MacOS Tahoe

macOS Tahoe
Version of the macOS operating system
Screenshot of macOS Tahoe
Developer	Apple Inc.
OS family	Mac Unix, based on Darwin (BSD)
Source model	Closed, with open source components
Latest preview	26.0 beta 8[1] (August 25, 2025; 5 days ago (2025-08-25)) [±]
Update method	Software Update
Supported 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.apple.com/os/macos/
Tagline	Fresh faced. Timelessly Mac.[2]
Support status
Developer & Public Beta
Articles in the series
iOS 26 iPadOS 26 watchOS 26 tvOS 26 visionOS 26

macOS Tahoe (version 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 Lake Tahoe, a lake straddling the border between California and Nevada.

Tahoe will be the last version of macOS to support Macs with Intel processors, with support further-limited to selected iMac, MacBook Pro, and Mac Pro models; all future versions will support only Apple silicon.^[3]

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.^[4] The first developer beta was released the same day.^[5]

During WWDC, Apple announced that the version numbers of its operating systems would now be unified and based on the year that follows that of their release (similarly to vehicle model years), moving them all forward to version 26. Federighi stated that macOS versions will still primarily be marketed using release names as before (in this case, "Tahoe"), since he believed macOS "demands more" than just a version number.^[6][7]

Apple claims that macOS Tahoe introduces several new features and improvements, mainly focused on the user interface.^[8]

The design of the user interface has been completely redesigned for the first time since macOS Big Sur in 2020. It now uses Liquid Glass, in line with Apple's other platforms, which also receive it.

• Folder icons have been redesigned and can now have custom colors, emblems, and emojis, and can also abide to the accent color. They also now have animations.
• 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.
• The menu bar is now fully transparent by default.
• The Control Center has been redesigned, now functioning like and resembling the iOS version introduced in iOS 18/iPadOS 18.
• Volume and brightness sliders have been redesigned; the sliders are now fully integrated with the Control Center.
• Some Lock Screen customization features on iOS/iPadOS have been brought over to the Mac, such as changing the color and font of the clock.

• Spotlight Search has been redesigned and gains quick actions, "quick-key" shortcuts, menubar search, and Apple Intelligence integration.
• An 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.^[9]

• App icons are now forced to use the square shape used since macOS Big Sur, icons that don't comply are placed under a grey square shape.
• Areas such as the Control Center, app opening and Spotlight Search now has increased animation.
• Many iOS and iPadOS features have been brought over to the Mac, such as Live Activities and Collections in the Photos app.
• The cursor has been redesigned, now having a more rounded appearance.
• Some system sound effects are refined.
• Vehicle Motion Cues, a system-wide Accessibility Reader, and support for Braille displays comes as part of expanded accessibility features.
• The Photos, Maps and Apple Music apps now behave more similarly to their iOS and iPadOS counterparts.
• Terminal gains support for 24-bit color and Powerline fonts.^[10]
• The Macintosh HD icon has been changed from a hard disk drive to a solid-state drive.^[11]

• Phone: the Phone app uses Continuity to integrate with the iPhone.
• Journal: encourages users to create journal entries in which they can record and reflect upon their thoughts and activities.
• Magnifier: the app uses the Mac's camera to allow users to zoom in on information in front of the user.
• Games: provides an interface for games from the App Store and Apple Arcade, as well as Game Center social features.

• Home only supports the redesigned architecture introduced with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura and ends support for the legacy architecture.^[12]
• Support for FireWire 400/800 has been removed.^[13]
• Launchpad has been removed for the new Applications feature.^[9]

macOS Tahoe supports all Macs with Apple silicon and some of those with Intel's 9th generation Coffee Lake Refresh, 10th generation Ice Lake and Comet Lake, and Cascade Lake-based Xeon-W processors, including:^[14][15]

• 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 Pro (2019) or later
• All Mac Studio models

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-based Macs.^[16] The only remaining Intel-based Macs supported by Tahoe are the Mac Pro (2019), the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019), the MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, four Thunderbolt 3 ports) and the iMac (2020), thus ending support for Intel-based MacBook Air and Mac Mini models.^[14][15]

• iOS 26
• iPadOS 26

[note 1]. ^ Released July 21 as "Public beta 1", then pulled shortly after.^[17]