Janet Ingber
In November 2020, Apple released macOS Big Sur, its latest operating system for Mac computers. If your Mac is using macOS Mojave or Catalina, you can upgrade to macOS Big Sur. This new operating system has upgraded apps, a revamped Notification Center, an Actions menu, and more. In addition, Apple has brought back the startup chime.
Installing Big Sur
Before beginning installation, back up your Mac and close all open apps. The easiest way to access the update is through System Preferences since Big Sur is not in the App Store. Go to the Software Update tab. This download is 12.2 GB, so make sure you have enough space available. To the right of the button to start the Big Sur download is a check box for keeping your Mac up to date. If checked, your Mac will automatically update. Personally, I prefer to wait about a week after the update is released just in case the first release version has significant bugs.
Once the download has started, VoiceOver will stop speaking but, if you use VO + Right Arrow and VO + Left Arrow to check, you can have it say progress by percent and time left. You may hear the Mac making clicking sounds to indicate the Mac is downloading.
Eventually, VoiceOver will start speaking. There are several standard Agree buttons and you will need to enter your Mac’s password. Use VO + Left Arrow to check download progress. At this point, your Mac is installing the download. The Mac will have to restart at least once. Be aware that during the last part of installation, VoiceOver does not give any progress information. A couple of times, VoiceOver might speak a word or two, but it does not say how much time is left. Eventually, VoiceOver said, "Login."
Sounds
When you select a menu item, you will now hear the same sound as if an item were selected on an iOS device.
Apple has brought back the Startup Chime. Go to the Sound preference pane and select the Effects tab. Next, go to the “Play sound on startup” check box. Check the box if you want sound. While in the same tab, go to the Alert Sounds table. There are new sounds to hear.
Actions Menu
The Actions Menu is a new feature to the Mac. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you are probably already familiar with the Actions menu. In the menu, depending on your Verbosity settings, you may hear a sound or you may hear VoiceOver say, "Actions Available." Open the menu with VO + Command + Spacebar. When reviewing the Actions menu, you might find a Show Menu option. This will bring up the Contextual menu. You can also access this menu with Shift + VO + M.
Menu Extras
Apple has added new options to Menu Extras.
WiFi
Although WiFi is still in Menu Extras, only status is spoken. If you have more than one network in your home, you will need to select the WiFi menu and find the currently selected network.
Spotlight Search
A Spotlight search box is now in Menu Extras. The shortcut Command + Spacebar still works to open Spotlight search.
Control Center
The Control Center makes its debut in macOS Big Sur. By default, it is in Menu Extras. It can also be accessed with Shift + VO + O.
Choosing Contents of Menu Extras and Control Center
In order to make changes in Menu Extras and Control Center, go to System Preferences and select the Dock & Menu Bar tab. There is a table with an extensive list of options. Next to the table are check boxes for choosing whether the item should be in the Menu Bar and/or Control Center. Be aware that some items cannot be changed.
The Notification Center
The Notification Center is opened with VO + O. It has three sections: Notifications List, Widgets, and Edit Widgets. Review your notifications by first interacting with the Notifications List. When you find a notification that you wish to read, there should be an Actions Menu option. You can respond to Messages without leaving the Notification Center.
Messages
The Messages app has been revamped so it is more like the iOS version. The first time you open the app, you will be asked how long the app should keep messages. Conversations no longer are in a table but instead they are in a Collection. Interact with it and then select a conversation with VO + spacebar.
Next, VO + Left Arrow to Messages Collection and interact with the collection. With VO + Left Arrow and VO + Right Arrow, you can review all the saved messages from the selected person. VO + Left Arrow brings you to older messages and VO + Right Arrow brings you to new ones. Send a message with the Return key.
The app has a tool bar with two options: Compose and Conversation Details. There is also a Search form.
VoiceOver Recognition
There is a new category in the VoiceOver Utility called VoiceOver Recognition. This feature improves image description. There is only one control, a check box for Image Description.
According to Apple, pressing Shift + VO + L will have VoiceOver read the Description when the VoiceOver Cursor is on an image in an app or website.
Dictation
Apple has changed the default key to start Dictation. You now press the Control key twice. You can change the default key in the Keyboard pane in System Preferences. Go to the Dictation tab and make your selection.
Braille
Braille users have some new features available. According to Apple’s support documentation:
...in the Translation pane of the Braille category in VoiceOver Utility, you can choose different modes for showing braille output and input mode. For example, you could show output using six dot and type input using eight dot.
If you use more than one language on your Mac, you can now use the rotor to quickly switch between braille tables as needed. Use the Translation pane of the Braille category in VoiceOver Utility to add tables to show in the rotor. To quickly switch tables, press VO + Command + Shift + Right Arrow or Left Arrow until you hear Braille Table.
When using a braille display, VoiceOver can now automatically advance to the next line when panning. You can assign the Toggle Auto Advance On or Off command to a key on your braille display. In the Layout pane of the Braille category in VoiceOver Utility, you can set an option to control how long VoiceOver waits before automatically advancing to the next line.
System Dialogues
It is now possible to have VoiceOver announce system dialogs. You can find the option to activate this feature in the Announcements pane of the Verbosity category in VoiceOver Utility. Note that it is possible to navigate to an open system dialog using the window chooser
Conclusion
MacOS Big Sur is a stable release. It has useful new features and VoiceOver improvements. If you have missed the startup chime from earlier versions, it is finally back.
At the time of this writing (early January 2020), there is a significant bug in MacOS Big Sur. Neither the Contextual Menu nor the Show Menu option in the Action Menu work when using the Dock. David Woodbridge has an excellent podcast episode about a workaround for this bug
Hopefully, Apple will fix the bug by the time you read this article.
This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.
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