macOS Big Sur 11.6.8 Update (20G730). What’s New?

Big Sur 11.6.8 is now available for all users.

Today, Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.6.8. Let’s jump in and find out what’s new!

Big Sur is now in Security Update mode. Apple still fixes previous update bugs & major issues in Big Sur and Catalina updates, but usually only address security issues.

Big Sur Update Quick Overview

1. macOS Big Sur 11.6.8 Update security fixes = checking
2. Apple has released a full installer of 11.6.8
3. Apple stopped releasing M1 IPSW restore files after version 11.6.
4. A Safari update = checking

macOS Big Sur Update Summary

• New Features – Unknown
• Resolved Issues – Unknown
• Security Fixes – Checking

Full Apple OS Release list

iOS 📱✅

• iOS – 15.6 (19G71)
• iPadOS – 15.6 (19G71)
• tvOS – 15.6 (19M65)
• audioOS – 15.6 (19M65)
• watchOS – 8.7 (19U66)

macOS 💻 ✅

• Monterey – 12.5 (21G72)
• Catalina – 2022-005 (19H2026)
• Xcode – N/A
• Command Line Tools for Xcode – N/A
• Apple Studio Display Firmware Update – N/A

Table of Contents

• 1. Apple Links
• 2. Apple Articles of interest related to the macOS Big Sur Update
• 3. Undocumented macOS Big Sur Update changes & fixes
• 4. Big Sur Release History
• 5. macOS Big Sur 11 Standalone Pkg downloads no longer available.
• 6. macOS Big Sur Full Installer.app
• 7. macOS Big Sur Update sizes for Intel and M1
• 8. Apple Silicon M1 Firmware Update
• 9. Intel T2 BridgeOS Update
• 10. Apple Silicon IPSW Restore file Update
• 11. Safari Update
• 12. What’s new for enterprise in macOS Big Sur
• 13. Security Content of the macOS Big Sur Update
• 14. macOS Big Sur Release Notes / Patch Notes / Changes

Click “Continue Reading” for the rest of the article.

1. Apple Links

AppleSeed Notes Link = appleseed.apple.com/

Developer Public Link = developer.apple.com/documentation/macos-release-notes

macOS Deployment References Changes – https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment-reference-macos/document-revision-history-apd04dff7069/web

2. Undocumented macOS Big Sur update changes & fixes

• 1. None as of now.

3. Big Sur Release History

• 22. Big Sur 11.6.8 (20G730) – 7/18/22
• 21. Big Sur 11.6.7 (20G630) – 6/09/22 – My Release Notes
• 20. Big Sur 10.6.6 (20G623) – 5/16/22 – My Release Notes
• 19. Big Sur 11.6.5 (20G527) – 3/14/22 – My Release Notes
• 18. Big Sur 11.6.4 (20G417) – 2/14/22 None
• 17. Big Sur 11.6.3 (20G415) – 1/26/22 – My Release Notes
• 16. Big Sur 11.6.2 (20G314) – 12/13/21 – My Release Notes
• 15. Big Sur 11.6.1 (20G224) – 10/25/21 – My Release Notes
• 14. Big Sur 11.6 (20G165) – 9/13/21 – My Release Notes
• 13. Big Sur 11.5.2 (20G95) – 8/11/21 – My Release Notes
• 12. Big Sur 11.5.1 (20G80) – 7/26/21 – My Release Notes
• 11. Big Sur 11.5 (20G71) – 7/21/21 – My Release Notes
• 10. Big Sur 11.4 (20F71) – 05/24/21 – My Release Notes
• 9. Big Sur 11.3.1 (20E241) – 05/03/21 – My Release Notes
• 8. Big Sur 11.3 (20E232) – 04/26/21 – My Release Notes
• 7. Big Sur 11.2.3 (20D91) – 03/08/21 – My Release Notes
• 6. Big Sur 11.2.2 (20D80) – 2/25/21 – My Release Notes
• 5. Big Sur 11.2.1 (20D74) – 02/09/21 – My Release Notes
• 4. Big Sur 11.2 (20D64) – 02/01/21 – My Release Notes
• 3. Big Sur 11.1 (20C69) – 12/14/20 – My Release Notes
• 2. Big Sur 11.0.1 (20B50) – 11/19/20 – My Release Notes
• 1. Big Sur 11.0.1 (20B29) – 11/12/20 – My Release Notes

4. macOS Big Sur 11 Standalone Pkg downloads are no longer available.

Note: Starting with macOS Big Sur, Combo and Delta update pkg’s aka packages are not available as standalone downloads.

