The upcoming macOS 13.3 update looks set to fix an issue that some people have been dealing with since macOS 13.2 was released earlier in 2023.
The bug, which doesn't appear to affect everyone, broke SMB file sharing for those who are on a network and share files with other computers or storage devices.
Multiple reports suggest that this latest macOS Ventura update will fix the issue, with those who have installed the latest beta saying that their shares are working once again.
Incoming fix
While Apple hasn't yet confirmed that the fix is in place, those early reports are indeed encouraging. MacRumors reports that people have been dealing with macOS Venture SMB file-sharing problems since January, but an end now seems in sight.
While once something that was only really used in the enterprise, file sharing can be hugely useful at home. With many Macs shipping with relatively little SSD storage available as standard, some keep their large files and backups on other devices like Mac minis (the absolute best Mac for that kind of thing) or network-attached storage (NAS) hardware. In those instances, files are normally accessed using file sharing. SMB is the file-sharing standard for Windows, so those living or working with people using Windows-based PCs will need SMB file-sharing to work if they want to be able to access files on other computers.
Unfortunately, Apple hasn't yet said exactly when macOS 13.3 will be released to the public. It's currently at the Release Candidate (RC) stage of development which suggests that it's now feature-complete and is going through the final bug-checking steps. If no significant problems are discovered it's likely that the update will roll out to everyone worldwide within the weeks and possibly before the end of March.
Apple is also expected to release software updates for iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Apple TV hardware at the same time.
