Apple Unveils macOS 26 Tahoe: A Major Upgrade with AI Integration and Liquid Glass Design

Apple's macOS 26 Tahoe has new Liquid Glass look, customizable folders, and more

Apple took the wraps off the next version of macOS today. Codenamed Tahoe, macOS 26 gets a visual refresh with the same "Liquid Glass" look that Apple is introducing across all of its operating systems this year. Apple has also changed the version number, jumping directly from version 14 to version 26 as it shifts to unified year-based version numbering across all of its operating systems. Liquid Glass goes all-in on translucency and transparency, changing the look of icons and windows across the operating system. Most significantly, the macOS menu bar has become entirely invisible, and the Control Center has taken on a new glassy translucent look. The same color-tinting customization features available on iOS and iPadOS are coming to the Mac this year, giving users multiple customization options on top of the standard light and dark modes and accent colors. The new look will probably define the release in the minds of most users, but it's bringing the standard handful of new features and refinements across the built-in apps. For the Finder, folders can be customized with colors and emoji labels to help them stand out from a big list of folders. Users who have enabled iPhone Mirroring get a couple of new Continuity features: one is a Mac version of the Phone app, which supports most of the same features as the Phone app on iOS and allowing you to more easily initiate phone calls directly from your Mac. Live Activities from your phone will also show up in your Mac's menu bar; clicking the activity will open the app that generated it via iPhone Mirroring. Spotlight is also getting a fairly major overhaul, with some specific search views for recent and contextually useful files. It will be able to search through and launch iPhone apps using iPhone Mirroring, and there's a new view that will show your system clipboard history. A new Spotlight feature called Quick Keys allows you to quickly perform actions -- like sending a message, adding a reminder, or executing a Shortcut -- with small abbreviated instructions like "sm" for "send message" or "ar" for "add reminder." Once you've used a Quick Keys shortcut, you can type your message or reminder directly in the Spotlight bar -- Apple even demoed someone writing a full email in Spotlight. The Shortcuts app picks up a few new tricks, including the ability to trigger shortcuts automatically -- for example, at a certain time of day, or when you plug in an external display or another accessory. Apple is adding some Apple Intelligence functionality for Shortcuts, too, allowing shortcuts to take advantage of various AI models including Apple's on-device language models, cloud-hosted models, or ChatGPT. You could use shortcuts to summarize text, for instance, or generate an image with Image Playgrounds. Finally, macOS Tahoe introduces Metal 4, the next-generation version of Apple's proprietary graphics API. The big new feature in Metal 4 is "frame interpolation," a feature similar to Nvidia's DLSS Frame Generation that will attempt to smooth frame rates by using AI to generate frames that it can insert between frames that the GPU actually renders. Tahoe will also include many of the new additions included in iOS, like improvements to the Messages like background images, and the new dedicated Games app. Apple will release an early beta of the OS to developers later today, and to the public later this summer. The update will be available to the general public sometime this fall.

Here's what's coming to macOS Tahoe | TechCrunch

At Monday's WWDC conference, Apple announced the new macOS Tahoe, which comes with a series of updates related to Apple Intelligence, continuity features with the iPhone, and Spotlight search. Apple's new "Liquid Glass" design is coming to macOS Tahoe, making for a sleek, customizable look -- yes, at long last, you can make your folder icons pink (or whatever other color you want). Like iOS 26, the macOS Tahoe design refresh has a more reflective, transparent style, like real glass. But behind the shiny update are other upgrades that leverage Apple Intelligence to improve the user experience. MacOS Tahoe more closely ties in a user's iPhone, showing Live Activities from iOS (that thing that pops up on your lock screen and/or Dynamic Island to show you that your Uber Eats order is 17 minutes away). Thanks to Continuity features, Mac products will get a Phone app for the first time, which comes with other updates to the iOS Phone app like Call Screening and Hold Assist. Live Translation will also come to the Phone, Messages, and FaceTime apps. Some of the most substantial macOS Tahoe upgrades are coming via Spotlight, of all places. With the help of Apple's AI features, Spotlight will serve results "intelligently," predicting what you're most likely to be looking for, suggesting actions based on common activities or what you're currently working on. Users can also carry out actions directly from Spotlight. The demo in Apple's WWDC keynote showed an Apple executive using Spotlight to type an email's subject line and body text, then send it to a recipient, all without even opening up the Mail app. The upgraded Spotlight also features quick keys, which allow users to customize short strings of characters to bring up a specific action. Apple gave the examples of typing "AR" to let you add a reminder and "SM" to send a message. Many other major updates to iOS 26 are also in Tahoe, including Genmoji and Image Playground updates, AI-supported reminders, a new Apple Games app, backgrounds and polls in Messages, and a new FaceTime landing page. The Journal app is also coming to Tahoe. MacOS Tahoe will be available in the fall, but a public beta will launch next month. Developers can access an early version now.

