What's New in macOS Tahoe 26.0

macOS Tahoe 26.0 represents a major redesign of macOS with Apple's new Liquid Glass design language, enhanced productivity features, and the final version to support Intel-based Macs. Announced at WWDC 2025 on June 9, 2025, this release brings significant visual and functional improvements to the Mac experience.

Liquid Glass Design

Translucent UI Elements: New Liquid Glass material design that behaves like real glass, reflecting light and colors dynamically
Redesigned System UI: Updated windows, menus, and interface elements throughout the operating system
Enhanced Visual Depth: Improved depth perception with realistic light reflections and transparency effects
Adaptive Appearance: UI elements that respond to content and ambient lighting conditions

Productivity Enhancements

Enhanced Spotlight: New filtering options, quick keys, and improved search capabilities
Customizable Control Center: Completely redesigned Control Center with extensive customization options
Phone App for Mac: Native phone calling and answering directly from your Mac
Journal App: The popular iOS Journal app comes to Mac with iCloud syncing

Personalization Options

Custom Folder Colors: Personalize folder appearances with custom colors and icons
App Icon Customization: New ways to customize app icons system-wide
Lock Screen Widgets: Redesigned lock screen with widget support
Enhanced Wallpapers: New dynamic wallpaper collection with time-based changes

System Improvements

Performance Optimizations: Better resource management and faster app launch times
Security Enhancements: Updated security protocols and privacy features
Battery Efficiency: Improved power management for better battery life on laptops
Network Improvements: Enhanced Wi-Fi performance and connectivity

Important Notes

macOS Tahoe 26 is the final version to support Intel-based Macs
Apple skipped from macOS 15 to macOS 26 to align version numbering across platforms
First developer beta was released on June 9, 2025 (WWDC 2025)
Public release followed on September 15, 2025

Compatible Mac Models

macOS Tahoe 26.0 supports the following Mac models:

Apple Silicon Macs

MacBook Air: M1 (2020) and later
MacBook Pro: M1 (2020) and later
Mac mini: M1 (2020) and later
iMac: M1 (2021) and later
Mac Studio: All models (2022 and later)
Mac Pro: M2 Ultra (2023)

Intel-Based Macs (Final Support)

MacBook Pro: 16-inch (2019), 13-inch 4-port (2020)
iMac: 27-inch (2020), 21.5-inch (2020)
iMac Pro: 2017
Mac Pro: 2019
Mac mini: 2018 and later

Important: This is the final macOS version that supports Intel-based Macs. Future macOS versions will require Apple Silicon.

How to Update

Back up your Mac using Time Machine or your preferred backup method
Ensure you have at least 20 GB of available storage space
Open System Settings from the Apple menu
Click on "General" in the sidebar
Select "Software Update"
Click "Upgrade Now" when macOS Tahoe 26.0 appears
Follow the on-screen instructions
Your Mac will restart multiple times during installation

Before Upgrading: Major OS upgrades can take 30-60 minutes. Ensure your Mac is plugged in and you have adequate time for the installation.

Known Issues

Initial release issues that have been addressed in subsequent updates:

Some third-party kernel extensions required updates for compatibility
Occasional Liquid Glass rendering issues on older Intel Macs (resolved in 26.0.1)
External display wake issues on some MacBook Pro models (resolved in 26.1)
Wi-Fi connectivity issues on specific networks (resolved in 26.0.1)

Most issues have been resolved in macOS Tahoe 26.1 and macOS Tahoe 26.2.

Related Updates

The following updates were released alongside macOS Tahoe 26.0 on September 15, 2025:

iOS 26.0 and iPadOS 26.0 - Major updates with Liquid Glass design
watchOS 26.0 - Apple Watch update with new watch faces
tvOS 26.0 - Apple TV interface updates
Safari 26.0 - Enhanced privacy and performance improvements