Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate (build 26A428) on Monday, September 14, 2026. It's a free upgrade for every Apple Silicon Mac, and Intel Macs can't install it. Apple also shipped macOS Tahoe 26.7 and macOS Sequoia 15.8 that day for Macs that can't or won't upgrade yet. All of them are in System Settings → General → Software Update.
The Headline: Siri AI
Golden Gate's centerpiece is Siri AI, a rebuilt, conversational Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. It lives inside Spotlight, can draw on personal context from Messages, Mail and Photos to complete tasks across apps, and has its own Siri app with conversations synced over iCloud. Apple is rolling it out gradually, so some users have to enable it manually. Our Apple Intelligence guide shows how.
Everything Else That's New
- Visual Intelligence comes to the Mac. Press Shift–Command–Space, select something on screen, and ask about it or act on it.
- Describe a Shortcut builds Shortcuts automations from a plain-English description.
- Safari groups tabs into topics, adds Notify Me page monitoring (for example, price drops), and lets you describe a simple extension into existence.
- Photos gains Spatial Reframing, an Extend tool, and a better Clean Up.
- Liquid Glass gets a transparency slider from ultra-clear to fully tinted, plus more consistent toolbars and sidebars.
- Parental controls: Ask to Browse, Time Allowances, Schedules and expanded Communication Safety.
- Speed: faster Spotlight and Mail search, AirDrop and network browsing. Early user reports describe quicker app launches than Tahoe.
Intel Macs: The End of the Line
This is the first macOS that requires Apple Silicon. Intel Macs, including the 2019 Mac Pro, stay on macOS Tahoe, now at version 26.7 (build 25G229). It adds no features but carries over a hundred security fixes, and Apple typically keeps patching the final supported release for about two more years. Boot Camp, AFP file sharing and AirPort Utility are gone in Golden Gate too.
Tahoe 26.6.1 and 26.6.2: The Updates You May Have Missed
Between 26.6 and 26.7, Apple shipped two quick security releases: 26.6.1 (August 6), which closed a Screen Sharing authentication bypass, and 26.6.2 (August 17), which fixed nearly 30 vulnerabilities, most of them in WebKit. Installing 26.7 includes both. Full builds and dates are on our macOS update history page.
Should You Upgrade?
For most Apple Silicon owners, yes. Back up with Time Machine first, since that backup is also your way back if you want to downgrade from macOS 27 to Tahoe. If you depend on audio plug-ins, VPN or security software, or printer and scanner drivers, confirm vendor support first or install Tahoe 26.7 and wait for 27.1.