macOS Catalina, the newest version of the software that runs on the Mac, is set to come out in just a few weeks. macOS updates don't often receive as much attention as iOS updates, so there are some macOS Catalina features that may have gone under the radar.

We've covered major new additions in macOS Catalina in beta posts and our roundup, but we thought it would be worth highlighting some of the smaller changes and tweaks that are worth knowing about.


- Notes Sharing - In the Notes app, there are new sharing options that let you share an entire folder of notes or share a note in a view-only capacity, so someone can see it but not edit it.

- Easy Multitasking - If you hover over the green button on any app, there's an option to tile it to the left or the right, which sends it to one side of the screen so you can open another app right next to it for quick multitasking. You can also use this feature to send an app fullscreen, of course.

- Signing Documents - In macOS Catalina, if you need to sign a PDF or another document, you can do so with your iPhone or iPad. Just use the Markup menu inside of Preview, choose Signature, and then create signature. You can sign right on your touchscreen after selecting an iOS device.

- One-Click Unsubscribe in Mail - There's a new feature in the Mail app that puts a handy little unsubscribe link right at the top of mailing list emails so you can get off of mailing lists quick.

- Picture in Picture - In Safari, there's an option to enter picture in picture mode by clicking on the little sound icon that's up in the navigation bar and selecting the "Picture in Picture" option. This pulls out the video window so you can watch while you browse the web. Picture in Picture is also now available inside QuickTime (just click the Picture in Picture button in the navigation controller).

- Automatic Dark Mode - macOS Mojave brought Dark Mode, but in macOS Catalina, there's a new "Auto" option that will swap between ‌Dark Mode‌ and Light Mode in the mornings and the evenings. You can turn it on by opening up System Preferences and going to the General tab.

- Relocated Apple ID and Device Syncing - macOS Catalina splits iTunes into Music, TV, and Podcasts, which means some iTunes features have been relocated. Device syncing is now handled through the Finder app when an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ is connected, and managing your Apple ID is now done in System Preferences.

- iCloud File Sharing - In iCloud Drive, there's now an option to share entire iCloud folders with another user. Just right click on a folder and choose share.

- iCloud File Deletion Tweaks - You can remove downloads from your Mac without deleting them from ‌iCloud‌ in Catalina. Right click on a file and select the "Remove Download" option. This will make it available only on ‌iCloud‌, with a little ‌iCloud‌ icon denoting that it's no longer on your machine.

Have other tips and tricks worth knowing that we didn't include in the video? Let us know about them in the comments.

Related Forum: macOS Catalina

Top Rated Comments

BWhaler Avatar
69 months ago
Wow, didn't know about the picture in picture. It works everywhere now.
Does this allow for YouTube videos to play without staying in the app or on the web page? So annoying Google limits this unless you pay $180/year in addition to they can better spy on you—the real cost.
[doublepost=1567037964][/doublepost]
Nice. This brings me one step closer to being able to get rid of Dropbox once and for all.
I just dumped Dropbox. Too expensive. Too invasive on the Mac. Too slimy by asking to upload files and pics and screenshots all the time. And now focused on a new idea which I don’t want to pay for.

Loved Dropbox back in the day. But good riddance.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
69 months ago
- iCloud File Sharing - In iCloud Drive, there's now an option to share entire iCloud folders with another user. Just right click on a folder and choose share.
Nice. This brings me one step closer to being able to get rid of Dropbox once and for all.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ruggy Avatar
69 months ago
Does this allow for YouTube videos to play without staying in the app or on the web page? So annoying Google limits this unless you pay $180/year in addition to they can better spy on you—the real cost.
[doublepost=1567037964][/doublepost]

I just dumped Dropbox. Too expensive. Too invasive on the Mac. Too slimy by asking to upload files and pics and screenshots all the time. And now focused on a new idea which I don’t want to pay for.

Loved Dropbox back in the day. But good riddance.
I have a useful tip if you use Duckduckgo as your search engine.
If you search for a Youtube video in Duckduck go under the 'Videos' section, then you will be presented with a small screen that explains that Google don't allow you to connect to Youtube anonymously and do you want to view the video here?

If you view it on Duckduck go then it doesn't play any ads- well at least I've never seen any but I'm not a huge Youtube user, maybe there are some eventually.
There is still a setting to play full screen so I don't see a down side.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ikir Avatar
69 months ago
Thanks, very nice tips.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PJRB Avatar
69 months ago
Really helpful video thank you. Great work.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
flexiboy1912 Avatar
69 months ago
They still need to fix the mess of artwork in new Music and TV app then I will be happy
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 16, 2024 8:55 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Apple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Rumored to Stick With 'Triangular' Camera Design

Wednesday December 18, 2024 2:36 am PST by
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
elevation lab airtag battery

Your AirTag's Battery Will Last for Up to 10 Years With Elevation Lab's New TimeCapsule Enclosure

Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag. Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

New Apple TV Rumored to Launch Next Year With These Features

Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year. Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
blackmagic vision pro

Blackmagic Debuts $30K 3D Camera for Capturing Video for Vision Pro

Monday December 16, 2024 4:17 pm PST by
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro. The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
mac pro creativity

Apple Launched the Controversial 'Trashcan' Mac Pro 11 Years Ago Today

Thursday December 19, 2024 7:00 pm PST by
Apple launched the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro eleven years ago today, introducing one of its most criticized designs that persisted through a period of widespread discontentment with the Mac lineup. The redesign took the Mac Pro in an entirely new direction, spearheaded by a polished aluminum cylindrical design that became unofficially dubbed the "trashcan" in the Mac community. All of ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' With 'Major' Design Changes and 19-Inch MacBook Detailed in New Report

Sunday December 15, 2024 9:47 am PST by
Apple is planning a series of "major design" and "format changes" for iPhones over the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal's Aaron Tilley and Yang Jie. The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous...