macOS patch fixes vexing bugs with USB hubs and more

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Install macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 to make your Mac less buggy.
Photo: Apple/Pixabay/Pexels

Mac users should install macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a patch to remove a bug that affected USB hubs (and made headlines). The update, released Monday, also takes care of a couple of other problems.

Currently, it’s the only OS update coming out of Cupertino on Monday, meaning Apple Watch and tvOS users are still waiting.

macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 is just a bug fix patch

macOS Sonoma 14.4 launched in early March with new emoji and an enhanced Podcasts app. But it also introduced some bugs.

These have now been taken care of by macOS Somoma 14.4.1. The official release notes from Apple for the new version say:

This update provides bug fixes for your Mac, including:

• • USB hubs connected to external displays may not be recognized
  • Copy protected Audio Unit plug-ins designed for professional music apps may not open or pass validation
  • Apps that include Java may quit unexpectedly

The notes make it clear there are no new features in Monday’s release. Still, no Mac user wants bugs.

How to update your Mac to the latest

To download the macOS Sonoma update, go to Apple menu  > About This Mac. Then click Software Update. Alternatively, you can install the new version from the App Store. (Note: At the time of this writing, Apple had not yet updated the version of macOS in the App Store. But it should happen soon.)

iPhone and iPad not overlooked

While Apple typically updates the operating systems on all its devices simultaneously, that’s not what happened this time. Late last week, Apple introduced iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 for iPhone and iPad users, but made Mac users wait until today for a similar patch.

And speaking of waiting, Apple Watch is still on watchOS 10.4 and Apple TV remains on tvOS 17.4. It’s possible they’ll get their own patches soon.

Plus, Apple has yet to seed macOS 14.5, iOS 17.5, etc., to beta testers.