Particulars Release Notes

Particulars software updates are cumulative: each version includes all the changes from previous versions. Since August 2017, Particulars no longer uses major version numbers. Each version is an incremental improvement to the previous version. Upgrades to the current version can be made from any previous version. Updates are performed in the Mac App Store.

Release Notes | Particulars Help Book

Version 63 – December 4, 2024

  • Settings are grayed out when they are configured by MDM and Lab Mode is not enabled
  • Menu bar icon can no longer be removed by Command-dragging when Lab Mode is enabled or menu bar icon is enforced by MDM
  • Menu bar widget font size is now correct at launch

Version 62 – October 23, 2024

  • Particulars is now available as a package for organizations
  • System information is updated less frequently when hidden from view
  • The performance and reliability of multiple near-simultaneous settings changes is improved
  • System information would populate twice on launch - fixed

Version 61 – September 10, 2024

  • Performance improvement when fetching GPU names
  • Fixed errors and crashes in Shortcuts when fetching network information
  • Minimum OS: macOS 13.6
  • Removed support for macOS Server

Version 60 – July 1, 2024

  • Advanced setting to configure menu bar icon
  • Menu bar widget is now detachable by default and can be configured in app settings

Version 59 – June 10, 2024

  • Adds operating system version name for macOS 15
  • Updated crash reporter

Version 58 – March 20, 2024

  • Advanced setting to adjust margins of system information on the desktop
  • Advanced setting to show an error when no active network interfaces are found
  • Experimental features are now documented in help

Version 57 – March 5, 2024

  • Wi-Fi SSID is no longer enabled by default
  • Enabling the Wi-Fi SSID requires the user to grant location permission on macOS 14.4
  • If macOS returns a zero-length SSID, Particulars will no longer try to display it

Version 56 – December 10, 2023

  • Performance improvement for automatic text shade
  • Fixed layout issues in the Desktop settings tab and the Welcome window on macOS 14
  • The previously deprecated -t and -w CLI options have been removed
  • Updated crash reporter
  • Minimum OS: macOS 12.0

Version 55 – November 4, 2023

  • Model name could be empty on Intel Macs – fixed

Version 54 – September 29, 2023

  • Setting to disable system information on the desktop

Version 53 – September 6, 2023

  • The menu bar icon now shows system information in a popover
  • The Settings window no longer resizes when the text size is modified
  • Secondary-clicking the menu bar icon shows a menu
  • Lab mode no longer restricts the menu bar icon but does restrict secondary-clicking on the menu bar icon
  • Settings have been reorganized. The Theme tab is now called 'Desktop' and has all the settings for displaying information on the desktop.

Version 52 – June 9, 2023

  • Adds operating system version name for macOS 14

Version 51 – March 27, 2023

  • Improved support for Macs with a camera housing (notch)
  • Fixed crashes where macOS reports no attached displays
  • Updated crash reporter

Version 50 – January 22, 2023

  • New particular: Model number (Apple silicon only)
  • New particular: Part number (Apple silicon only)
  • System information on the desktop would be updated more than once at the same time causing unnecessary processing – fixed
  • Particulars would use the wrong MAC address if macOS re-used a network interface name (e.g. en5) – fixed
  • Darwin version was missing the from copying menu

Version 49 – January 2, 2023

  • Support for the ParticularsMassDeployment package
  • Preliminary support for Rapid Security Response
  • Lab Mode no longer enables Launch at Login

Version 48 – November 15, 2022

  • The CLI now only outputs in color if the terminal supports color
  • The CLI outputs errors to standard error
  • The short CLI option for network has been changed to -N. The -t option continues to function but is deprecated and will be removed in a future version
  • The short CLI option for Darwin version has been changed to -D. The -w option continues to function but is deprecated and will be removed in a future version

Version 47 – October 23, 2022

  • Support for macOS Ventura 13
  • 'System' is now the default theme. The Lato theme is now named 'Classic'
  • Fixed a rare crash when changing display position
  • macOS Server has been discontinued and server information is not displayed on macOS Ventura
  • Updated crash reporter
  • Minimum OS: macOS 11.0
  • As macOS Catalina is no longer supported, the Today Extension has been removed

Version 46 – August 26, 2022

  • Optional disk space for non-boot disks
  • Disk space now updates when a disk is renamed

