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macOS Monterey 12.6 Release Date: Tips & Tricks

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2 years ago

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The macOS Monterey 12.6 release date is getting closer and some Mac users might want to start preparing for the software’s arrival.

macOS Monterey 12.6 is a milestone upgrade, albeit a small one, and it will bring under-the-hood improvements to Mac users around the world.

A macOS Monterey 12.6 beta is available to developers. It’s not available to those enrolled in the company’s public Beta Software Program and there’s a good chance it never will be. Apple’s currently on its final version of the macOS Monterey 12.6 beta.

So if you want to try macOS Monterey 12.6, you have a developer account, and you don’t want to wait for the official release date, you can take the beta for a spin on your Mac right now.

macOS Monterey 12.6 Release Date

Apple hasn’t confirmed the macOS Monterey 12.6 release date, but the release is imminent now that the Release Candidate has been pushed to beta testers.

We should see a release sometime this week, or next, alongside iOS 15.7. Apple probably won’t announce an official release date ahead of time so you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled.

With the macOS Monterey 12.6 release date on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about its arrival. In this guide we’ll outline some tips and tricks that will come in handy as we close in on the next macOS Monterey update for Mac.

Prepare for the macOS Monterey 12.6 Release Date

With macOS Monterey 12.6 on the way, some Mac users might want to start doing some prep work.

macOS Monterey 12.6 will almost certainly require a sizable chunk of space on your Mac’s internal storage. New macOS milestone upgrades typically do.

If you’re getting low on storage, use this time to do some cleanup. Go into your Mac’s storage and delete files you no longer need. This will help make room for macOS Monterey. It could also improve your Mac’s performance.

You should also start backing up the data you store on your Mac. Data loss issues are rare, but there’s always a chance something goes wrong during the transition from your current version of macOS to macOS Monterey 12.6.

The software may also log you out of some of your apps and services. We recommend having your Apple ID, iCloud information, third-party app login info handy just in case it does.

Get Familiar with macOS Monterey 12.6 and Older Updates

If you don’t plan on moving to the beta, and most people shouldn’t at this point, make sure you get familiar with the changes coming with macOS Monterey 12.6. Right now, it looks like we may only see security enhancements.

If you’re still hanging around on an older version of macOS and you plan to upgrade to macOS Monterey in the near future, make sure you get familiar with the latest versions. You’ll get those changes when you upgrade.

For more on the latest versions of macOS Monterey, take a look at our walkthrough.

Most People Should Avoid the macOS Monterey 12.6 Beta

Installing the macOS Monterey 12.6 beta on your Mac right now might be tempting, but most people should avoid the beta and wait for the official release.

The macOS Monterey 12.6 beta helps Apple tackle bugs and performance issues before they become major headaches for millions of Mac users. That said, using beta software can be extremely problematic.

The macOS Monterey beta 12.6 is causing problems for testers and you could run into some of these very same issues if you install it on your Mac.

If you rely on your Mac to get through a day of school or work, you’ll probably want to stay put on whatever version of macOS you’re currently running.

Monitor Feedback from the macOS Monterey 12.6 Beta

If you skip the macOS Monterey 12.6 beta, and again most people should, make sure you monitor feedback from beta testers as we push toward the software’s official release.

Monitoring feedback will alert you to potential problems and it will also alert you to potential benefits. More importantly, it might help you decide if you want to install the official version of macOS Monterey 12.6 right away or wait.

We’ve seen macOS Monterey 12.6 feedback emerge on sites like YouTube, MacRumors forums, and Twitter. Check those sites if you’re curious about the software’s performance.

macOS Monterey 12.6 Release Time

If you’ve owned a Mac or any other Apple device for awhile you already know this, but for those of you who are new Apple’s ecosystem, here’s your PSA.

Apple almost always rolls software updates out around 10AM Pacific. That will likely be the case for the final version of macOS Monterey 12.6.

Here’s what that looks like for other time zones in the United States:

  • Eastern – 1 PM
  • Central – 12 PM
  • Mountain – 11AM

Keep this in mind if you plan to install the final version of macOS Monterey 12.6 right away.

macOS Monterey 12.6 Download Size

We don’t know how big the macOS Monterey 12.6 download will be, but again, you can expect it to require quite a bit of free space on your Mac.

You can expect long download times, especially in the moments after Apple pushes the update live, but the installation process will probably take longer.

Prepare for macOS Monterey 12.6 Problems

macOS Monterey 12.6 has gone through Apple’s testing process, but the final version won’t be perfect. Far from it.

Common macOS problems include abnormal battery drain, Bluetooth issues, Wi-Fi problems, app instability, UI lag, crashes, and Exchange issues.

These problems appear after every single macOS release and there’s a good chance we’ll see them emerge in the minutes, hours, days, and weeks after the macOS Monterey 12.6 release date.

It’ll be difficult to predict what kind of performance you’ll get once you move your Mac to macOS Monterey 12.6 so you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared to tackle issues you encounter on day one and beyond.

