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Apple will rearrange menus and app user interfaces in macOS 15, with system settings undergoing the biggest reorganization since the app was redesigned.

For its upcoming operating systems, Apple has decided to make changes to the built-in System Settings app. Individual settings within the app will be reorganized based on priority and overall importance, people familiar with the matter said AppleInsider.

For example, the section that includes notifications and sound settings will be moved further down the list. The move is accompanied by various music and audio-related improvements, including smart track transitions and a new “Passthrough” feature for certain audio hardware.

The section containing general settings will now be located directly below the key network settings. General Settings includes perhaps the most important user-configurable options in any Apple operating system, so it makes sense to position this section higher on the list.

Settings related to wallpaper and display will no longer be part of their own section, but will instead be grouped together with other options. This means that display-related settings will now be located alongside general settings, accessibility settings, etc.

Apple will almost certainly introduce different wallpapers as a way to establish the visual identity of macOS 15. It doesn’t look like any new wallpaper-related options will make their way to the next iteration of macOS.

Privacy and security settings will be moved to a more sensible location near related options, as opposed to the current position next to general settings. It will now sit alongside Lock Screen, Touch ID, Users and Groups preferences, following a clear pattern as Apple intends to move related settings closer together.

The new Siri menu bar icon

The settings panel for Siri and Spotlight will also be moved to the section containing settings related to Internet accounts and Game Center. This is likely due to Siri’s ability to use the internet to gather relevant search results and information.

Additionally, Siri is expected to get a new monochrome icon on the menu bar, which will allow it to better blend in with the existing icons. Currently in macOS Sonoma, the menu bar icon for Siri is multi-colored so it stands out.

With macOS 15, the monochromatic Siri icon will match the surrounding menu bar icons in color. It will be able to change to black or white depending on the background, as is the case with any other macOS menu bar icon.

It would make sense for Apple to introduce design changes related to Siri, given the amount of work the company has put into improving its virtual assistant. The new and improved Siri will be able to analyze and summarize text or articles, answer complex questions and transcribe voice notes, as revealed in our exclusive report on Apple’s Ajax LLM.

Switch from Apple ID to Apple Account

The System Settings app, along with almost every other built-in app, will reflect Apple’s decision to rename its iconic Apple ID to Apple Account, as previously reported.

There are also indications that the company is testing new account-related settings and features. We may see new animations or redesigned UI elements affecting two-factor authentication settings or the login process itself.

The Apple Account rebrand may introduce more changes as Apple is developing a new feature called the Printable Account Recovery Summary, or PARS for short. While we weren’t given specific details, the feature will likely provide users with the most important information related to their user accounts.

Internally, Apple has also created a new iCloud preferences panel – separate from the Apple ID (soon to be Apple Account) settings. The Apple iCloud settings will be in the same section as the internet account settings, Apple Pay and password settings.

The company is also testing a new “modern” user interface for AirDrop, which will contain the same basic settings and interface elements, just arranged slightly differently. Users will still be able to decide how they appear on AirDrop, who they want to share files with, and so on.

Individual system apps will also receive design modifications, enabling new OS features in some cases.

Changes to the system user interface

In addition to the System Settings app and Siri, macOS 15 will feature visual changes to several core apps, including Calculator, Notes, Safari, and Voice Memos — all of which were exclusively revealed by AppleInsider.

The Calculator app will get an iOS-style redesign, with rounded buttons, improvements to the unit conversion system, and an all-new Math Notes feature. Math Notes is expected to introduce support for proper mathematical notation, allowing Apple to compete with products such as OneNote, PCalc or Microsoft’s Soulver 3.

Safari will feature an entirely new UI element in the form of a unified menu for page controls accessible from the URL bar. This menu will allow users to toggle new features like Web Eraser and Intelligent Browsing while consolidating existing settings and options.

Apple’s Notes app is expected to get new features that will enable in-app audio recording, audio transcription, as well as AI-powered summarization of audio transcripts. Voice Memos will get a similar addition, allowing for a new audio transcription view.

How often does Apple change the design of its operating systems?

Every major OS update sees the arrival of new features and related UI elements. With iOS 14 and later macOS Sonoma, for example, Apple introduced widgets – which can be placed on the home screen or desktop, making their latest operating systems easily recognizable.

Major design changes also occur from time to time, but their purpose may vary. The most significant visual change for Apple’s operating systems came over a decade ago when the company released iOS 7 and macOS 10.10 Yosemite, introducing a flat view across its various platforms.

While the shift from a skeuomorphic look to a flat design language was simply a stylistic choice, other UI modifications were created with more practical benefits in mind. Apple often tries to make its various operating systems closer to each other.

With macOS Ventura, for example, Apple redesigned the System Preferences app, making it look and behave like the Settings app on iOS and iPadOS. The introduction of features like Stage Manager in macOS and iPadOS shows that Apple’s goal is to create a unified user experience.

The planned changes to Safari and Calculator show that the company aims to standardize the overall user interface across its platforms. The introduction of an iPad-style navigation menu for Safari 18 and an iOS-style calculator for Mac will eventually offer additional convenience with a consistent view across devices.

Neither iOS 18 nor macOS 15 is expected to introduce any revolutionary design changes. Instead, they will retain the same overall look and feel as their respective predecessors, while adding minor visual changes to make the new versions recognizable and more user-friendly.

Apple’s decision to rearrange key system settings in macOS 15 (and possibly iOS 18) was clearly designed with the end user in mind. By bringing together related options, the company aims to make it easier for its users to find specific settings.

However, it is important to remember that not all features can be released. Apple has been known to delay features for subsequent versions of the operating system, rename them, or cancel them entirely. AppleInsider it has been said that the redesigned system settings layout can easily be disabled in pre-release Apple operating systems, meaning there’s no guarantee we’ll see this feature.

Apple will unveil its next-generation operating systems at its annual WWDC on June 10, when the design changes described earlier are expected to debut, along with new features and improvements.