In this article, we will be sharing up to date information, as we get it from brands and the community, about which pro audio applications and plug-ins do and don't work with macOS 12 Monterey as well as other related issues which affect pro audio users. This article will be constantly updated as the information and compatibility status change. 

There is also more information beneath the searchable database regarding Apple hardware compatibility.

With the release of macOS Monterey, on Monday, October 18th 2021, for the first time Apple jumps up one full integer between two consecutive macOS updates but with different versions of Big Sur being ‘point’ upgrades we suggest that left Apple with nowhere to go. It also cements Apple’s plan to move to Apple Silicon, confirmed by the release of the first 2nd-gen Apple Silicon computers with the release of the new M1 Pro and M1 Max powered 14-Inch and 16-Inch Mac Book Pro laptops.

There are still a good number of the tools we use that are not ready to run natively on Apple Silicon so we are going to continue to use the services of Rosetta 2, which enables Intel coded apps and plugins to run in Big Sur and Monterey on Apple Silicon computers.

If you want to learn more about how Rosetta 2 and Universal 2 will impact audio applications including DAWs and plugins then read our articles Apple Silicon - A Developer Helps To Explain The Impact and Apple Silicon - How This Will Affect You And Other Audio Professionals.

macOS Monterey Feature Summary For Audio Professionals

SharePlay

SharePlay offers a new way for people to share your app. Stream movies and TV shows while on a FaceTime call with friends. With synced playback and controls, you’ll see everyone laugh, jump, and react to the same moments at the same time. And the volume automatically adjusts, so you can keep talking while you watch.

Keep your FaceTime calls going while simultaneously sharing your whole screen or just a specific app. Collaborate with coworkers, have a game night with friends, or plan your next vacation as a group.

Media streaming apps can let users share content through the new Group Activities API with full-fidelity video and all syncing handled by the system. And for shared experiences beyond media streaming, the GroupSessionMessenger API offers a secure data channel that syncs information between multiple instances of your apps across multiple users.

The SharePlay API has numerous possibilities for use in the music and post-production world, for example in collaborative working. As this is an API, some developers may choose to exploit the power of SharePlay to bring Mac users some powerful collaboration tools.

AirPlay

With AirPlayfor macOS Monterey, you will be able to share, play, or present content from another Apple device to the big, screen of your Mac. You will also be able to mirror or extend your display to improve your productivity.

Note that AirPlay is only available on MacBook Pro (2018 and later), MacBook Air (2018 and later), iMac (2019 and later), iMac Pro (2017), Mac mini (2020 and later), Mac Pro (2019), iPhone 7 and later, iPad Pro (2nd generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (6th generation and later) and iPad mini (5th generation and later). Older iPhone, iPad and Mac models may share content at a lower resolution to supported Mac models when “Allow AirPlay for” is set to “Everyone” or “Anyone on the same network” in Sharing preferences.

Spatial Audio

More importantly on the audio front, Spatial audio has come to macOS Monterey, with dynamic head tracking on Apple Silicon Macs.

During video calls you will be able to experience individual voices sounding like they’re coming from the direction in which each person is positioned on your screen, helping conversations flow more naturally.

The mic modes will offer Voice Isolation designed to minimize background noise and put your voice ‘front and centre’. Then when the music or sounds around you are as important as what you have to say, the Wide Spectrum mode leaves the ambient sound unfiltered.

AirPods Audio Updates

Spatial audio and dynamic head tracking help AirPods deliver theater-like sound to macOS. Spatial audio creates a surround sound experience when you connect AirPods Gen3, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max to Apple Silicon powered Macs. And with dynamic head tracking, sound stays fixed to the device even as you move your head. If you’re watching a movie, you’ll hear the engine roar right from the car, or hear dialogue straight from the actors’ mouths.

Shortcuts App

The Shortcuts app first appeared on iOS and iPadOS devices and with the release of macOS Monterey is now available on the Mac, so you can access all of your favorite Shortcuts. Shortcuts will replace Automater on the Mac and Apple has designed Mac-specific shortcuts that are available in the Gallery, and you can make your own.

Shortcuts has been updated with Next Action Suggestions to make it easier to create new shortcuts, and your Automator app workflows can be converted into shortcuts. For Pro users, there's AppleScript integration and shell script compatibility.

Shortcuts has been integrated deeply into macOS Monterey and can be run from the Dock, menu bar, Finder, Spotlight, or using Siri, and they're universal, so Shortcuts made on your iPhone can be used on your Mac and vice versa.

Other Finder Enhancements

• Copy enhancements - You’ll have a better sense of timing when copying files thanks to a new pie chart progress window. You can even stop or cancel a long copy session and resume it later.

• Go to folder enhancements - An enhanced “go to folder” window features a new look and an improved auto-completion engine to help you get to the files or folder you’re looking for more quickly.

• View file path - Press the Option key while holding the pointer over a file or folder to momentarily show the path bar, so you can easily see where your file or folder is located. Control-click the path bar to take actions such as opening folders in Terminal or copying the file path. You can also Shift-click a folder to see or navigate to subfolders.