More Info – eclecticlight.co/2020/12/17/apple-has-stopped-providing-standalone-installers-for-macos-updates/

5. macOS Big Sur Full Installer.app

I keep track of all the Final & Beta versions of the macOS Big Sur Full installer.

https://mrmacintosh.com/macos-big-sur-full-installer-database-download-directly-from-apple/

InstallAssistant.pkg = Full download. Installing this package will add the full “Install macOS Big Sur.app” to your applications folder.

Link – macOS Big Sur Mac App Store

Requirements – macOS Big Sur 11 Requirements

6. macOS Big Sur Update sizes for Intel and M1

Delta Update Size

Delta Update size for Apple Silicon M1 & Intel Mac devices.

All sizes are from one update behind. (Example 11.6.5 –> 11.6.6)

• 19. Big Sur 11.6.8 Update Size =
• 18. Big Sur 11.6.7 Update Size = 2.4GB
• 17. Big Sur 11.6.6 Update Size = 2.6GB
• 16. Big Sur 11.6.5 Update Size = 2.6GB
• 15. Big Sur 11.6.4 Update Size = 2.6GB
• 14. Big Sur 11.6.3 Update Size = 2.5GB
• 13. Big Sur 11.6.2 Update Size = 2.68GB
• 12. Big Sur 11.6.1 Update Size = 2.93 GB
• 11. Big Sur 11.6 Update Size = 2.6 GB
• 10. Big Sur 11.5.2 Update Size = 2.2GB
• 9. Big Sur 11.5.1 Update Size = 2.31GB – (3.23GB Actual)
• 8. Big Sur 11.5 Update Size = 2.93GB – (3.84GB Actual)
• 7. Big Sur 11.4 Update Size = 3.06GB – (3.96GB Actual)
• 6. Big Sur 11.3 Update Size = 2.4GB – (3.30GB Actual)
• 5. Big Sur 11.2.3 Update Size = 5.71GB – (6.42GB Actual)
• 4. Big Sur 11.2.2 Update Size = 2.44GB – (3.37GB Actual)
• 3. Big Sur 11.2 Update Size = 2.5GB – (3.43GB Actual)
• 2. Big Sur 11.1 Update Size = 3.26GB – (4.19GB Actual)
• 1. Big Sur 11.0.1 Update Size 3.66GB – (4.59GB Actual)

7. Apple Silicon M1 Firmware Update

This update has a new firmware update. This version number is reported in System Information under “System Firmware Version“

Apple Silicon M1 Firmware Update = Checking

Previous Firmware Updates

• 26. Big Sur 11.6.8 – Checking
• 25. Big Sur 11.6.7 – None
• 24. Big Sur 11.6.6 – 7459.121.3
• 23. Big Sur 11.6.5 – 7459.101.2
• 22. Big Sur 11.6.4 – 7429.81.3
• 21. Big Sur 11.6.3 – 7429.81.3
• 20. Big Sur 11.6.2 – 7429.61.2
• 19. Big Sur 11.6.1 – 7429.41.5
• 18. Big Sur 11.6 – 6723.140.2
• 17. Big Sur 11.5.2 – 6723.140.2
• 16. Big Sur 11.5.1 – 6723.140.2
• 15. Big Sur 11.5 – 6723.140.2
• 14. Big Sur 11.4 – 6723.120.36
• 13. Big Sur 11.3.1 – 6723.101.4
• 12. Big Sur 11.3 – 6723.101.4
• 11. Big Sur 11.2.3 – 6723.81.1
• 10. Big Sur 11.2.2 – 6723.81.1
• 9. Big Sur 11.2.1 – 6723.81.1
• 8. Big Sur 11.2 – 6723.81.1
• 5. Big Sur 11.1 – 6723.61.3
• 2. Big Sur 11.0.1 – 6723.50.2
• 1. Big Sur 11.0 – 6723.41.11

8. Intel T2 BridgeOS Update

The Version of BridgeOS for your T2 Security Chip (2018-2020 Intel Macs) was updated.

