On October 28, Apple is expected to release macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1, which brings the first Apple Intelligence features to the Mac like writing tools, new Siri features, Smart Replies and more. Additionally, macOS 15.1 adds a handful of welcome tweaks and improvements to existing Mac features.

Here’s what we can expect from the first major update to macOS Sequoia later this month. Note that Apple Intelligence features require Macs powered by Apple silicon.

iPhone Mirroring Drag and drop support

One of the most anticipated iPhone Mirroring features coming in macOS 15.1 is drag and drop support. After updating to the new software, you will be able to drag files from an iPhone to a Mac and vice versa.

‌iPhone‌ mirroring makes file transfers between devices effortless, even when the ‌iPhone‌ is locked and charging. With an iPhone running iOS 18.1, you can drag files, such as photos, from your Mac directly to the open Photos app on your iPhone, and they’ll transfer instantly. For PDF files, open the Files app and drag the document from your Mac to the ‌iPhone‌. Transferring files from ‌iPhone‌ to Mac follows the same process – simply drag the file to the desired location on the Mac.

New low power mode toggle

Low Power Mode is a long-standing ‌iPhone‌ feature to save battery, and was introduced to the Mac with macOS Monterey. Since then, it’s remained hidden in System Preferences, but in macOS 15.1 Apple simplifies access by adding a Low Power Mode toggle to the Battery menu for MacBook users, so it can be turned on or off with just two clicks.

The battery icon now also turns yellow when Low Power Mode is active, similar to iOS. It’s worth noting that some advanced settings, such as automatically enabling Low Power Mode when disconnected, remain within System Preferences. When enabled, Low Power Mode optimizes the system to save power by slightly reducing performance, suspending background tasks, lowering screen brightness, and limiting the ProMotion screen’s refresh rate to 60Hz where applicable.

Writing tools

Apple Intelligence

You can select any text on your Mac and use Apple Intelligence to access writing tools for summaries and other features. The proofreading feature scans your text for spelling and grammar errors and offers suggestions for word choice and sentence structure improvements. You can quickly accept all recommendations or review them individually with accompanying explanations.

If you want to refine your writing style, the rewrite feature allows tone adjustment without changing the core content. You can choose from options such as Friendly, Professional or Concise to tailor your message to your intended audience.

Additionally, the update introduces versatile summary capabilities. You can select text and create concise summaries in a variety of formats, including paragraphs, key points, lists, or tables. This feature integrates seamlessly with apps like Mail and Messages, making it easier to distill and share written information.

Improved Siri

Apple Intelligence

The Siri window now offers more flexibility, allowing you to place it anywhere on the screen. A new responsive glow animation provides visual feedback, indicating when Siri is actively listening without interrupting ongoing tasks.

If you prefer to type, you can quickly access the Write to Siri feature by double-pressing the command key, and it now includes suggested requests. Siri’s improved contextual awareness also lets you ask follow-up questions without repeating previously established information.

The update also brings more natural language processing capabilities. Siri can now better understand and interpret you if you stumble over your words or change direction mid-sentence, making interactions feel more conversational and less rigid.

Finally, Siri’s knowledge base has been expanded to include comprehensive information about Apple products and support, so you can ask about your device’s features and settings. Siri can even find specific settings even if you’re unsure of their exact name.

Smart replies and email summaries

Apple Intelligence

To facilitate faster responses, Mail and Messages now include a Smart Reply feature. This intelligent system offers contextual one-touch responses based on the content of received messages, so you can respond quickly with minimal effort.

In Mail, a new summary button lets you quickly distill the contents of incoming emails, providing a concise overview. This feature also extends to multiple messages and your email inbox, where short summaries replace the first few lines of each message. Mail also prioritizes time-sensitive communications by automatically raising them to the top of your inbox.

Photo cleanup tool

Apple Intelligence

With macOS Sequoia 15.1, Apple brings a powerful new feature to the Photos app called Clean Up. Thanks to advanced object detection algorithms, this editing tool can automatically identify potentially unwanted objects in your photos, so you can easily remove them.

At the same time, users retain full control over the editing process, with the ability to manually select items for removal by clicking, circling or brushing over them.

You can zoom in on images to carefully remove minor blemishes or imperfections using brushstrokes. Cleanup is specifically designed to preserve the integrity of main subjects such as people, even if they are inadvertently selected during the editing process.

Transcript summaries

Apple Intelligence

In macOS Sequoia, Apple added a transcription feature to Notes that lets you capture audio recordings and automatically generate a verbatim transcription of the content.

In macOS Sequoia 15.1, the feature also provides a concise summary of the transcribed text, providing a quick overview of the recorded material. The transcript is useful for recording lectures and meetings as it ensures that no important details are missed, while the addition of a summary provides a quick reference for key topics, action items or main discussion points.

Focus modes

Apple Intelligence

A dedicated new focus mode to reduce interruptions filters out all but the most important notifications, so you only see the ones that require your attention.

When customizing or creating a new focus mode, there is a new option to enable Intelligent Breakthrough and Silence. This feature allows important notifications to come through while suppressing less important notifications, similar to how Focus to Reduce Notifications works.