Apple on Thursday released macOS Monterey 12.2.1, which brings minor bug fixes to macOS Monterey which was released last fall. According to Apple’s release notes, macOS Monterey 12.2.1 addresses a bug that was causing Bluetooth devices connected to Macs to drain an excessive amount of battery.
The macOS Monterey 12.2.1 update can be downloaded to a compatible Mac via the Software Update section of System Preferences. Like all Mac updates, the macOS Monterey 12.2.1 update is available free of charge. The update is also available in the Mac App Store.
The update fixes a battery drain during sleep issue that began with the release of macOS 12.2 to the public last month. The issue was apparently due to Bluetooth accessories frequently waking up the machines, draining the battery.
Users report that disabling Bluetooth on their Mac or disconnecting all Bluetooth accessories are disconnected from the Mac fixes the issue, but this is not really an ideal solution.
Affected users found that their Mac’s battery life dropped from 100% to 0% while in sleep mode overnight. A few users investigated in Terminal and found that Bluetooth accessories were frequently causing a “DarkWake from Deep Idle” that saw the Mac repeatedly waking from sleep and draining the battery.
macOS Monterey 12.2.1 also fixes a WebKit bug that could allow maliciously crafted web content to lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited, so Mac users should update to the new software as soon as possible.
Apple also released new versions of Safari 15.3 for users on macOS Big Sur and Catalina, which is believed to address the same WebKit vulnerability that was fixed in macOS Monterey 12.2.1.
