Along with iOS and iPadOS, macOS also received several upgrades this year with macOS 26. Apple has updated the OS naming scheme to match the year, making the naming scheme easy to remember across various platforms. So this year, instead of macOS 16, we got macOS 26, matching the year 2026.

Macs that will support macOS 26

macOS Tahoe gets the new liquid design, several upgrades to Apple Continuity features, advanced Spotlight search that now supports quick actions, and more. If you are wondering whether your current Mac supports the latest macOS 26, here is the official support list.

macOS 26 Tahoe Official Device Support List

Here is the list of all current Macs that support macOS 26. Any future Mac releases will have macOS 26 out of the box.

MacBook Air

  • MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
  • MacBook Air 15-inch (M4)
  • MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
  • MacBook Air 15-inch (M3)
  • MacBook Air 13-inch (M2)
  • MacBook Air 15-inch (M2)
  • MacBook Air 13-inch (M1)

MacBook Pro

  • MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4)
  • MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro or M4 Max)
  • MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro or M4 Max)
  • MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max)
  • MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Pro, M3 Max)
  • MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2)
  • MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1)
  • MacBook Pro 16-inch (2019, Intel)
  • MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020, Intel, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports)

iMac

  • iMac 24-inch (M4)
  • iMac 24-inch (M3)
  • iMac 24-inch (M1)

Mac mini

  • Mac mini (M2)
  • Mac mini (M1)

Mac Studio

  • Mac Studio (2022, M1 Max/M1 Ultra and later)

Mac Pro

  • Mac Pro (2023, Apple silicon)
  • Mac Pro (2019, Intel)

Which Models Apple Has Dropped Support for With macOS Tahoe

Here is the list of Macs that support macOS 18, but don’t support the latest macOS 26.

Apple drops macOS 26 support for the majority of models from 2020 or earlier, which also includes Pro and Air models launched in 2020.

MacBook Pro: 

  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports)

MacBook Air: 

  • MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)

iMac:

  • iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020)
  • iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019)
  • iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)

iMac Pro:

  • iMac Pro (2017)

Mac mini:

  • Mac mini (2018)

macOS 26 Tahoe Expected Rollout Timeline

Date
macOS 15 Sequoia (2024) Timeline
macOS 26 (2025, Expected) Timeline
June 10/11
Announced, Dev Beta 1 released
Announced, Dev Beta 1 released
Late June
Developer Beta 2
Developer Beta 2 (expected)
July (1st/2nd week)
Developer Beta 3
Developer Beta 3 (expected)
Mid-July
Public Beta 1
Public Beta 1 (expected)
Late July–August
More Dev & Public Betas
More Public Betas (expected)
Early September
Release Candidate (final beta)
Release Candidate (final beta) (expected)
September 16–25
Official public release
Expected public release (Sept 16–25) (expected)

How to Update to macOS Tahoe

If your Mac is in the supported list, follow the steps below to update it to the latest macOS 26.

Currently, macOS 26 is available as a developer preview beta one. Since it is in its early version, there are several bugs that can impact your battery life.

I wouldn’t recommend installing it if your current Mac is your primary device for your work.

I urge you to wait until the public beta and then install it on your Mac to get access to the latest features.

And also, before upgrading to macOS 26, ensure that you have a complete backup of your important files.

  • Now, go to Settings on your macOS and go to General, and then Software Updates
    Mac General Software Settings
  • Here, wait until your Mac checks for updates, click on the beta update, and click the info (i) icon.
    Apple Mac Beta Updates
  • Tap on the off and select macOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta update
    MacOS 26 update
  • And that’s it, download and install it on your device, and you will be successfully upgraded to the latest macOS 26 Tahoe.

Top 5 Biggest Features in macOS 26 Tahoe

New Liquid Design

New Liquid Design

My first experience with Liquid Design was not that great on iOS because of inconsistent design and hard-to-read text; however, I had a great experience using it on iPad, and now I am also liking it on macOS.

Seems like the liquid design perfectly blends on the big screen thanks to better spacing of elements, which offers better padding and visual hierarchy, which overall brings a better experience while using it.

