Sonoma 14.4, the latest version of macOS, was made public on March 7, 2024. Before you decide to download it, here is what you should know: Changes and fixes for bugs: The update resolves bugs and fixes other problems. Nevertheless, keep in mind that no software version is bug-free; in fact, certain issues may remain after installing Update 1. Critical Updates: 64 security holes were fixed in Sonoma 14.4, some of which may have been exploited by hackers before. Getting this update is essential if you care about security. Section 2: Brand New Emojis One of the new emojis in the update is mushroom emoji number 23, among others. The following devices are officially supported by macOS 14.4:

macOS Sonoma 14.4 release notes

The release notes for macOS Sonoma 14.4 are attached to this page.

Along with new emojis, bug fixes, and security improvements, macOS Sonoma 14.4 brings a slew of additional enhancements to your Mac.

Emoji

• You can now access the emoji keyboard with the addition of the new phoenix, lime, broken chain, and shaking heads emojis.

• Support for 18 individuals and body emojis arranged in the opposite way

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:

You may utilize accessibility features like font size, greater contrast, and voiceover, as well as read the whole text of an episode, search for a word or phrase, and click to play from a certain place.

• If you’ve enabled Business Updates in Messages for Business, you’ll get notifications about trusted firms’ transactions, flight status, fraud warnings, and more.

• You may now choose to display just website icons in the Safari Favorites Bar.

Not all locations or Apple devices will have access to the same functionalities.

MacOS Sonoma 14.4 What to know before you update

Since Apple released the MacOS Sonoma 14.4 update earlier this month, many customers have reported issues. Some of these issues include the disappearance of printers and hubs, as well as the trashing of saved copies of files in iCloud Drive.

A wide variety of issues have been documented, and the list is lengthy:

• Missing printer drivers are causing printers, especially HP printers connected across networks, to vanish.
• Monitor ports and USB hubs aren’t working properly.
• Process termination in Java.
• Protected software cannot be accessed due to the iLok License Manager DRM failing.
• Users who have “Optimize Mac Storage” activated will have all earlier versions of their files erased from iCloud Drive.
• Miscellaneous complaints of system failures and instability.

It should be noted that the exact scope of these vulnerabilities remains unclear at this time. The printer problem seems to be causing the greatest trouble among Mac customers who have updated, according to comments on social media and support forums.

The vulnerabilities affect users of iLok DRM-protected audio plugins, but they are a small and specialized subset of Mac users.

The update fixes 64 security flaws in all, including at least two that Apple fears hackers may have already exploited. So, holding off updating because of these bugs isn’t the best option. 

Additionally, you won’t be able to use newly added emojis like the mushroom emoji.

MacOS Sonoma 14.4: How to Install

We advise you to create a backup of your Mac’s data before applying the update. Your Mac will need to restart and be connected to the internet during the installation.

1. Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
2. Under “General,” you should see a drop-down menu.
3. The software update is located in the main section.
4. Your Mac will automatically look for updates. If an installation is available, you may go ahead and select Update Now. Please try again at a later time if the update is not visible.

Conclusion

The MacOS 14.4 update, Sonoma 14.4, was released on March 7, 2024, and includes bug fixes, security patches, and new emojis. There are 64 security flaws that it addresses, some of which hackers might have used. The update also introduces new features like podcasts, business updates, and the Safari Favorites Bar. However, users have reported numerous bugs, including printer disappearance, connectivity issues, termination of Java processes, iLok License Manager DRM failures, and iCloud Drive erasing previous file versions. To install the update, back up your Mac’s data and restart the system.

FAQS