macOS Tahoe
| Version of the macOS operating system | |
 | |
 Screenshot of macOS Tahoe | |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| OS family | |
| Source model | Closed, with open source components |
| Latest preview | 26.0 beta[1] (June 9, 2025) [±] |
| Update method | Software Update |
| Platforms | ARM64 (Apple Silicon)
x86-64 (Intel) |
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| Default user interface | Liquid Glass |
| License | Proprietary software with open-source components and content licensed with APSL |
| Preceded by | macOS Sequoia |
| Official website | www |
| Tagline | Fresh faced. Timelessly Mac.[2] |
| Support status | |
| In developer beta. Drops support for the 2017 iMac Pro, 2018 Mac Mini, 2018 MacBook Pro, 2019 13” and 15” MacBook Pro, 2020 Two Thunderbolt 3 Port 13” MacBook Pro, 2019 iMac, and the 2020 Intel MacBook Air. | |
| Part of a series on |
| macOS |
|---|
macOS Tahoe, also known as macOS 26, is the upcoming twenty-second major release of Apple's macOS operating system. The successor to macOS Sequoia (macOS 15), it was first announced at WWDC 2025 on June 9, 2025, with its first developer beta released the same day. In line with Apple's practice of naming macOS releases after landmarks in California, it is named after Tahoe, a lake straddling the border between California and Nevada.
Tahoe will be the final version of macOS to support Intel-based Macs, with macOS 27 and newer expected to support Apple silicon only; support was also reduced to Macintosh models containing ninth-generation Intel Core processors or Cascade Lake-based Intel Xeon processors.
Development
[edit]macOS Tahoe was announced by Apple's senior vice president (SVP) of software engineering Craig Federighi at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9, 2025.[3] The first developer beta was released the same day.[4]
During WWDC, Apple announced that the version numbers of its operating systems would now be unified and based on the year which follows that of their corresponding WWDC announcement (similarly to vehicle model years), moving them all forward to version 26 (i.e. iOS 26). Federighi stated that macOS will still primarily be marketed using its release name (in this case, "Tahoe"), since he believed the OS "demands more" than just a version number.[5][6]
Features
[edit]macOS Tahoe introduces several new features and improvements, mainly focused on the user interface:[7]
- The UI has been completely redesigned for the first time since macOS Big Sur to use Liquid Glass, replacing Aqua, making it even more consistent with Apple's other platforms, which also receive it. The menu bar is now fully transparent. The cursor has been redesigned, now having a more rounded appearance. App icons have been unified with iOS and iPadOS, and can have dark and tinted variants as introduced in iOS with iOS 18/iPadOS 18, as well as a new clear variant.
- Some system sound effects are refined.
- Folder icons can now have custom colors, emblems, and emojis, and can also abide to the accent color.
- Spotlight Search has been redesigned and gains quick actions, "quick-key" shortcuts, menubar search, and Apple Intelligence integration.
- Many iOS and iPadOS features have been brought over to the Mac, such as Live Activities.
- The Phone and Journal apps are now included as part of macOS. The Phone app uses Continuity to integrate with the iPhone.
- The Control Center has been redesigned, now functioning like and resembling the iOS version introduced in iOS 18/iPadOS 18. The volume, brightness and keyboard brightness sliders have been redesigned, ditching the appearance that had been introduced in OS X Yosemite.
- The Launchpad, introduced in OS X Lion and mostly unchanged afterwards, has been removed and replaced by the Applications feature which is similar to the App Library, used on iOS since iOS 14 and iPadOS since iPadOS 15. It is integrated into the Spotlight interface. iPhone apps also appear in the Applications list through Continuity from the user's iPhone, and will launch through iPhone Mirroring.[8]
- A Magnifier app, Vehicle Motion Cues, a system-wide Accessibility Reader, and support for Braille displays comes as part of expanded accessibility features.
Supported hardware
[edit]macOS Tahoe supports all Macs with Apple silicon and those with Intel's 9th generation Coffee Lake and Cascade Lake-based Xeon-W processors. Tahoe marks the end of support for MacBooks with "butterfly" keyboards and those without T-series co-processors.
The only supported Intel Macs are the Mac Pro (2019), the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019), the MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) and the iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020). The following devices are compatible:[9][10]
- MacBook Air (M1, 2020) or later
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) or later
- MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) or later
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) or later
- Mac Mini (M1, 2020) or later
- iMac (2020) or later
- Mac Studio (2022) or later
- Mac Pro (2019) or later
During its Platforms State of the Union event at WWDC 2025, Apple announced that macOS Tahoe will be the last version of macOS that supports Intel Macs.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Clover, Juli (June 9, 2025). "Apple Seeds First Developer Betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe and More". MacRumors. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "OS - macOS".
- ^ Benedetto, Antonio G. Di (June 9, 2025). "Apple announces macOS 26 Tahoe with new design and revamped search features". The Verge. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ Liszewski, Andrew (June 9, 2025). "The first developer betas for iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, iPadOS 26, and more are now available". The Verge. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
- ^ "iOS 26 is official: Apple changes from version numbers to years for its OS names". Engadget. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ Pandey, Rajesh (June 9, 2025). "Goodbye iOS 19, hello iOS 26: Apple switches to year-based names". Cult of Mac. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
- ^ "macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever". Apple Newsroom. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
- ^ "macOS Tahoe Transforms Launchpad Into App Library". MacRumors. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
- ^ "macOS Tahoe Might Support One Fewer Mac Than Previously Rumored". MacRumors. June 7, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ Mayo, Benjamin (June 9, 2025). "Apple will end support for Intel Macs next year, macOS 27 will require Apple Silicon". 9to5Mac. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "Intel Macs Won't Get Updates After macOS Tahoe". MacRumors. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