Version 45 – June 8, 2022

  • Preference to control launch at login in Lab Mode
  • Adds operating system version name for macOS 13
  • Adopt Hardened Runtime
  • Updated crash reporter

Version 44 – March 26, 2022

  • JSON output in the CLI: --json
  • Property list output in the CLI: --plist
  • Header and footer advanced preferences

Version 43 – January 2, 2022

  • Added support for Shortcuts in macOS Monterey 12
  • An errant message would be logged in the CLI on Intel Macs without an Apple SoC – fixed
  • Updated crash reporter

Version 42 – October 24, 2021

  • Native model name lookup on Macs with Apple silicon
  • Public IP address lookup is now compatible with iCloud Private Relay
  • Minimum OS: macOS 10.15

Version 41 – September 5, 2021

  • The indent after labels was not calculated correctly – fixed

Version 40 – August 29, 2021

  • Options for reporting available and purgeable disk space
  • Disk space is now formatted similar to Finder/Disk Utility

Version 39 – July 5, 2021

  • Operating system version name (e.g., Big Sur, Catalina, etc)
  • NAT IP address has been renamed to Public IP address

Version 38 – June 5, 2021

  • New network particular: DNS search domains
  • Remove menu bar extra by Command-dragging it out of the menu bar
  • SoC could not be turned off in Custom detail level on Macs with Apple silicon – fixed

Version 37 – April 8, 2021

  • Fixed rare crashes when formatting a MAC address

Version 36 – March 25, 2021

  • Optimized discovery of the SoC on Macs with Apple silicon
  • Fixed a potential crash on launch

Version 35 – March 17, 2021

  • Network detail level: customize which pieces of network information are displayed
  • Model name now returns a generic model name (e.g., Mac mini or MacBook Pro) rather than the model identifier, when the model name cannot be looked up
  • Improved the initial position of the preferences window
  • Advanced preference tab renamed to 'Network'
  • 'Windows' MAC address format renamed to 'Windows/IEEE'
  • Updated crash reporter

Version 34 – November 19, 2020

  • Support for Macs with Apple silicon
  • Updated crash reporter

Version 33 – November 7, 2020

  • Support for macOS Big Sur 11
  • Minor update to Lato font
  • Updated crash reporter
  • Minimum OS: macOS 10.14

Version 32 – August 22, 2020

  • Interface for customizing detail level
  • New particular: Darwin version
  • Preferences are now arranged in tabs
  • Fixed rare crash when getting the desktop picture
  • Fixed rare crash on launch when a Mac does not have an Apple SoC
  • Font panel now closes with preferences window or when a standard theme is chosen
  • Today Extension now uses standard controls for opening and closing its configuration

Version 31 – July 16, 2020

  • CPU detail is now enhanced with Apple System-on-chip (T-series Security Chip) information on compatible Macs
  • Support for 12 displays
  • Copy Primary IPv4 address to clipboard
  • Copy NAT IP address to clipboard
  • Showing all network interfaces is now an advanced preference instead of an additional detail level
  • Updated crash reporter
  • Minimum OS: macOS 10.13.4

Version 30 – April 27, 2020

  • Display position: choose where system information appears on the desktop
  • Automatic text shade follows display position, uses less RAM, and is more precise
  • Lab mode for the Today Extension
  • Automatically relaunch when hiding and showing the Dock icon

Version 29 – March 23, 2020

  • Corrected the default label case in Today Extension
  • Automatic text shade could fail with more than one display attached – fixed

Version 28 – December 18, 2019

  • Interface for configuring the Today Extension
  • Change the letter case of labels
  • Interface for changing advanced preferences

Version 27 – November 17, 2019

  • Updated crash reporter

Version 26 – August 23, 2019

  • Text Themes: Default, System, Mono
  • Custom text theme: full control over font, color, and opacity
  • Menu bar extra
  • Support for displaying over 1 TB of RAM
  • Support for 8 displays
  • Fine-grained font size
  • Redesigned preferences window
  • Removed global keyboard shortcut for showing preferences

Version 25 – June 5, 2019

  • Improved GPU formatting
  • Automatic text shade mode now works on images stored outside the Pictures folder
  • Performance improvements to automatic text shade
  • Minimum OS: macOS 10.12