The 5 biggest MacOS features announced at WWDC 2025

Your Apple MacBook is getting a free upgrade - here are the five most impactful MacOS 26 features that were just announced. Apple just announced its latest update for MacOS 26, codenamed "Tahoe." It's full of new visual design elements like Apple's Liquid Glass design theme, better integration with the iPhone, and a more robust Spotlight feature that's better integrated with Shortcuts. The theme of all of Apple's updates this year is streamlining both the visual UI and feature sets across Apple devices, while making more apps and features available on them, punctuated by Apple Intelligence. Also: Why Apple's best new AI features at WWDC 2025 will be boring (and I'm glad) Following the same trajectory as the last few years, Apple's announcement of MacOS 26 comes during WWDC, with a developer beta opening up now, and a public beta in July. The full release of MacOS 26 won't be out until this fall, however. Let's take a look at the biggest announcements Apple made for MacOS. The Phone app has finally arrived on MacOS, allowing for a more streamlined user experience between your iPhone and computer. Users can now access recent calls and contacts synced from your iPhone, and make calls with a single click in the same way. What's more, the Phone app will include the new features added in iOS 26, including Hold Assist and Call Screening. In addition to calls and contacts, live activities from the iPhone will be visible on your Mac, such as tracking an Uber or a delivery from Seamless. Clicking on the live activity will open up iPhone Mirroring, which will allow you to take action directly from your Mac. Apple dropped a major visual overhaul for iOS with its Liquid Glass design theme, and many of those updates are filtering over to MacOS, streamlining the user experience across devices. The dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been redesigned in the same translucent aesthetic that's intended to show more content on screen without UI clutter. In addition, the rounded elements and added dimensionality look a lot more like what you'd see on the iPhone. Customization also allows you to adjust the control center in the same way as the iPhone Also: What is Solarium? Everything we know about Apple's major UI overhaul at WWDC Just like the iPhone, Macs will support additional personalization options, including dark or light mode, an all-clear icon, and dock theme, as well as customized color tones. This customization extends to folder icons themselves, with colors, themes, and even emojis. MacOS 26 adds a handful of smart integrations for the Spotlight feature. Instead of just being a simple search bar, Apple's updates to Spotlight make it into a more powerful control panel that works with Shortcuts and can take app-specific actions, while powered by Apple Intelligence. For example, during the WWDC keynote, we saw a demo in a photo editing app, with the user adjusting the color tone by searching for that function in the Spotlight. In a complex app like Photoshop, for example, if you can't find a specific function, Spotlight could step in to act as a top-level search function. Also: 3 Apple Intelligence features that would convince me to ditch Gemini and ChatGPT In supporting additional productivity features, Spotlight will also contain clipboard history and allow you to create automations in conjunction with Apple Intelligence to make complex actions like summarizing text or creating images. You can access Apple Intelligence models on your device or ChatGPT. Spotlight will also support a handful of shortcut Quick keys, such as "sm" for "send message," for example. That opens a thread where you can send a message directly from the Spotlight app itself, without swapping to Messages. Some of the Apple Intelligence features that debuted on the iPhone will now be available in MacOS, including a more robust, personalized Siri, and a smarter Shortcuts app. Apple is also opening up MacOS 26 so third-party developers can start creating apps that actually integrate with Apple Intelligence. It's a smart move, allowing some breathing room to further innovate on its own AI features (which some say have fallen behind competitors') while allowing external developers to bring useful AI functions to the Mac. Coinciding with the launch of the Games app on the iPhone, we're also seeing Games come to MacOS 26 as a dedicated store, launcher, and leaderboard. The Games app also brings an overlay showing system settings like low power mode, as well as online friends and communications. Metal 4 comes to MacOS 26 as well, offering higher quality graphics with MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising for smoother visuals and faster frame rates. All of these updates sound great, but not every Mac will be compatible with MacOS 26 Tahoe. Older Macs with Intel processors, unfortunately, will not support the new OS version. This means any Mac with an M1 processor or later will run MacOS 26, but most devices from before the 2020 mark will not. This move all but seals the deal on phasing out older Intel-based models, something we've been expecting from Apple for a while. If you do have a Mac computer with an Intel processor, you can still run the previous MacOS, Sequoia, or its predecessor, Sonoma, depending on how old your device is.