We’ve released a list of fixes for common macOS Monterey problems. If you don’t consider yourself a macOS expert, you’ll want to bookmark those fixes.

You’ll also want to bookmark or follow Apple Support on Twitter and bookmark the Apple Support page on the company’s website.

You should also be familiar with Apple’s Discussion forums.

Learn How to Downgrade

If you run into into issues with macOS Monterey 12.6 you will be able to downgrade back to an older version of macOS.

If you aren’t familiar with the macOS downgrade process, now is a great time to get familiar with it.

Keep Your Apps Updated

If you want the best experience on macOS Monterey 12.6, make sure you keep your apps updated before, and after, the software’s released.

As we push toward the macOS Monterey 12.6 release date, keep an eye out for support updates. These updates should help stabilize performance and help your device make a smooth transition to new software.

Before you download an app update, make sure you read reviews from users. These reviews will alert you to potential benefits and problems with the latest version.

Take Your Time with macOS Monterey 12.6

macOS Monterey 12.6 is an exciting upgrade and some of you might be tempted to install it the second it arrives.

For some of you, particularly those dealing with macOS Monterey problems and macOS Big Sur problems, that might be the right move. However, some of you will be better off waiting a few hours, a few days or, in some cases, a few weeks before installing the software.

There are plenty of reasons to skip macOS software updates on day one. For one, macOS updates can wreak havoc on your device’s performance.

If you’re feeling leery, dig into feedback from Mac users who download macOS Monterey 12.6 right away. If you’re still undecided, think about waiting.

4 Reasons Not to Install macOS Monterey 12.7.4 & 11 Reasons You Should

Install macOS Monterey 12.7.4 for Better Security

Install macOS Monterey 12.7.4 for Better Security

If security is important to you, think about installing the macOS Monterey 12.7.4 update right away.

macOS Monterey 12.7.4's purpose is to help protect your Mac and its data from harm. This makes it an essential download for most Mac users. The software has 20+ security patches on board. 

As for older updates, macOS Monterey 12.7.3 delivered a total of nine security patches to Macs

macOS Monterey 12.7.2 featured several security patches and macOS Monterey 12.7.1 addressed 11 security issues. 

macOS Monterey 12.6.7 through macOS Monterey 12.7 all had security fixes on board and you can learn more about all of them if you head here.

macOS Monterey 12.6.6 had 20+ security patches on board making it an extremely important release from Apple. If you want to learn more about the changes, head on over to Apple's website.

macOS Monterey 12.6.5 brought a fix for an actively exploited vulnerability. If you want to learn more, head over here. 

 macOS Monterey 12.6.4 brought important security patches to Macs as well. For more about these fixes, check out Apple's guide.

macOS Monterey 12.6.3 delivered 14 new security updates. If you want to dig into these patches, head right here.

The macOS Monterey 12.6.2 update brought several security patches to Macs and  you can read more about them right here on Apple's security site.

macOS Monterey 12.6.1 update had three very important security patches on board while macOS Monterey 12.6 brought eight security patches to Macs.  For more information about these changes, check out Apple's rundown.

macOS Monterey 12.5.1 had a pair of important security patches on board and you can read about them in detail right here.

The macOS Monterey 12.5 update brought 50 important security patches with it and they will help protect you and your device from harm. If you want to learn more, head over to Apple's website. 

macOS Monterey 12.4 delivered 50+ security patches. If you're interested in the details, you'll want to head on over to the company's security site.

macOS Monterey 12.3.1 brought two security patches to Mac users. You can read more about them over on Apple's website. 

Apple's macOS Monterey 12.3 update had 40+ security patches on board. If you want to learn more about these upgrades, you can check the particulars over on Apple's security site.

The macOS Monterey 12.2.1 update brought an important patch to Mac users. You can learn more about the patch over at Apple's security site. 

Apple's macOS Monterey 12.2 update had 13 security patches on board. If you're interested in the details, head on over to Apple's website to learn more.

macOS Monterey 12.1 included 40+ new security patches to Macs. You can read all about them over on the company's security site. 

Microsoft says it discovered a new 'Powerdir' vulnerability lurking in macOS. Powerdir allows "an attacker to bypass the operating system’s Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) technology, thereby gaining unauthorized access to a user’s protected data." Fortunately, Apple patched up the issue in macOS Monterey 12.1. 

macOS Monterey 12.1 also included some important upgrades to privacy. The software delivered Apple's communication safety features for kids. You'll find these features in the Messages app, in Siri, in Spotlight, and in Search. 

If you're moving up from macOS Big Sur, you'll also get macOS Monterey 12.0.1's 30+ security patches when you update.

If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's website.

In addition to those patches, the macOS Monterey update comes with additional security and privacy upgrades.

If you're an Apple Card user, you'll now get a security code that changes regularly to use when you make online transactions. 

Apple's also included a built-in authenticator that's similar to Google Authenticator. This will let you generate verification codes for enhanced sign-in security under your Passwords.

New Mail Privacy Protection helps prevent senders from tracking your Mail activity and there's a new recording indicator in Control Center for apps that are accessing your mic.

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