Here’s what’s broken and fixed in macOS Big Sur beta 3

The third beta of macOS Big Sur was released to developers yesterday, and includes minor changes in general, with many bug fixes and performance improvements. The release notes are extensive, with many noted fixed and known issues.

Resolved issues

Apple has fixed VoiceOver, so it will be accessible again when setting up or installing macOS Big Sur. Continuity Handoff is also available again, so you can continue work between your iPad, iPhone and Mac as before.

  • VoiceOver is now available again during the installation process of macOS 11 beta 3
  • Auto Unlock with Apple Watch now works properly again
  • You can now edit Calendar widgets
  • Calendar accounts are now available in Preferences
  • Continuity Handoff is available again in macOS 11 beta 3
  • The desktop background will update correctly now
  • Installation of macOS 11 will no longer pause on Macs with no input devices connected
  • Big Sur can be installed on additional volumes
  • Software Update fixed to show you’re enrolled in the Beta Program
  • Software Update works ‘as expected’ if you’ve updated from a previous release
  • Installation on Fusion drives with FileVault enabled is now supported
  • First and last name fields in Preferences > Messages are now aligned
  • Outlines of messages won’t be missing when exporting as PDF
  • Alert that tells you ‘maximum number of pins has been reached’ has been removed
  • You can now change Messages Preferences again
  • Login window won’t appear if Messages is launched after logging into iCloud
  • Type in the photo picker field to search for a photo
  • No longer need to reset the password for Standard accounts after using Migration Assistant
  • Motion’s UI has now been fixed to support macOS Big Sur
  • Music will no longer quit when searching
  • WiFi calling now available for USA T-Mobile customers
  • Crash when opening Start Page with Frequently Visible Sites as thumbnails in Safari fixed
  • Results from previous Spotlight search will no longer appear in new search
  • Touch ID stays enabled after installing multiple operating systems
  • CMake fixed – now runs ‘as expected’

Known issues

There are a few major issues with this release – notably, if you’re a Final Cut Pro or iMovie user, the programs will crash when you open the Import Media window. It will also not be possible to record using your Mac’s webcam. Apple is aware of these issues and says that you can bypass the first by importing media through Finder, although you may want to hold off from updating if this impacts you.

You’ll also be unable to open any apps from the App Store if they are updated. Apple recommends that you turn off Automatic Updates in System Preferences.

  • You’ll be unable to open apps after they’ve been updated
  • In FCP and iMovie you will unable to capture video using any webcam or camera
  • In FCP and iMovie, the Import window will crash the program when opened
  • If Secure Boot is set to No Security, you’ll be unable to update to Beta 3
  • Mac may restart but not updated to macOS 11 beta 3
  • You might get a huge update file size when updating to beta 3 (workaround: click ‘More info’ under ‘Another update is available’)
  • Energy Saver settings may need changing to stop Mac from sleeping whilst installing update
  • Software updates can no longer be installed on previous versions of macOS if Big Sur is installed on same volume (workaround: update to Catalina 10.15.6)
  • Installing new Kernel extension requires signing in as Admin
  • Some languages may display unlocalized text
  • Some keyboard shortcuts might not work in languages other than English
  • Edits made with Markup won’t be saved
  • Keyboard navigation for controls in Messages is not available
  • You need to launch application first if you cannot find it in Spotlight search
  • When entering an incorrect password when joining a network, Continue and Back buttons become disabled (Setup Assistant only)
  • The home folder won’t be deleted when removing a user
  • Weather widget may display incorrect location
  • Weather widget might display temperatures in Celsius rather than Fahrenheit
  • Older version of Xcode (pre-11.5) may crash
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Ben Ward

Senior Editor, discussing everything Apple and supporting other writers and members of Apple TLD's team of volunteers.

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