Your Apple MacBook is getting a major upgrade. Here are the best features in MacOS 26

Here are the standout new features coming to MacOS Tahoe - and how to check if your Mac is compatible. Apple recently announced its latest update for MacOS 26, codenamed "Tahoe." It's full of new visual design elements like Apple's Liquid Glass design theme, better integration with the iPhone, and a more robust Spotlight feature that's better integrated with Shortcuts. The theme of all of Apple's updates this year is streamlining both the visual UI and feature sets across Apple devices, while making more apps and features available on them, punctuated by Apple Intelligence. Also: Everything announced at Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote: Liquid Glass, MacOS Tahoe, and more Following the same trajectory as the last few years, Apple's announcement of MacOS 26 comes during WWDC, with a developer beta opening up now, and a public beta in July. The full release of MacOS 26 won't be out until this fall, however. Let's take a look at the biggest announcements Apple made for MacOS. The Phone app has finally arrived on MacOS, allowing for a more streamlined user experience between your iPhone and computer. Users can now access recent calls and contacts synced from your iPhone, and make calls with a single click in the same way. What's more, the Phone app will include the new features added in iOS 26, including Hold Assist and Call Screening. In addition to calls and contacts, live activities from the iPhone will be visible on your Mac, such as tracking an Uber or a delivery from Seamless. Clicking on the live activity will open up iPhone Mirroring, which will allow you to take action directly from your Mac. Apple dropped a major visual overhaul for iOS with its Liquid Glass design theme, and many of those updates are filtering over to MacOS, streamlining the user experience across devices. The dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been redesigned in the same translucent aesthetic that's intended to show more content on screen without UI clutter. In addition, the rounded elements and added dimensionality look a lot more like what you'd see on the iPhone. Customization also allows you to adjust the control center in the same way as the iPhone Also: What is Liquid Glass? Here's everything we know about Apple's major UI overhaul at WWDC Just like the iPhone, Macs will support additional personalization options, including dark or light mode, an all-clear icon, and dock theme, as well as customized color tones. This customization extends to folder icons themselves, with colors, themes, and even emojis. MacOS 26 adds a handful of smart integrations for the Spotlight feature. Instead of just being a simple search bar, Apple's updates to Spotlight make it into a more powerful control panel that works with Shortcuts and can take app-specific actions, while powered by Apple Intelligence. For example, during the WWDC keynote, we saw a demo in a photo editing app, with the user adjusting the color tone by searching for that function in the Spotlight. In a complex app like Photoshop, for example, if you can't find a specific function, Spotlight could step in to act as a top-level search function. Also: Apple's secret sauce is exactly what AI is missing In supporting additional productivity features, Spotlight will also contain clipboard history and allow you to create automations in conjunction with Apple Intelligence to make complex actions like summarizing text or creating images. You can access Apple Intelligence models on your device or ChatGPT. Spotlight will also support a handful of shortcut Quick keys, such as "sm" for "send message," for example. That opens a thread where you can send a message directly from the Spotlight app itself, without swapping to Messages. Some of the Apple Intelligence features that debuted on the iPhone will now be available in MacOS, including a more robust, personalized Siri, and a smarter Shortcuts app. Apple is also opening up MacOS 26 so third-party developers can start creating apps that actually integrate with Apple Intelligence. It's a smart move, allowing some breathing room to further innovate on its own AI features (which some say have fallen behind competitors') while allowing external developers to bring useful AI functions to the Mac. Coinciding with the launch of the Games app on the iPhone, we're also seeing Games come to MacOS 26 as a dedicated store, launcher, and leaderboard. The Games app also brings an overlay showing system settings like low power mode, as well as online friends and communications. Metal 4 comes to MacOS 26 as well, offering higher quality graphics with MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising for smoother visuals and faster frame rates. All of these updates sound great, but not every Mac will be compatible with MacOS 26 Tahoe. Older Macs with Intel processors, unfortunately, will not support the new OS version. This means any Mac with an M1 processor or later will run MacOS 26, but most devices from before the 2020 mark will not. Also: Your Apple Watch is getting a major upgrade. Here are the best features in WatchOS 26 This move all but seals the deal on phasing out older Intel-based models, something we've been expecting from Apple for a while. If you do have a Mac computer with an Intel processor, you can still run the previous MacOS, Sequoia, or its predecessor, Sonoma, depending on how old your device is. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Your MacBook is getting a free upgrade: The 5 best MacOS 26 features Apple just announced

