macOS 27 Golden Gate Is Out

Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate (version 27.0, build 26A428) on Monday, September 14, 2026. It's a free update for every Mac with Apple Silicon and is now the latest version of macOS. It's also the first macOS release that does not run on Intel Macs — those stay on macOS Tahoe 26.7, which shipped the same day.

Apple pitched Golden Gate at WWDC as a refinement year: faster, more reliable, and built around a completely new Siri. Early reports from users on the release build back that up, with noticeably quicker app launches compared with Tahoe.

What's New in macOS 27

Siri AI — an entirely new, conversational Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. It's built into Spotlight, can use personal context from Messages, Mail and Photos to get things done across apps, and gets its own Siri app with conversation history synced over iCloud. Apple is rolling it out gradually, so you may need to turn it on yourself (see our Apple Intelligence guide).
Visual Intelligence on the Mac — select anything on screen and ask Siri about it or act on it (for example, add an event to Calendar). Shortcut: Shift–Command–Space.
Describe a Shortcut — type what you want automated in plain English and Shortcuts builds the steps for you.
Safari — tabs automatically group into topics, Notify Me watches a page for changes such as a price drop, and Describe an Extension creates simple Safari extensions from a natural-language description.
Photos — new Spatial Reframing and Extend tools, plus a better Clean Up with more realistic fill.
Liquid Glass refinements — a transparency slider from “ultra-clear” to fully tinted, more consistent toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars and more detailed app icons.
Parental controls — Ask to Browse, expanded Communication Safety, Time Allowances by app category, and Schedules.
Performance — better Spotlight and Mail search, faster AirDrop and faster browsing of network shares.

Some Apple Intelligence features aren't available in every region or language, and usage limits apply to certain features.

What's Been Removed

Intel Mac support — Golden Gate is Apple Silicon only.
Boot Camp — gone along with Intel support.
Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) and AirPort Utility are no longer included. If you still back up to an old AirPort Time Capsule or an AFP-only NAS, check it before upgrading.
Rosetta 2 still works in macOS 27 so Intel-only apps keep running, but this is expected to be the last release with full Rosetta support — check that your essential apps have Apple Silicon versions.

Which Macs Can Run macOS 27?

MacBook Air: M1 (2020) and later
MacBook Pro: M1 (2020) and later
MacBook Neo
Mac mini: M1 (2020) and later
iMac: M1 (2021) and later
Mac Studio: all models
Mac Pro: M2 Ultra (2023)

Intel Macs (including the 2019 Mac Pro and every Intel MacBook, iMac and Mac mini) can't install macOS 27. They should stay on macOS Tahoe 26.7, which will keep receiving security updates. Check which chip you have under Apple menu → About This Mac.

How to Upgrade to macOS 27 Golden Gate

Back up your Mac with Time Machine — this is also your only easy route back if you want to downgrade to Tahoe later.
Open System Settings → General → Software Update.
You'll see two options: macOS Golden Gate under “Upgrade Now”, and macOS Tahoe 26.7 as a regular update. Pick Golden Gate to upgrade, or Tahoe 26.7 to stay on Tahoe with the latest security fixes.
Keep your Mac plugged in; the upgrade takes 30–60 minutes and several restarts.

After upgrading, expect a few days of Spotlight and Siri indexing in the background. If the installer says it needs more room than you seem to have, read why macOS updates need extra space.

Should You Upgrade Now?

If you rely on specialist software (audio plug-ins, VPN or security tools, printer and scanner drivers), check your vendors' compatibility pages first or wait for macOS 27.1. Everyone else can reasonably upgrade now. Apple is already testing the next update with developers.

Changed your mind after upgrading? Our guide to downgrading from macOS 27 to Tahoe walks through it.

Problems With This Update?

Stuck on “Preparing Update”
Update says it needs more space — even with free storage
Installation failed or error messages
Battery draining after the upgrade — usually indexing; it settles in a few days.
Go back to macOS Tahoe

macOS 27 Golden Gate (27.0)