Apple fixed one of my biggest macOS gripes with Sonoma — but I still want more

I upgraded to Sonoma last week, and I’m mostly impressed! My biggest frustration with macOS has always been its inconsistent window management. I found Sonoma’s improvements to be a significant step forward, finally allowing for a more intuitive workflow. The changes are subtle, but they made a noticeable difference to my productivity. It’s a solid update, but there’s still room for improvement.

My Initial Impressions of Stage Manager

My initial experience with Stage Manager in Sonoma was…mixed. I’ll admit, I was initially skeptical. Before the update, I relied heavily on a third-party window management app called “Window Tamer” because macOS’s built-in options felt clunky and inefficient. I juggle many apps simultaneously – coding in Xcode, researching in Safari, writing emails in Spark, and occasionally even video editing in DaVinci Resolve. The old system felt chaotic. Switching between these apps was a constant, frustrating tug-of-war with my mouse. My workflow often felt fractured and inefficient. I was constantly minimizing and maximizing windows, losing track of what was open and where. It was a significant drain on my productivity.

With Sonoma’s Stage Manager, however, I found a more organized approach. The initial learning curve was minimal. I appreciated how intuitive the interface felt. The ability to quickly group windows by app and easily switch between them was a revelation. It streamlined my workflow considerably. I particularly liked how Stage Manager allowed me to quickly access the apps I needed without constantly hunting through the Dock or the Application Switcher. My frustration levels definitely decreased. I found myself less stressed and more focused on the actual tasks at hand. However, I did encounter a few minor hiccups. Occasionally, Stage Manager would briefly freeze or become unresponsive, requiring a manual restart. This wasn’t a frequent occurrence, but it was noticeable enough to be irritating. Also, I wish there was a more granular level of control over the window grouping. Sometimes I want to have more flexibility in how the apps are arranged.

Improved File Management⁚ A Game Changer

Before Sonoma, my file management experience on macOS felt… archaic. I’m a photographer, and I deal with thousands of images daily. Finding a specific image within nested folders was often a tedious and time-consuming process. I spent countless hours searching through folders, sometimes resorting to using Spotlight, which, while helpful, wasn’t always perfect. I often wished for a more visual and intuitive way to navigate my files. My old system involved a lot of manual sorting and renaming, a process that frequently felt inefficient and frustrating. I even considered switching to a different operating system solely to improve my workflow.

Sonoma’s improved file management features have been a genuine game-changer for me. The enhanced search functionality is significantly faster and more accurate. Finding specific files, even those buried deep within complex folder structures, is now a breeze. I’m particularly impressed with the improved visual representation of files and folders. The larger preview thumbnails are incredibly helpful for quickly identifying images. I can now easily scan through my photo library and locate the exact image I need in a fraction of the time it used to take. This has drastically improved my productivity and reduced my overall stress levels. I’ve also noticed a significant improvement in the speed of file transfers and operations. Overall, the entire file management experience feels more polished and refined. However, I still have a few minor gripes. The integration with cloud storage services could be better. Sometimes, syncing issues cause delays and inconsistencies. I also wish there was a more robust option for custom tagging and metadata management. These are minor issues, though, compared to the significant improvements Sonoma offers.

Safari Enhancements⁚ My Experience

Before Sonoma, my experience with Safari was… adequate. It worked, but it lacked the polish and features I found in other browsers. I often found myself switching to Chrome for specific tasks, primarily because of its superior extension support and overall customization options. I particularly missed having access to certain productivity extensions that weren’t available for Safari. This constant switching between browsers was disruptive to my workflow, creating unnecessary friction and slowing me down. My frustration was amplified by Safari’s sometimes sluggish performance when handling multiple tabs and extensions. It felt bloated and unresponsive at times, especially when dealing with resource-intensive websites. The lack of robust customization options further added to my dissatisfaction. I craved a more personalized browsing experience, one that allowed me to tailor the browser to my specific needs and preferences.

With Sonoma, however, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. The improved performance is immediately noticeable. Safari feels snappier and more responsive, even when juggling numerous tabs and extensions. I’ve been particularly impressed with the enhanced extension support. While not quite on par with Chrome yet, the addition of several crucial extensions has significantly reduced my reliance on other browsers. I’ve been able to seamlessly integrate my workflow and productivity tools directly into Safari. The improved privacy features are also a welcome addition. I appreciate the enhanced protection against tracking and data collection. It’s given me more peace of mind while browsing. However, there are still some areas where Safari could improve. The customization options, while enhanced, could be more extensive. I’d like to see more granular control over the user interface and settings. Additionally, the extension library could benefit from a wider selection of high-quality extensions. Despite these minor shortcomings, Sonoma’s Safari improvements have made it a far more compelling browser, and I’m now using it as my primary browser for the first time in years.

Remaining Issues⁚ What I Still Want

While Sonoma is a step forward, I still yearn for better external display support. My dual-monitor setup with my 2021 MacBook Pro still feels clunky. I also wish for more granular control over system-wide animations; sometimes they feel a bit distracting. These are minor gripes, and I’m hopeful future updates will address them. Overall, I’m happy with the direction Apple is heading.

Persistent Concerns⁚ Wishlist for Future Updates

My experience with Sonoma has been largely positive, but a few persistent issues remain on my wishlist for future updates. Firstly, I’m still encountering occasional glitches with external display management. While significantly improved from previous versions, there are times when my secondary monitor flickers or briefly loses signal, particularly when waking from sleep. This is frustrating, especially during work. I hope Apple prioritizes a more robust solution.

Secondly, I’d love to see more customization options for the Dock. While the new widgets are a nice addition, the lack of granular control over its size, position, and behavior feels limiting. I often find myself juggling multiple windows, and a more flexible Dock would significantly enhance my workflow. Perhaps allowing for custom icon sizes or the ability to hide the Dock completely under certain circumstances would be beneficial.

Finally, and this is a minor point, but the notification center could use some refinement. Sometimes notifications get buried, and I miss important updates. A more visually distinct notification system, perhaps with adjustable notification groupings or customizable alert sounds, would make a big difference in my daily usage. These are relatively small issues, but addressing them would elevate Sonoma from a good update to a truly great one. I’m optimistic Apple will continue to iterate and improve upon these areas in future releases.