Here are the top new features to look forward to in MacOS 26 and how to tell if your Mac can support the new OS version. Apple just announced its latest update for MacOS 26, codenamed "Tahoe." It's full of new visual design elements like Apple's Liquid Glass design theme, better integration with the iPhone, and a more robust Spotlight feature that's better integrated with Shortcuts. The theme of all of Apple's updates this year is streamlining both the visual UI and feature sets across Apple devices, while making more apps and features available on them, punctuated by Apple Intelligence. Also: The best iOS 26 features that will make updating your iPhone worthwhile Following the same trajectory as the last few years, Apple's announcement of MacOS 26 comes during WWDC, with a developer beta opening up now, and a public beta in July. The full release of MacOS 26 won't be out until this fall, however. Let's take a look at the biggest announcements Apple made for MacOS. The Phone app has finally arrived on MacOS, allowing for a more streamlined user experience between your iPhone and computer. Users can now access recent calls and contacts synced from your iPhone, and make calls with a single click in the same way. What's more, the Phone app will include the new features added in iOS 26, including Hold Assist and Call Screening. In addition to calls and contacts, live activities from the iPhone will be visible on your Mac, such as tracking an Uber or a delivery from Seamless. Clicking on the live activity will open up iPhone Mirroring, which will allow you to take action directly from your Mac. Apple dropped a major visual overhaul for iOS with its Liquid Glass design theme, and many of those updates are filtering over to MacOS, streamlining the user experience across devices. The dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been redesigned in the same translucent aesthetic that's intended to show more content on screen without UI clutter. In addition, the rounded elements and added dimensionality look a lot more like what you'd see on the iPhone. Customization also allows you to adjust the control center in the same way as the iPhone Also: What is Liquid Glass? Here's everything we know about Apple's major UI overhaul at WWDC Just like the iPhone, Macs will support additional personalization options, including dark or light mode, an all-clear icon, and dock theme, as well as customized color tones. This customization extends to folder icons themselves, with colors, themes, and even emojis. MacOS 26 adds a handful of smart integrations for the Spotlight feature. Instead of just being a simple search bar, Apple's updates to Spotlight make it into a more powerful control panel that works with Shortcuts and can take app-specific actions, while powered by Apple Intelligence. For example, during the WWDC keynote, we saw a demo in a photo editing app, with the user adjusting the color tone by searching for that function in the Spotlight. In a complex app like Photoshop, for example, if you can't find a specific function, Spotlight could step in to act as a top-level search function. Also: Apple's secret sauce is exactly what AI is missing In supporting additional productivity features, Spotlight will also contain clipboard history and allow you to create automations in conjunction with Apple Intelligence to make complex actions like summarizing text or creating images. You can access Apple Intelligence models on your device or ChatGPT. Spotlight will also support a handful of shortcut Quick keys, such as "sm" for "send message," for example. That opens a thread where you can send a message directly from the Spotlight app itself, without swapping to Messages. Some of the Apple Intelligence features that debuted on the iPhone will now be available in MacOS, including a more robust, personalized Siri, and a smarter Shortcuts app. Apple is also opening up MacOS 26 so third-party developers can start creating apps that actually integrate with Apple Intelligence. It's a smart move, allowing some breathing room to further innovate on its own AI features (which some say have fallen behind competitors') while allowing external developers to bring useful AI functions to the Mac. Coinciding with the launch of the Games app on the iPhone, we're also seeing Games come to MacOS 26 as a dedicated store, launcher, and leaderboard. The Games app also brings an overlay showing system settings like low power mode, as well as online friends and communications. Metal 4 comes to MacOS 26 as well, offering higher quality graphics with MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising for smoother visuals and faster frame rates. All of these updates sound great, but not every Mac will be compatible with MacOS 26 Tahoe. Older Macs with Intel processors, unfortunately, will not support the new OS version. This means any Mac with an M1 processor or later will run MacOS 26, but most devices from before the 2020 mark will not. Also: Your Apple Watch is getting a major upgrade. Here are the best features in WatchOS 26 This move all but seals the deal on phasing out older Intel-based models, something we've been expecting from Apple for a while. If you do have a Mac computer with an Intel processor, you can still run the previous MacOS, Sequoia, or its predecessor, Sonoma, depending on how old your device is. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Your Apple MacBook is getting a free upgrade - here are the best MacOS 26 features