System Preferences Enhancements

• Passwords in System Preferences - Look up and manage your saved passwords for apps and websites in the new Passwords section of System Preferences.

• Import and export passwords - Import passwords from other password managers to Passwords in System Preferences or Safari. You can export passwords too.

• Built-in authenticator - Generate verification codes needed for additional sign-in security. If a site offers two-factor authentication, you can set up verification codes under Passwords in System Preferences and Safari — no need to download an additional app. Once set up, verification codes autofill when you sign in to the site.

• Erase all contents and settings - System Preferences now offers an option to erase all user data and user-installed apps from the system, while maintaining the operating system currently installed. Because storage is always encrypted on Mac systems with Apple silicon or the T2 chip, the system is instantly and securely “erased” by destroying the encryption keys.
  
  

Support Dropped For Some Older Macs

macOS Monterey is compatible with most of the Macs that were that supported macOS Big Sur, but it drops support for some older MacBook Air and iMac models from 2013 and 2014.

These are the Macs that are approved for macOS Monterey…

• iMac - Late 2015 and later

• iMac Pro - 2017 and later

• MacBook Air - Early 2015 and later

• MacBook Pro - Early 2015 and later

• Mac Pro - Late 2013 and later

• Mac mini - Late 2014 and later

• MacBook - Early 2016 and later

Is It Too Early To Upgrade To macOS Monterey?

Simply put - Maybe.

Even though all of Apple’s software will not only be compatible with Monterey from day 1, including Logic Pro and Final Cut and able to run on Apple Silicon too, even Logic and FCPX users will find that a lot of the plugins that you depend on will not be macOS 12 compatible from day 1 so our advice, even for you, is NOT to upgrade until you are sure that all your plugins will run natively on Apple Silicon.

This is the status of support for Apple Silicon computers with the main DAWs as we understand it.

Check, Check And Check Again

We recommend that you search the database to see whether the software, and hardware that you use is compatible with macOS Monterey yet. You should wait until all the DAW, plug-in and software brands that you use as well as peripheral manufacturers are also supporting macOS 12 Monterey BEFORE you upgrade.

Pro Tools Update

Avid have already started fixing some of the issues that users are hitting up against when trying to run Pro Tools on a computer with macOS Monterey, even though Pro Tools is still not officially supported on Monterey. As we have said in the articles where we have been taking Pro Tools for a spin on Apple Silicon powered computers running macOS Monterey, there are a number of plugins that won’t run on Monterey, when using Pro Tools running via Rosetta 2. These plugins include most of the Avid Complete Plug-In Bundle. Here is the list of Avid plugins that won’t currently run…

• BF-2A

• BF-3A

• Eleven MKII

• Fairchild660

• Fairchild670
  moogerfooger AD

• moogerfooger LP

• moogerfooger Ph

• moogerfooger RM

• ProCompressor

• ProExpander

• ProLimiter

• ProMultibandDynamics

• ProSubharmonic

• Purple Audio MC77

• ReelTapeDelay

• ReelTapeFlanger

• ReelTapeSaturation

• ReVibe II

• SoundReplacer

• Space

• Tel-Ray Delay

• Voce Chorus-Vibrato

• Voce Spin

• X-Form

Not Here = Not Supported

Absence on this list should be taken as not compatible, initially, the information will be scarce. As soon as brands let us know about their macOS Big Sur compatibility, we will update this article and database as we did with our MacOS 10.13 High Sierra Pro Audio Compatibility Guide, macOS Sierra Pro Audio Compatibility, macOS Mojave Compatibility - The Ultimate Pro Audio Guide, macOS Catalina Pro Audio Compatibility and macOS Big Sur Compatibility - The Ultimate Pro Audio Guide articles.

Don't Update In The Middle Of A Job

We always recommend that you leave any upgrade until you have some downtime. Experience has told us that upgrades are rarely straightforward, especially OS upgrades as they often have knock-on effects, so wait until you have time to fix the unforeseen problems.

Run Two Versions Of macOS On Your Studio Mac - Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey

You may be stuck between a rock and hard place needing two versions of macOS on your studio Mac. Or you may just be curious and want to try and see if the newest version plays nice.

With Apple File System (APFS) formatted drives, Apple has done some magic. You can now create dynamic volumes on one drive. What this means is you simply add a second volume and the APFS file system will assign drive space as needed, so you don’t even need to pre-allocate space when making the volume - it’s almost magic. From Apple’s support documentation;

“Apple File System (APFS) allocates disk space on demand. When a single APFS container (partition) has multiple volumes, the container’s free space is shared and can be allocated to any of the individual volumes as needed. Each volume uses only part of the overall container, so the available space is the total size of the container, minus the size of all volumes in the container.”

In this article we show how to install two versions of macOS on one Mac, no reformatting required and all thanks to a handy feature built into modern Macs. It’s easy to do and gives you the flexibility of running a dual boot Mac in minutes.

Updates

As we said at the beginning, we will continue to update both this article and the searchable database as new information comes to light.