Apple Seeds Third Beta of macOS High Sierra to Developers - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Seeds Third Beta of macOS High Sierra to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra update to developers for testing purposes, more than two weeks after seeding the original second beta and over a month after introducing the new software at its 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.

The new beta can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air using the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

macOS High Sierra focuses on new core storage, video, and graphics technology, introducing a new Apple File System (APFS), High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC) and an updated version of Metal with support for VR and external GPUs.


Some apps are also gaining new features. Photos is being updated with a new sidebar that's designed to make it easier to access editing tools and albums, and there are new filters and editing options like Curves and Selective Color. Photos also supports external editing apps like Photoshop and Pixelmator, saving changes made in those apps, and it interfaces with third-party printing services.

Safari is gaining speed enhancements, an option to end autoplay video, and a new feature that puts a stop to data tracking. Siri in macOS High Sierra has expanded music capabilities and a new, more natural voice, and Spotlight supports flight status information. There are also improvements to iCloud, FaceTime, Messages, and Notes.

macOS High Sierra is available for both registered developers and public beta testers, and it's likely a new public beta that's identical to the third developer beta will be released later this week.

Related Forum: macOS High Sierra

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
Apple Business hero

Apple Unveils 'Apple Business' All-in-One Platform

Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:53 am PDT by
Apple today announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features. The service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...

Top Rated Comments

114 months ago
Please elaborate, what storage deletion bug?
It had to do with apfs versions of high sierra and time machine not freeing up space. So they had to disable time machine in the previous beta. So now they have fixed it they have re-enabled time machine in this beta.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mmomega Avatar
114 months ago
Stable is not the would I would use to describe it either. This crash happened for me just yesterday, and WindowServer must've crashed at least twice for me in beta 2.
This is one of the few developer previews at least the last 6 years where 'it seems' that I spend more time on the machine reporting bugs than actual work.

A lot of the issues are somewhat based around RAM issues. Primarily where non-stock RAM machiens that have been running 100% rock solid day in and day out are now panicking and crashing every 20-30 hours.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
114 months ago
Dont use on mac its still major buggy not good for your machine
A sound advice for any primary devices. But I find macOS High Sierra betas to be among the most stable macOS betas (not without issues, of course).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
114 months ago
Excellent! Fingers crossed that the storage deletion bug is fixed.
Seed note says it is fixed.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xgman Avatar
114 months ago
A sound advice for any primary devices. But I find macOS High Sierra betas to be among the most stable macOS betas (not without issues, of course).
You have got to be kidding? Parallel Universe maybe?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tkermit Avatar
114 months ago
my Mac doesn't have the disk space to download the new beta to fix the APFS space concern.
How ironic. :)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)