Apple is pulling the plug on new software updates across several of its older Mac models, and that includes the all-new macOS 26 Tahoe release.
If you've missed the memo, Apple released its highly anticipated macOS 26 tonight, alongside iOS 26 for iPhone, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and iPadOS 26. This free update unifies the appearance of every Apple operating system under its new Liquid Glass design, which introduces translucent user interface elements everywhere, sparkling refractions, and playful squidgy new animations as you tap, swipe, and press.
With macOS 26, you'll unlock entirely new applications for the desktop operating system, new Apple Intelligence features, and a revamped Spotlight.
However, Apple won't be releasing the update to a large number of its Mac devices. But, why?
This has everything to do with the processor that powers your Mac. Between 2006 and the start of 2020, Apple outsourced their processors, which were bought from American tech company Intel. Starting in 2020, Apple started to transition over to chipsets produced in-house, called Apple Silicon. This move was officially completed in 2023 with the complete Mac lineup now relying on Apple's custom-designed system-on-a-chips, dubbed the M- series.
If you've owned an iPhone since 2010, this was when Apple first experimented with its own chip designs, launching the A4 chip with the original iPad and the iPhone 4. Since then, all of its iPhone models have used its own system-on-a-chip designs, which are now present in every Mac, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch, and even devices like the AirPods Pro 3.
Apple launches macOS Tahoe 26 tonight (September 15), and is expected to be available at 6pm BST | APPLE PRESS OFFICENow that Apple has finished transitioning over to its M- series processors for the Mac, it has been announced that most computers carrying Intel processors will not take advantage of the new update. This means that the new version of macOS 26 Tahoe won't support several Macs, which include some of the earlier versions of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
These are Mac devices that have been confirmed to be compatible with macOS 26:
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
- Mac Pro (2019 and later)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt, 3 ports)
- MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- iMac (2020 and later)
- Mac mini (2020 and later)
- Mac Studio (2022 and later)
Put simply: If you own a Mac that's powered by Apple Silicon — the custom-designed chipsets created by Apple to ensure the best performance from its machines — you'll be able to download macOS 26 and benefit from all of the Apple Intelligence features coming as part of the update.
However, if you own a laptop or desktop PC from Apple that's still fuelled by an Intel processor, it's a little tougher.
Only the Mac Pro (2019), MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019), MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020 with four Thunderbolt 3 ports), and iMac (2020) are still supported by macOS Tahoe, thus cutting off all Intel-based MacBook Air and Mac mini models this time around.
Even if your Mac still qualifies, it's living on borrowed time. That's because Apple has confirmed that macOS 26 Tahoe will be the final version of the desktop operating system to support Intel-powered hardware.
The new design language, dubbed Liquid Glass, can be found everywhere in macOS 26 — from app icons, to the Control Centre drop-down with access to quick settings, and desktop widgets that can now let your wallpaper bleed through
|APPLE PRESS OFFICE
What's new in macOS?
The update brings three entirely new applications to your Mac:
- Phone app to kickstart calls from your computer
- Journal to write personal reflections, sync entries from iPhone
- Dedicated Games hub, bringing together games and leaderboards
Booting up your Mac after updating to macOS 26, you'll discover three brand-new applications. First up, the Phone app brings the same experience found on your iPhone to the Mac.
You can scroll through recent incoming and outgoing calls, listen to voicemails, and make or receive cellular or FaceTime calls from your Mac when your iPhone is nearby. New features like Call Screening, Hold Assist, and Live Translation for real-time conversations in different languages are all present and correct.
While Mac owners have been able to make and receive calls from their computers since late 2014, they'd need to take action from the notification of an incoming call, or use Siri to kickstart a new one.
For anyone who has used an iPhone before but is worried about the switch to macOS, the familiarity of the Phone app is sure to be a reassuring sight.
macOS 26 Tahoe brings the Mac closer to the iPhone and iPad, with the addition of a new Phone app that lets you listen to voicemails, make and receive calls, and check Contacts' details and current location with Find My
|APPLE PRESS OFFICE
Speaking of consistency between Mac and iPhone, Apple's Journal app provides a dedicated space for personal reflection and mindfulness, letting you document thoughts and experiences in a private diary. You'll find it integrates seamlessly with other Apple services for a comprehensive journaling experience.
