Apple has unveiled macOS Tahoe 26, the next major iteration of its desktop operating system, at the WWDC 2025. The update introduces a redesigned user interface and a range of new features aimed at enhancing user productivity and personalization.
Refreshed visual design
Key aspects of macOS Tahoe 26 include a refreshed visual design, with “Liquid Glass” elements intended to provide a more expressive and personal user experience.
This design extends to the desktop, Dock, in-app navigation, and toolbars. Users will have increased customization options, including an updated Control Center and new color choices for folders, app icons, and widgets.
The “Liquid Glass,” reflects and refracts surroundings, impacting the appearance of the Dock, sidebars, toolbars, and a now transparent menu bar. Customization options for the menu bar and Control Center are expanded, alongside new personalization choices for app icons, folder colors, and the ability to add symbols or emojis to folders.
New Continuity Experiences with the Phone App and Live Activities
Continuity features are also being expanded, with the introduction of the Phone app on Mac. This integration allows users to access familiar iPhone features such as Recents, Contacts, and Voicemails directly from their Mac, along with new functionalities like Call Screening and Hold Assist. Live Activities from iPhone will now also appear on the Mac, providing real-time updates for events like flights or ride-shares.
Spotlight, the system’s search utility, receives a significant update. It will now allow users to execute hundreds of actions directly, such as sending emails or creating notes, and offers new Browse experiences for faster content discovery.
The Phone app on Mac, facilitated by Continuity, will mirror the iPhone experience, including Call Screening, which automatically screens calls from unknown numbers, and Hold Assist, allowing users to remain on hold while continuing other work. Live Activities from iPhone will display in the Mac’s menu bar, with clicking on an activity opening the app in iPhone Mirroring for further interaction.
Spotlight upgrades
Spotlight’s enhancements include intelligently ranked search results across various content types, new filtering options, and the ability to search documents on third-party cloud drives. New browse views aim to simplify scanning through apps, files, and clipboard history.
Users can now perform numerous actions directly from Spotlight, utilizing both Apple and third-party app integrations via the App Intents API. Spotlight will also learn user routines to suggest personalized actions and introduces “quick keys” for rapid action execution.
New Apple Intelligence capabilities
Apple Intelligence is further integrated into macOS Tahoe, bringing new features designed to enhance the Mac experience while prioritizing user privacy. These include Live Translation for seamless communication across languages, Genmoji and Image Playground for creative expression, and more powerful Shortcuts with intelligent actions and direct access to Apple Intelligence models.
Apple Intelligence capabilities are expanded with Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app, powered by on-device models for privacy. Shortcuts gain intelligent actions, including text summarization and image creation, and can now leverage Apple Intelligence models for more complex automation.
Users will also have the option to integrate ChatGPT for broader knowledge and can set shortcuts to run automatically based on time or specific actions. Genmoji and Image Playground receive updates with new creation options and styles, including integration with ChatGPT.
Productivity enhancements in Reminders include Apple Intelligence’s ability to identify action items from various content and automatically categorize reminders.
New Apple Games App, Game Overlay, and More Titles
macOS Tahoe also introduces the Apple Games app, a centralized hub for games, and the new Game Overlay for in-game system adjustments, chat, and invitations.
Low Power Mode is available to extend gaming sessions. For developers, Metal 4 offers advanced graphics and rendering technologies. Upcoming game titles for Mac mentioned include Crimson Desert, InZOI, Cyberpunk 2077, and HITMAN World of Assassination, among others.
Additional features in macOS Tahoe include:
- Safari: A redesigned interface with rounded tabs and a refreshed sidebar. Apple states Safari is 50 percent faster at loading frequently visited websites compared to Chrome and offers extended battery life for video streaming. Advanced fingerprinting protection is now a default feature.
- Messages: Introduces Backgrounds, Polls, a redesigned details view, typing indicators in group chats, and easier new contact addition.
- Journal: Now available on Mac, enabling users to record entries and view them on a map, with multi-journal support and cross-device syncing.
- Photos: Updated design with Liquid Glass elements, customization enhancements, and consistency with iPadOS. Pinned Collections are introduced, alongside new buttons for filtering and sorting, and customizable Collection tile sizes.
- FaceTime: Features a reimagined landing page with Contact Posters, Liquid Glass controls, and a new “More” button for quick access to features like SharePlay and Live Translation.
- Notes: Adds markdown import/export and supports capturing Phone app conversations as audio recordings with transcriptions.
- Accessibility: Includes Magnifier on Mac using Continuity Camera or USB cameras, Accessibility Reader, an updated Braille Access experience, and Vehicle Motion Cues for reducing motion sickness.
- Passwords: Allows users to reference changes to account passwords and view previous versions.
Availability
The developer beta of macOS Tahoe 26 is available now through the Apple Developer Program for
- MacBook Air with Apple Silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Pro (16‑inch, 2019)
- MacBook Pro (13‑inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- iMac (2020 and later)
- Mac mini (2020 and later)
- Mac Studio (2022 and later)
- Mac Pro (2019 and later)
A public beta will be available next month through the Apple Beta Software Program. The full release will be available as a free update this fall.