macOS 26 superguide: What you need to know about the next Mac update

Apple revealed its plans for the next version of macOS at the WWDC keynote on Monday June 9, 2025. The company also showed off new features for the next iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and more at the event. 

Like its counterparts on the other Apple devices, macOS is getting a brand new look for 2025-2026 along with a new name. Because Apple is aligning the names of all the operating systems this year, the new version of macOS be called macOS 26 rather than macOS 16. It will also take the name Tahoe, inspired by the lake, beaches and the ski resorts of that area of California. 

Along with the redesign, macOS 26 gains new Continuity featuers, a brand new Phone app and new Live Activities. Spotlight also gets its biggest ever update with the ability to action things like sending emails and more from within Spotlight. 

These new features will be available later this year, but if you would like to try them out now you can. The developer beta is out now and the public beta will follow in July. We have more information about joining the beta and the release date of the public beta below. 

You will find all the things you need to know about macOS Tahoe below, including which Macs are compatible with macOS 26 and the new features you can expect. So, stay tuned to this superguide for everything you need to know about macOS 26 Tahoe, the latest version of the beta and all the new features that are coming.

macOS 26 Tahoe release date

• Date TBC: 15 September, 2025 predicted

Apple’s official release of macOS 26 Tahoe will be in the fall, as is usually the case. We don’t know the release date for sure, but we can estimate that it will coincide with the release of the new iOS update, which will probably happen a few days after the iPhone event in September 2025. We anticipate the September iPhone event will take place on September 9, so the software could be out around September 15 or 16.

However, Apple has previously scheduled the update to macOS after iOS, sometimes as short as a week, sometimes as long as a month, so there could be a longer wait.

Here is the recent shipping history for macOS.

• macOS 15 Sequoia: September 16, 2024
• macOS 14 Sonoma: September 26, 2023
• macOS 13 Ventura: October 24, 2022
• macOS 12 Monterey: October 25, 2021
• macOS 11 Big Sur: November 12, 2020
• macOS 10.15 Catalina: October 7, 2019
• macOS 10.14 Mojave: September 24, 2018

[Product OS] will be available (we expect will be available) to download from [date]. iOS, macOS [Tahoe], watchOS will (or won’t) be available to download at the same time. This will likely to come shortly after the September event to celebrate the launch of theiPhone 17. 

macOS 26 Tahoe Beta release date

• Developer beta: June 9
• Public beta: July 15 (estimate)

However, you won’t have to wait until the full release to try the new software out. Apple runs a developer beta as well as a public beta, so if you want to try out the new features before they are released to the general public you will be able to do so. Both betas are free, though the developer beta requires a free registration as a developer.

The developer beta is released first following the WWDC keynote, so developers can immediately begin testing it with their products. Apple then releases a public beta for everyone else, which usually arrives in July, about a month after the first developer beta. Then, whenever Apple issues beta updates, the updated public beta follows a day or two after the updated developer beta.

If you are interested in using the beta, you can join Apple’s beta program. The beta program involves running software that will have some stability issues, and you are expected to provide Apple with details of any issues through the Apple Feedback app.

For help installing the macOS beta see our guide to installing the macOS beta.

macOS 26 Tahoe supported devices

• Requires Apple silicon or Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip
• Apple Intelligence features require M1 or later

When Apple updates the operating system for its devices it sometimes means that certain models are no longer supported. The good news is that Macs that ran macOS Sonoma will be able to run the new macOS. Apple states that the requirement is: Macs with Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip. Those Intel Macs will miss out on the Apple Intelligence features. 

Apple has confirmed that this is the last version of macOS for Intel Macs. 

macOS 26 Tahoe new features 

• New Liquid Glass design 
• Huge update to Spotlight
• Customisable Control Centre
• Clipboard history

Apple showed off some enticing new features for macOS that will be coming later in 2025. There are a number of new features and interface enhancements coming to the Mac.

Design changes 

Apple showed off a brand new look for macOS in the WWDC keynote. As with Apple’s other operating systems, macOS Tahoe uses Apple’s “Liquid Glass” effect to create reflective, glossy elements around the interface. You’ll see the effect in the Dock, sidebars, menu bar, toolbars and elsewhere.  

Interface changes 

Apple says the design overhaul will elevate the key elements of macOS and enhance the macOS experience. By this it seems to mean that the cleaner design will allow the user to focus on their content rather than other distractions, while elements like the translucent menu bar will make the screen feel larger. 

Customisations will allow users to control what appears in the menu bar and Control Centre with users able to add controls for their favorite apps here.

Users will be able to personalize their Mac in other ways too, such as changing the color of folders and adding emoji or symbols to folders. Users can also pick personalised wallpapers and choose theme colors. 

Spotlight overhaul

Changes to Spotlight will help Mac users get things done faster. Not only will Spotlight be the easiest way to find anything on your Mac, in macOS 26 Spotlight will be contextually aware so it can make suggestions based on what you are doing. Search results will be listed based on the relevance to you and it will be possible to use new filtering options for more specific search results. 

There are also hundreds of actions you can perform inside Spotlight. For example, users can do things like send emails from within Spotlight, without even opening the email app.

macOS 26 Tahoe new and updated apps 

• Brand new Phone app 
• Games app 
• Shortcuts update 
• Live Translations 

There are also lots of updates coming to Apple apps that are included with iPads, iPhones and Macs. Many of the changes are shared across all the new apps, but there are a number of Mac specific updates coming. 

Phone app

An Phone app on the Mac is the latest Continuity feature to come to macOS. Continuity is Apple’s name for the features that work seamlessly between Macs, iPad and iPhones, these include Handoff (which enables you to start a task on one device and switch to another to finish it), Universal Clipboard (which allows you to copy something on one device and paste it on another), Universal Control (where you can use one mouse and keyboard to interface with more than one Mac), among other features. 

With the new Phone app users will be able to received their calls and voicemail on the Mac. The Phone app is getting some new features of its own including Call Screening, which is designed to help you avoid spam calls, and Hold Assist, which means you will never have to listen to hold music again. With Call Screening before a call is put through an unknown caller will have to share their name and you will then be provided with that information. With Hold Assist when you join a queue to wait for a call operative and the hold music starts you can choose to be called back. 

Games app

The Games app is another one that is available across all three main operating system updates: iOS, iPadOS and macOS. As with the iOS Games app the Games app on the Mac will bring together all the games you have on Mac, with tabs that make it easy to find the games you and your friends are playing.

A new Game Overlay will make it easy to adjust settings for a particular game. You’ll also be able to chat with friends and ask them to play. There is also a new Low Power Mode coming which gamers will be able to turn on to maximise battery life when playing games. 

And in related news Metal 4 is coming, which will enable next-gen features for Mac game developers, such as MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising. 

Shortcuts 

The Shortcuts app is getting an overhaul on macOS. It’s a long way from Automator. There are new intelligent actions available that can be used to create shortcuts. Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT can be used to enhance these Shortcuts. 

Live Translation 

One of the most useful new features announced at WWDC is Live Translation. With Live Translation you can text a friend who speaks a different language and have the translations appear in real time, or get instant translations during a phone call or FaceTime conference. Everyone gets their own translator. 

Journal and other apps

The Journal app, which arrived on iOS in 2023, is coming to the Mac (and iPad).

There are also changes coming to Safari, Messages, Photos, FaceTime and Notes.