Take Control of Monterey

Get More from Messages

Apple’s Messages app gains some new features in Monterey (which, as usual, are shared across platforms). Here’s an overview of what’s new.

Shared with You

Paradoxically, the most prominent new feature in Messages does not actually appear in Messages at all. Rather, Shared with You is a mechanism whereby various other apps can display—usually in a special sidebar category—content specific to that app that people have sent you via Messages.

For example, suppose someone sent you photos in Messages. If you open the Photos app, you’ll see a new Shared with You item in the sidebar. Click that to see all the photos that have been shared via Messages. Each item shows who shared it with you, although, depending on the app, you ...