Slicker, faster and more refined: Apple launches major 'El Capitan' free update to its Mac software

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Apple is set to unleash its new Mac software on Wednesday as a free update for users.  

Called 'El Capitan', reviewers say it won't offer dramatic changes, but rather refinements and enhancements to the current Mac system, called Yosemite. 

It makes Macs seem slicker, faster and easier to use - and is free to download.

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'El Capitan' won't offer dramatic changes, but the new free update to Mac OS does give some great refinements and enhancements to the current Mac system, called Yosemite.

'People love using their Macs, and one of the biggest reasons is the power and ease-of-use of OS X,' said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. 

'El Capitan refines the Mac experience and improves performance in a lot of little ways that make a very big difference.'

Apple has been running a massive public beta test program for the software, giving users several version of it to test.

'Feedback from our OS X beta program has been incredibly positive and we think customers are going to love their Macs even more with El Capitan,' said Federighi.

The software improves system performance across your Mac, making many of the things you do everyday faster and more responsive - and this is instantly noticeable.

Metal, Apple's groundbreaking graphics technology, accelerates Core Animation and Core Graphics to boost system-level rendering by up to 50 percent, and efficiency by up to 40 percent, resulting in faster graphics performance for everyday apps. 

In real life, El Capitan is a rock formation in Yosemite National Park - it's as though the new Mac system isn't big enough to leave Yosemite.

Nonetheless, it's an upgrade worth having after it's out Wednesday, especially as it's free. 

More of the latest Apple news and updates 

Though you're not getting a lot of new functionality, El Capitan is packed with goodies that will shave off seconds here and there. 

Those seconds will add up.

Just back up your system before upgrading, and make sure any apps you use frequently will work with the new system. 

Sometimes, it takes app makers weeks or months to catch up, especially for non-Apple apps.

Once you get El Capitan, here are six features worth checking out: 

PINNING WEBSITES

A pin is like a bookmark on Apple's Safari browser, except the website you're pinning is always open and refreshing in the background. If you visit another website and come back, pins remember where you left off - as long as you don't close the browser.

You might say this sounds like browser tabs. A key difference is when you click on an external link and leave a pinned site, the browser opens a new tab, so you don't lose your place on the pinned site. With tabs, the new site sometimes replaces the site you were on. 

'El Capitan' won't offer dramatic changes, but the new free update to Mac OS does give some great refinements and enhancements to the current Mac system, called Yosemite.

MUTING AUDIO

As websites get aggressive at delivering video ads and content, audio might play automatically. This gets annoying if you're watching video in another window. Safari now has a speaker icon to instantly mute all audio playing in the browser, without affecting audio elsewhere. With the computer's mute button, it's all or nothing.

If the video you're watching is playing in the same browser, the audio for that will mute, too. It works better when playing video in a stand-alone app, such as iTunes. Or you can install a separate browser, such as Google's Chrome, and play your Netflix or Hulu video there. 

El Capitan's Split View is a feature Microsoft has had since Window 8's release in 2012.

SPLIT SCREENS AND SPACES

The Mac has long let you run multiple apps in separate windows, but you've been limited to one app when it's in full-screen mode. This changes with El Capitan's Split View, a feature Microsoft has had since Window 8's release in 2012. Although you can come close to split screens by resizing two windows and placing them side by side, you now just need to press and hold the green button on the top left of an app's window.

The introduction of split screens also uncovers a little-known feature called Spaces. If your desktop feels cluttered, you can spread your apps out in groups, or Spaces. One Space might be for your productivity apps, such as spreadsheets. Another might be for goofing off. If you're on a laptop, it's easy to switch by swiping three fingers on the touchpad left or right. That's perfect for when your boss suddenly walks by.

BETTER NOTES

The Notes app has traditionally been little more than a word-processing app. Now, it's possible to drag in photos, add map locations and create checklists. It's also easier to sift through Web links and attachments you've added. The Notes app on iPhones and iPads got a comparable update, and your notes sync across Apple devices. You can also access them on Windows computers through icloud.com. Android users are out of luck.

SMARTER SEARCH

You can search for old documents using natural language, such as 'find me spreadsheets from March 2013.' The search tool also retrieves more types of information, including weather and stock quotes. 

The search function has been dramatically updated

SHAKY CURSOR

No doubt you've had times you've needed to select text or move a window, but you have no idea where the cursor went. Now, just move the mouse back and forth rapidly, or swipe your finger back and forth on the touchpad if it's a laptop. The cursor turns into a giant arrow for better visibility.

It might remind you of those giant foam fingers at parades and sports arenas. Freaky, but useful.