Version 24 – September 20, 2018

  • Support for macOS Mojave including Dark Mode
  • Minimum OS: OS X 10.11.2

Version 23 – June 8, 2018

  • Short command-line options can now be combined

Version 22 – February 15, 2018

  • Removed obsolete items from the Help menu

Version 21 – November 27, 2017

  • RAM type and speed

Version 20 – October 29, 2017

  • Support for removable GPUs in macOS High Sierra 10.13
  • Performance improvement after display sleep

Version 19 – August 30, 2017

  • Add Wi-Fi SSID to network information

Version 18 – August 8, 2017

  • Preferences would show 4 displays when only 3 were connected – fixed
  • New version numbering scheme
  • Updated crash reporter

Version 1.4.8 – May 1, 2017

  • Fixed crash when DHCP lease start time cannot be determined

Version 1.4.7 – March 31, 2017

  • Hide iBridge (Touch Bar) in network configuration
  • Minimum OS: OS X 10.7.2

Version 1.4.6 – December 6, 2016

  • Look and feel of Today Extension updated for macOS Sierra 10.12

Version 1.4.5 – November 17, 2016

  • NAT IP address would display as 'Unknown' when using a public IPv4 address – fixed
  • Additional validation of NAT IP address

Version 1.4.4 – November 11, 2016

  • Show CPU count on multiprocessor Macs
  • Improvements when getting NAT IP address

Version 1.4.3 – September 12, 2016

  • Support for macOS Sierra 10.12
  • Support for macOS Server 5.2

Version 1.4.2 – June 29, 2016

  • Fixed rare crash when retrieving network information
  • CLI would display correctly but return an error code when using -a – fixed
  • Crashes in lab mode are now reported automatically

Version 1.4.1 – May 19, 2016

  • Fixed crash when DHCP lease length is infinite
  • Fixed display of infinite DHCP lease length

Version 1.4 – May 15, 2016

  • Disk space is available from the command line interface
  • Copying from Dock menu
  • CLI option for particulars in detail level: -a
  • Copy en0 MAC address to clipboard
  • Crash reporting for Today Extension
  • Open Preferences from Dock icon
  • Improved layout of long IPv6 addresses in Today Extension
  • Fixed a crash when using a non-RGB image as a desktop background with auto text shade
  • Fixed a crash when the serial number cannot be determined
  • Fixed layout issues when changing displays
  • When scaling down to fit text on desktop, labels would not scale down – fixed
  • Many performance improvements and under the hood fixes

Version 1.3.3 – December 8, 2015

  • Support for OS X El Capitan 10.11
  • GPU is available from the command line interface
  • Fixed alignment of labels in the Preferences window

Version 1.3.2 – April 17, 2015

  • NAT IP address would not be shown while on VPN – fixed

Version 1.3.1 – April 2, 2015

  • Fixed issue with Server.app outside of /Applications
  • Fixed issue with missing IPv6 router address

Version 1.3 – December 30, 2014

  • Command-line interface (CLI)
  • New particular: DHCP (IPv4) server and lease
  • Advanced preference: Prevent application hiding
  • Live updates in the Today Extension

Version 1.2 – October 16, 2014

  • Today Extension (Widget) for OS X Yosemite 10.10

Version 1.1 – October 2, 2014

  • New particular: Serial number
  • New particular: GPU
  • New particular: MAC address
  • Detail levels
  • Preferred display
  • Copy system information to the clipboard
  • Advanced preference: CIDR notation subnet mask
  • Advanced preference: Custom detail level
  • Display build with OS X Server version
  • Replace model identifier with model name
  • Terminates immediately on logoff
  • Updated look based on Lato
  • Tall content may have been clipped – If required, text size is now scaled down to fit all content on screen
  • Content may have been drawn behind the Dock – fixed
  • Launching Particulars from Finder when it is already running displays its preferences
  • The allNetworkInterfaces preference is removed in favor of Detail levels

Version 1.0.1 – July 17, 2014

  • RAM quantities that end in zero, e.g. 20 GB, would be incorrectly formatted without the trailing zero – fixed
  • Fixed memory leaks
  • Additional help options
  • Additional documentation

Version 1.0 – July 1, 2014

  • First public release