Here are the top new features to look forward to in MacOS Tahoe, and how to tell if your Mac can support the new OS version. Apple just announced its latest update for MacOS 26, codenamed "Tahoe." It's full of new visual design elements like Apple's Liquid Glass design theme, better integration with the iPhone, and a more robust Spotlight feature that's better integrated with Shortcuts. The theme of all of Apple's updates this year is streamlining both the visual UI and feature sets across Apple devices, while making more apps and features available on them, punctuated by Apple Intelligence. Also: Everything announced at Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote: Liquid Glass, MacOS Tahoe, and more Following the same trajectory as the last few years, Apple's announcement of MacOS 26 comes during WWDC, with a developer beta opening up now, and a public beta in July. The full release of MacOS 26 won't be out until this fall, however. Let's take a look at the biggest announcements Apple made for MacOS. The Phone app has finally arrived on MacOS, allowing for a more streamlined user experience between your iPhone and computer. Users can now access recent calls and contacts synced from your iPhone, and make calls with a single click in the same way. What's more, the Phone app will include the new features added in iOS 26, including Hold Assist and Call Screening. In addition to calls and contacts, live activities from the iPhone will be visible on your Mac, such as tracking an Uber or a delivery from Seamless. Clicking on the live activity will open up iPhone Mirroring, which will allow you to take action directly from your Mac. Apple dropped a major visual overhaul for iOS with its Liquid Glass design theme, and many of those updates are filtering over to MacOS, streamlining the user experience across devices. The dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been redesigned in the same translucent aesthetic that's intended to show more content on screen without UI clutter. In addition, the rounded elements and added dimensionality look a lot more like what you'd see on the iPhone. Customization also allows you to adjust the control center in the same way as the iPhone Also: What is Liquid Glass? Here's everything we know about Apple's major UI overhaul at WWDC Just like the iPhone, Macs will support additional personalization options, including dark or light mode, an all-clear icon, and dock theme, as well as customized color tones. This customization extends to folder icons themselves, with colors, themes, and even emojis. MacOS 26 adds a handful of smart integrations for the Spotlight feature. Instead of just being a simple search bar, Apple's updates to Spotlight make it into a more powerful control panel that works with Shortcuts and can take app-specific actions, while powered by Apple Intelligence. For example, during the WWDC keynote, we saw a demo in a photo editing app, with the user adjusting the color tone by searching for that function in the Spotlight. In a complex app like Photoshop, for example, if you can't find a specific function, Spotlight could step in to act as a top-level search function. Also: Apple's secret sauce is exactly what AI is missing In supporting additional productivity features, Spotlight will also contain clipboard history and allow you to create automations in conjunction with Apple Intelligence to make complex actions like summarizing text or creating images. You can access Apple Intelligence models on your device or ChatGPT. Spotlight will also support a handful of shortcut Quick keys, such as "sm" for "send message," for example. That opens a thread where you can send a message directly from the Spotlight app itself, without swapping to Messages. Some of the Apple Intelligence features that debuted on the iPhone will now be available in MacOS, including a more robust, personalized Siri, and a smarter Shortcuts app. Apple is also opening up MacOS 26 so third-party developers can start creating apps that actually integrate with Apple Intelligence. It's a smart move, allowing some breathing room to further innovate on its own AI features (which some say have fallen behind competitors') while allowing external developers to bring useful AI functions to the Mac. Coinciding with the launch of the Games app on the iPhone, we're also seeing Games come to MacOS 26 as a dedicated store, launcher, and leaderboard. The Games app also brings an overlay showing system settings like low power mode, as well as online friends and communications. Metal 4 comes to MacOS 26 as well, offering higher quality graphics with MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising for smoother visuals and faster frame rates. All of these updates sound great, but not every Mac will be compatible with MacOS 26 Tahoe. Older Macs with Intel processors, unfortunately, will not support the new OS version. This means any Mac with an M1 processor or later will run MacOS 26, but most devices from before the 2020 mark will not. Also: Your Apple Watch is getting a major upgrade. Here are the best features in WatchOS 26 This move all but seals the deal on phasing out older Intel-based models, something we've been expecting from Apple for a while. If you do have a Mac computer with an Intel processor, you can still run the previous MacOS, Sequoia, or its predecessor, Sonoma, depending on how old your device is. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

