Which macOS release renamed System Preferences to System Settings? Ventura.
macOS Ventura, version 13, renamed Apple's long-standing System Preferences application to System Settings. Ventura launched on October 24, 2022, and the change came with a substantial redesign modeled more closely on the Settings apps in iOS and iPadOS.
The new interface replaced the familiar icon grid with a sidebar-based layout. Related controls are grouped into sections, and settings can be searched or browsed in a more linear way. The rename also changed app menu labels from “Preferences…” to “Settings…” in many Mac applications.
The historical name can cause confusion because System Preferences was not new to Ventura: it dates back to Mac OS X 10.0 in 2001, when it replaced the separate control panels used by Classic Mac OS. Big Sur changed the visual design, but did not rename the app. Monterey retained the System Preferences name, and Sonoma followed Ventura's terminology.