Apple released MacOS Sequoia 15.1, the first major update to MacOS Sequoia that includes Apple Intelligence features. The Sequoia 15.1 update also includes some bug fixes and adds support for the popular drag and drop iPhone Mirroring function.

Separately, Apple also released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 with Apple Intelligence, along with watchOS 11.1, tvOS 18.1 and visionOS 2.1.

Mac users not running Sequoia can MacOS Sonoma 14.7.1 and MacOS Ventura 13.7.1 with security patches for those versions.

How to Download and Install MacOS Sequoia 15.1 Update

You will want to backup your Mac with Time Machine before starting. Once that’s done, installing the update is simple:

1. From the  Apple menu, select “System Settings”
2. Go to “General” then go to “Software Update”
3. You will see “macOS Sequoia 15.1” available as an update, choose “Update Now” to start the download and installation process

You will need to reboot to complete the installation.

Apple Intelligence for Mac system requirements

It is important to note that Apple Intelligence has very strict system requirements. For Mac users, this means you must have an Apple Silicon M1 chip or better to access Apple Intelligence features.

If you don’t have an Apple Silicon Mac, you can still use many AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and others over the web and different clients.

Direct Download macOS Sequoia 15.1 Installer and IPSW File

The links below point to Apple’s CDN servers to download macOS Sequoia 15.1 as a PKG installer or IPSW file:

Full installers can be used to make bootable installation discs, to install on multiple Macs, and for many other purposes. The IPSW file can be used to restore Apple Silicon Macs and easily create Sequoia virtual machines.

MacOS Sequoia 15.1 Release Notes

The release notes accompanying the download, as shown for some users, are the generic MacOS Sequoia 15.0 release notes, but the specific release notes for MacOS Sequoia 15.1 are as follows:

This update introduces the first set of features based on Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that unlocks powerful new ways to communicate, work, and express yourself, all while protecting your data with an extraordinary step for privacy in AI. This version also includes drag and drop support for iPhone Mirroring and other features, bug fixes and security updates for Mac.

Apple Intelligence (Mac with M1 and later)

Writing instruments
– Writing tools are available almost anywhere you type, allowing you to rewrite, correct, and summarize text right in the application you’re working on
– Rewriting suggests different versions of your text so you can choose which combination of flow and wording you like best
– Proofreading lets you see suggested improvements to what you write, such as grammar fixes and language refinements
– Summary allows you to select text wherever you write and generate a high-quality summary

Siri
– A new look includes a glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen, animates responsively to the sound of your voice, and lets you keep scrolling or typing while talking to Siri
– Type in Siri when you don’t want to say a request out loud
– Richer language understanding lets Siri follow along if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence
– Conversational context is maintained throughout a session, so you can more naturally refer to something you said in a recent request or something Siri mentioned in a recent reply
– Product Knowledge helps you get answers to thousands of questions about the features and settings of your Apple products
– Voice improvements make Siri sound more natural, expressive and clear

Photographs
– Memory movies can be created by describing the story you want to see
– Photo search allows you to find photos and videos simply by describing what you are looking for
– Cleanup removes distractions from your photos

Notifications
– Notification summaries let you easily retrieve your notifications with a visible summary of the most important information
– Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that ensures your most urgent notifications get to you while silencing potential distractions

Additional features
– Smart reply in email and messages helps you quickly reply to messages with suggested replies
– Transcript summaries in Notes give you a smartly crafted summary of the transcription of your audio recording

iPhone mirroring
– Drag and drop support lets you seamlessly move files, photos, videos and more between your Mac and iPhone

AirPods
– Hearing protection function helps users minimize exposure to loud environmental noise in all listening modes (available in the United States and Canada)
– Features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. Not all features may be available in all countries or regions, for more information visit:

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
– Option to automatically download and install games and apps to an external hard drive
– Game Center friend invitations can be sent directly from the Contacts app, and Friend Suggestions and recipients can see the invitations in the Settings inbox

Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices.

For information about the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:

Separately, updates are available for almost every other Apple device, so don’t forget to update your iPhone, iPad, older Macs, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro.

Related