Some sections in System Settings on the Mac will be relocated or merged with others to make it easier for users to find specific preferences.
macOS 15 is launching this fall and a new layout for System Settings is among the changes, claims a new report. “Individual settings within the app will be reorganized based on priority and overall importance,” according to AppleInsider.
The current design featuring a tabbed interface and reorganized panes that came with macOS Ventura in October 2022 is a regression in usability over the previous System Preferences app. But Apple should fix this as macOS 15 will reportedly bring one of the biggest changes to System Settings.
Rumor: macOS 15 will move related system settings closer together
Marko Zivkovic, AppleInsider:
The section which encompasses notifications and sound settings will be moved lower in the list. The section containing general settings will now be located right underneath key network settings.
Moving System Settings > General up the list is a wise choice. This menu holds some of the most frequently used settings.
Wallpaper and display-related settings will no longer be part of their own dedicated section, but will instead be lumped together with other options. This means that display-related settings will now be located alongside general settings, accessibility settings and so on.
That also makes sense. The author claims the Privacy and Security section will be located alongside the Lock Screen, Touch ID & Passcode, and Users & Groups sections. “The settings pane for Siri and Spotlight will also be moved to the section containing settings related to internet accounts and Game Center,” the article reads.
These aren’t the only UI changes expected in macOS 15.
Other rumored changes for macOS 15
The menu bar icon for Siri will be monochromatic and be able to switch between black and white depending on the background, like other menu bar items.
The AirDrop interface will be modernized. The iCloud settings will be separated from the Apple ID settings and relocated to the same section as the one featuring internet account settings, Apple Pay and password settings.
And this on Printable Account Recovery Summary:
The Apple Account rebrand could introduce more changes, as Apple is developing a new feature called Printable Account Recovery Summary, or PARS for short. While we were not provided with any specific details, the feature will likely provide users with the most important information related to their user accounts.
AppleInsider earlier reported other changes coming to stock apps on macOS 15, including Calculator, Notes, Safari and Voice Memos.