BridgeOS Version – Checking

Previous T2 Bridge Updates

• 29. Big Sur 11.6.8 – Checking
• 28. Big Sur 11.6.7 – None
• 27. Big Sur 11.6.6 – 19.16.15071
• 26. Big Sur 11.6.5 – 19.16.14242.5.1
• 25. Big Sur 11.6.4 – 19.16.10744.0.0
• 24. Big Sur 11.6.3 – 19.16.10744.0.0
• 23. Big Sur 11.6.2 = 19.16.10647.0.0
• 22. Big Sur 11.6.1 = 19.16.10548.0.0
• 21. Big Sur 11.6 = 18.16.14759.0.1
• 20. Big Sur 11.5.2 = 18.16.14759.0.1
• 19. Big Sur 11.5.1 = 18.16.14759.0.1 – Build version 13
• 18. Big Sur 11.5 = 18.16.14759.0.1
• 17. Big Sur 11.4 = 18.16.14663.0.0
• 16. Big Sur 11.3.1 = 18.16.14556.0.0 – Build version 29
• 15. Big Sur 11.3 = 18.16.14556.0.0
• 14. Big Sur 11.2.3 = 18.16.14347.0.0 – Build version 5
• 13. Big Sur 11.2.2 = 18.16.14347.0.0
• 12. Big Sur 11.2.1 = 18.16.14346.0.0
• 11. Big Sur 11.2 = 18.16.14346.0.0
• 10. Big Sur 11.1 = 18.16.13030.0.0
• 9. Previous 11.1 Beta = 18.16.13017.5.3
• 8. Previous Beta RC2 = 18.16.12560.5.1
• 7. Previous Beta 11 = 18.15.12551
• 6. Previous Beta 10 = 18.16.12402.5.2
• 5. Previous Beta 9 = 18.16.12390.5.1
• 4. Previous Beta 8 = 18.16.12380 Build Version 3
• 3. Previous Beta 7 = 18.16.12380
• 2. Previous Beta 6 = 18.16.12370.5.1
• 1. Previous Beta 5 = 18.16.10358.5.2

9. Apple Silicon IPSW Restore file Update

Apple stopped releasing the full IPSW restore file for Big Sur. The last IPSW restore file was 11.6.

https://mrmacintosh.com/apple-silicon-m1-full-macos-restore-ipsw-firmware-files-database/

• 13. macOS Big Sur 11.6 = UniversalMac_11.6_20G165_Restore.ipsw
• 12. macOS Big Sur 11.5.2 = UniversalMac_11.5.2_20G95_Restore.ipsw
• 11. macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 = UniversalMac_11.5.1_20G80_Restore.ipsw
• 10. macOS Big Sur 11.5 = UniversalMac_11.5_20G71_Restore.ipsw
• 9. macOS Big Sur 11.4 = UniversalMac_11.4_20F71_Restore.ipsw
• 8. macOS Big Sur 11.3.1 = UniversalMac_11.3.1_20E241_Restore.ipsw
• 7. macOS Big Sur 11.3 = UniversalMac_11.3_20E232_Restore.ipsw
• 6. macOS Big Sur 11.2.3 = UniversalMac_11.2.3_20D91_Restore.ipsw
• 5. macOS Big Sur 11.2.2 = UniversalMac_11.2.2_20D80_Restore.ipsw
• 4. macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 = UniversalMac_11.2.1_20D74_Restore.ipsw
• 3. macOS Big Sur 11.2 = UniversalMac_11.2_20D64_Restore.ipsw
• 2. macOS Big Sur 11.1 = UniversalMac_11.1_20C69_Restore.ipsw
• 1. macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 = UniversalMac_11.0.1_20B29_Restore.ipsw

10. Safari Update

A new version of Safari was NOT included in the macOS Big Sur update.

NOTE! When you use the full installer of Big Sur, it does contain a copy of Safari. After 11.6, Big Sur software updates do not include Safari like Monterey updates do. Safari will be available as a separate download in software update.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213260

• 15. Big Sur 11.6.8 = Safari = Checking
• 14. Big Sur 11.6.7 = Safari NOT updated
• 13. Big Sur 11.6.6 = Safari 15.5 (16613.2.7.1.9)
• 12. Big Sur 11.6.5 = Safari 15.4 (16613.1.17.1.11, 16613)
• 11. Big Sur 11.6.4 = Safari 15.3
• 10. Big Sur 11.6.3 = Safari 15.3 (16612.4.9.1.7)
• 9. Big Sur 11.6.2 = Safari 15.2 (16612.3.6.1.8) = Separate Software Update Install
• 8. Big Sur 11.6.1 = Big Sur updates no longer include Safari Updates, they are a now a separate install.
• 7. Big Sur 11.6 = 14.1.2 (16611.3.10.1.6)
• 6. Big Sur 11.5.2 = 14.1.2 (16611.3.10.1.6)
• 5. Big Sur 11.5.1 = Safari 14.1.2 (16611.3.10.1.3) Same as 11.5 Update
• 4. Big Sur 11.5 = Safari 14.1.2 (16611.3.10.1.3)
• 3. Big Sur 11.4 = Safari 14.1.1 (16611.2.7.1.4)
• 2. Big Sur 11.3.1 = Safari 14.1 (16611.1.21.161.6)
• 1. Big SUr 11.3 = Safari 14.1 (16611.1.21.161.3)

11. What’s new for Enterprise in macOS Big Sur

None at this moment.

12. Security Content of macOS Big Sur

Apple’s main Security Document for all OS security updates.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201222

13. macOS Big Sur 11.6.8 Release Notes

Apple release patch notes for the 11.6.8 update

Waiting on notes