes to finish up on a MacBook Pro (2016).

If you’re utilizing old macOS software, the download and installation process could take a lot longer. Keep that in mind if you rely on your Mac to get through the day.

For more on the macOS Monterey 12.7.3 download and installation, take a look at our guide.

We’ve been using macOS Monterey 12.7.3 update on a MacBook Pro (2016) for a very short time. So far, the software is holding up well.

Here are some our initial impressions:

macOS Monterey 12.7.3 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 Slack, Chrome, and Spotify are all working fine at the moment
• First party apps like Safari and Podcasts are also stable right now

Speed

• macOS Monterey 12.7.3 feels as fast, we haven’t noticed any UI lag on our Macs

If your Mac is currently struggling on macOS Monterey 12.7.2, or an older version of macOS, you might want to install macOS Monterey 12.7.3.

The software could improve your Mac’s performance. At the very least, the security patches on board will help protect it from harm.

If you need help making a decision, check out our reasons to, and not to, install macOS Monterey 12.7.3 right now.

macOS Monterey 12.7.3 Problems

macOS Monterey 12.7.3 went through testing, but the software’s causing problems for some Mac owners.

We’ve heard about abnormal battery drain,Wi-Fi issues, installation issues, unresponsiveness, Bluetooth problems, and issues with various first and third-party apps.

If you download macOS Monterey 12.7.3 onto your Mac and you run into performance issues, here are a few resources that could help.

Before you get in touch with Apple customer support, look at our list of fixes for the most common macOS Monterey problems. We’ve also released a guide with fixes for macOS Monterey 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 customer support via Apple’s website.

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

macOS Monterey 12.7.3 Features

macOS Monterey 12.7.3 is a small security update. Apple has stopped pushing new features to Monterey users so this isn’t a surprise.

The software has six security patches on board and you can learn more about each of them over on Apple’s security site.

macOS Monterey 12.7.3 Downgrade

If you run into issues, you can try downgrading your Mac’s software to older software.

Apple won’t close the downgrade path so you have plenty of time to decide if you want to keep your Mac on macOS Monterey 12.7.3 or move back to older firmware.

If you’re interested in moving back to older macOS software, take a look at our downgrade guide.

What’s Next

We don’t know when Apple will release a new version of macOS Monterey, but we should see new software roll out in 2024.

Apple clearly plans to support the operating system in 2024 so you can expect new macOS Monterey firmware to roll out alongside the next upgrades for macOS Ventura and macOS Sonoma.

Look for a roll out to take in the spring.

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