Liquid design brings a translucent look throughout the OS, including a new glass-like UI with real reflections and depth. The UI now feels more dynamic and reactive than ever. The new transparent dock looks great on a big screen and also brings changes to sidebars, toolbars, apps, icons, and more.

One of the biggest downsides of liquid design on iOS is the Control Center, but this isn’t an issue on macOS; it is easy to read, and the overall UI looks better. Seems like it’s growing on me slowly.

The Biggest Update Ever To Spotlight

biggest update ever to Spotlight

Spotlight is one of the most used features and also the iconic feature for Mac, and now it’s getting the biggest update with macOS 26.

First, as you search, all your search results, including files, folders, events, apps, and messages, will be ranked hierarchically, helping you easily find what you are looking for, and now supports filters which can narrow down your searches.

Not just that, the biggest update coming to Spotlight is the actions support, which now lets you directly take actions from Spotlight itself, including the ability to send emails directly, create a note, and play a podcast. These actions can also work with third-party apps. You can also directly perform specific actions inside the apps using Spotlight. For instance, if you are editing a photo, you can use the Spotlight search and get access to different editing functions and quickly apply the changes using these shortcuts.

Phone App and Live Activities Coming to macOS

Phone app on MacOS

With macOS 26, Apple is bringing two additional Continuity features to the Mac. The Phone app is now officially available on macOS with the latest interface seen on iOS, and also brings call screening and hold assist. Now you can directly make and receive calls from macOS and view all your synced calls from your iPhone.

Another useful feature coming to macOS is the Live Activities support. This isn’t the native Live Activities support; instead, you will be able to view Live Activities from your iPhone directly on your Mac with your iPhone nearby. You can also view full details directly on your macOS using the iPhone Mirror app without opening your iPhone.

New Gaming App

New Gaming app on MacOS 26

Apple has added a new Gaming app to all its platforms except watchOS 26. It now lets you view and manage them and also see your friends’ progress.

Useful Apple Intelligence Features

Live translation feature on MacOS 26

We don’t have the advanced Siri Apple has promised a year ago yet, but Apple brings two more useful Apple Intelligence features.

First is the Live Translation, which is now available for all platforms, including watchOS, locally, and can now translate text in real-time without requiring an internet connection, and works across apps and third-party apps.

Next, Apple Intelligence features are now available in Shortcuts. Now you can combine your shortcuts with Intelligence features such as summarizing the text before sharing it as an email, or creating an image and sharing it with your friends and more.

Genmoji and Image Playground now allow you to personalize image creation, which now lets you modify personal attributes like hair length or accessories, select expressions based on the moment, and also control expressions and more.

Those are the five biggest changes coming to macOS 26 Tahoe, and if you are using a Mac, you can upgrade to the latest version and start experiencing these changes. Here is the following detailed changelog:

macOS 26 Tahoe Full Change Log:

All-New Visual Redesign

  • Liquid Glass design interface for windows, menus, and sidebars
  • Modernized app icons and Dock

Apple Intelligence (AI) Features

  • On-device AI for smarter search, writing tools, and photo editing
  • Create custom emojis with AI
  • Live Translation

Smarter Spotlight

  • Faster, more relevant search results
  • Natural language support for queries

Safari Upgrades

  • New Reader mode
  • Automatic video summaries
  • Stronger privacy protections

FaceTime & Messages

  • Live translation for text and video calls
  • Typing indicators in group chats
  • Conversation backgrounds and emoji reactions

Mac App Store

  • Streamlined design and new categories
  • AI-powered app suggestions
  • Improved Gaming Experience
  • Game Mode for better performance
  • New Apple Games app

Battery & Performance

  • Adaptive power management for longer battery life
  • Faster wake and unlock

Accessibility

  • Smarter VoiceOver, better Braille support
  • Live captions for all audio

Other changes

  • Phone app for Mac
  • Live activities support from iPhone
  • Enhanced Notes, Reminders, and Photos apps
  • More customizable widgets
  • Better Continuity with iPhone and iPad.
Was this article helpful?
YesNo