The Games app replaces the traditional App Store approach for gaming, creating a centralised hub where you can discover new titles, track what friends are playing, and access the latest gaming updates. This dedicated gaming platform signals Apple's renewed focus on Mac gaming experiences.
You'll gain new repair capabilities with the Repair Assistant feature, exclusively available for Macs equipped with Apple Silicon processors. This tool enables you to perform hardware repairs yourself or through independent repair shops, ensuring components are properly calibrated and fully functional.
The feature mirrors functionality previously introduced for iPhones and iPads, allowing you to verify that replacement parts are correctly installed and recognised by your system. You'll find this particularly useful for complex components like the Lid Angle sensor on newer MacBooks, which requires precise calibration to prevent screen-related issues.
Unfortunately, if you're using an older Intel-based Mac, you won't have access to Repair Assistant. The feature represents a significant shift towards user-empowered maintenance, potentially saving considerable repair costs whilst ensuring your Mac continues operating at peak performance.
You'll also benefit from deeper iPhone integration. For instance, there's a new Live Activities feature, which displays dynamic, glanceable updates from iPhone apps in your Mac's menu bar. You can use this to track deliveries and other real-time events.
MacOS 26 is a significant update, too. Prepare for the software upgrade to take up 14.55GB of space, most of which will be used for performance improvements and enhanced Apple Intelligence capabilities.
You'll immediately notice the revolutionary visual transformation when you open your Mac. The new Liquid Glass theme creates a sophisticated appearance with translucent elements that subtly reflect and refract content beneath them.
Spotlight has been revamped in macOS 26 with new capabilities, so you can compose and send text messages, search for documents stored in cloud backups, and more with a written command | APPLE PRESS OFFICE Your app icons will now feature more rounded corners, creating visual harmony across the system. You can personalise these icons with four distinct styles: Default, Dark, Clear, or Tinted modes, allowing you to match your aesthetic preferences.
The transparent menu bar seamlessly blends with your wallpaper, though you can restore an opaque background if you prefer better visibility. You'll find folders can be customised with unique colours or emojis, making file organisation more intuitive.
These design changes extend to notifications and system alerts, which now feature the same polished, glass-like appearance. The overall effect creates a modern, cohesive visual experience that feels both elegant and functional.
You'll gain unprecedented control over your Mac's Control Centre with this update. The revamped interface allows you to add, rearrange, and resize system toggles, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the new Vehicle Motion Cues feature, designed to reduce motion sickness.
You can create custom control pages for frequently used settings, accessible through the Control Centre or Settings app. Third-party developers can now integrate their apps directly into Control Centre, addressing the long-standing issue of menu bar clutter on MacBooks with notches.
You'll be able to pin specific controls to your menu bar for instant access. The system now supports grouping and organising controls to match your workflow, with options to create dedicated control sets for different tasks.
These enhancements make managing your Mac's settings more efficient and personalised than ever before.
Live Activities, a staple from the iPhone lockscreen, are coming to the menu bar at the top of your Mac — offering instant access to real-time information from inside your favourite iPhone apps | APPLE PRESS OFFICE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
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You'll find Spotlight search dramatically enhanced with natural language processing capabilities. For instance, simply type queries in everyday language, and Spotlight will understand what you're looking for across your entire system.
The search results now appear in organised tabs for applications, files, actions, and clipboard history, making navigation more efficient. You'll appreciate the new clipboard history feature, which retrieves items you've copied within the past eight hours directly from Spotlight.
Performance improvements deliver noticeably faster results, whilst new filtering options enable more precise searches. You can execute actions directly within Spotlight, such as sending messages or launching shortcuts, without opening separate applications.
The system automatically assigns quick keys to frequent actions, allowing you to trigger commands with simple keyboard combinations. These enhancements transform Spotlight into a comprehensive productivity hub rather than just a search tool.
If you're looking to take advantage of all these new features, don't forget to mark your calendars for tonight (September 15).
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