macOS Big Sur 11.7 (20G817) Update! What’s New?

Big Sur 11.7 is now available for all users.

Today, Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.7. 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 11.7 Update addresses multiple security vulnerabilities.
2. Big Sur 11.7 Full installer is available!
3. Apple stopped releasing M1 IPSW restore files after version 11.6.
4. A Safari update = 16.0

macOS Big Sur Update Summary

• New Features – None
• Resolved Issues – None
• Security Fixes – 10

Full Apple OS Release list

macOS 💻 ✅

• Ventura – Still on Beta 7
• Monterey 12.6 (21G115)
• Big Sur – 11.7 (20G817)
• Catalina – DEAD! Catalina is no longer supported by Apple.
• Xcode = 14.0
• Command Line Tools for Xcode = 14.0
• Apple Configurator – Current version = 2.15.1
• Apple Studio Display Firmware Update – Current Version = 15.5

iOS 📱✅

• iOS 16.0 (20A362)
• iOS 16.1 Beta (20B5045d)
• iOS 16.0.1 (iPhone 14 Only)
• iOS 15.7 (19H12)
• iPadOS 16.1 Beta (20B5045d)
• iPadOS 15.7 (19H12)
• tvOS 16.1 Beta (20K5041d)
• tvOS 16.0 (20J373)
• HomePodOS 16.1 Beta (20K5041d)
• HomePodOS 16.0 (20J373)
• watchOS 9.1 Beta (20S5044e)
• watchOS – 9.0 (20R361)

Table of Contents

• 1. Apple Links
• 2. Big Sur Release History
• 3. macOS Big Sur Standalone Pkg downloads no longer available.
• 4. macOS Big Sur Full Installer.app
• 5. macOS Big Sur Update sizes for Intel and M1/M2
• 6. Apple Silicon M1 Firmware Update
• 7. Boot Loader Version (iBoot)
• 8. Intel T2 BridgeOS Update
• 9. Apple Silicon IPSW Restore file Update
• 10. Safari Update
• 11. Security Content of the macOS Big Sur Update
• 12. macOS Big Sur Release Notes / Patch Notes / Changes

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

1. Apple Links

macOS Big Sur Release notes = https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211896

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. Big Sur Release History

• 23. Big Sur 11.7 (20G817) – 9/12/22 – My Release Notes
• 22. Big Sur 11.6.8 (20G730) – 7/18/22 – My Release Notes
• 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. macOS Big Sur Update sizes

Delta Update size for Apple Silicon M1 & Intel Mac devices. All Big Sur updates are cumulative.

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

6. Apple Silicon M1/M2 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 = Not Updated

Previous Firmware Updates

• 27. Big Sur 11.7 – 7459.141.1
• 26. Big Sur 11.6.8 – 7459.141.1
• 25. Big Sur 11.6.7 – 7459.141.1
• 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

7. Boot Loader Version (iBoot)

Big Sur Boot Loader – Not Updated

• 2. Big Sur 11.7 – 6723.140.2
• 1. Big Sur 11.6.8 – 6723.140.2

8. Intel T2 BridgeOS Update

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

BridgeOS Version – Updated!

• 30. Big Sur 11.7 – 19.16.16067
• 29. Big Sur 11.6.8 – 19.16.16064
• 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

• 16. Big Sur 11.7 = Safari 16.0 (16614.1.25.9.10)
• 15. Big Sur 11.6.8 = Safari = Unknown
• 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. Security Content of macOS Big Sur

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

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

12. macOS Big Sur 11.7 Release Notes

This update provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.