macOS Big Sur 11.3 reaches out to gamers, offers new screen saver, other tweaks

macOS Big Sur 11.3 reaches out to gamers, offers new screen saver, other tweaks

macOS Big Sur 11.3 is ready to be downloaded. It improves Safari and Reminders, and includes many new options for game controllers.
Photo: Cult of Mac

macOS Big Sur 11 was apparently such a significant update that Apple doesn’t have much to add in follow ups. Version 11.3 launched Tuesday bringing a collection of tweaks but not big changes.

What’s new in macOS Big Sur 11.3

There are small improvements to Safari in the new Mac update, with the Start Page getting more customizable. And Reminders offer more sorting options.

There’s a fun new Hello screensaver. Apple added support for AirTag, the item tracker the company introduced in mid-April. Plus, Apple Music gets a Made For You Library shortcut.

There’s a surprising amount for gamers, possibly hoping to grow interest in Apple Arcade. macOS 11.3 includes support for the Sony PlayStation 5 DualSense controller, as well as the Xbox Series X and Series S controller. That’s on top of other off-the-shelf controllers that could be used with earlier versions. Plus, with Monday’s update, the Mac keyboard and mouse can take the place of a game controller.

Mac fans welcome any operating system update, but the changes in this one pale in comparison to what’s new in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, which also launched on Monday.

Install macOS Big Sur 11.3 today

Anyone running macOS Mojave or later can get the latest version of macOS Big Sur via Software Update: Go to the Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Software Update. Another option is to install the new version from the App Store.