macOS Tahoe is the biggest redesign Apple has delivered in years

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available. Apple introduced its new version of macOS at WWDC 2025, dubbed Tahoe -- or macOS 26, if you want to the proper number. It's one of the largest redesigns macOS has seen in years, showcasing the new Liquid Glass design language that Apple is rolling out across all of its various operating systems. In addition to redesigned windows and icons, macOS Tahoe will let you customize the color of app icons and folders, as well as add an emoji or icon. Outside of an entirely new design, Apple is introducing a new Games app for macOS Tahoe, as well as Shortcuts, which will let you automate different tasks on your Mac. Liquid Glass in macOS Tahoe It's looking a lot like Aero is making a comeback Close Apple is redesigning all of its operating systems around the idea of Liquid Glass -- somewhat of a 2025 take on Windows Aero that we had back in Vista. Windows are semi-transparent, and they feature rounded corners with highlights, almost as if they're floating on glass. You'll be able to see multiple layers of Liquid Glass in apps, and, as mentioned, Apple is letting you customize the color and icons of folders. In addition to the new design, Apple is adding a handful of features debuting in the new iOS 26. In the Messages app, you'll now be able to add a photo background to your messages, as well as generate your own, and you'll be able to use the new Polls feature in group chats. Apple is also bringing more tools to AI Playground, including image styles available through ChatGPT, and Live Captains, which will immediately translate videos and calls in both languages. Shortcuts bring automation to macOS Tahoe A new tool for power users Close macOS Tahoe is adding a major new feature to Apple's OS called Shortcuts. It's basically an automation interface that allows you to create new scenes, create routines, and even tap into Apple Intelligence to automate certain tasks. At a high level, you can use Shortcuts to automate basic tasks based off of a trigger. You can set up a shortcut when you receive an email or text message, for example, or at a certain time of day. And from there, you can tie different actions to the trigger, such as opening certain applications, setting your status, or minimizing certain windows. Where Shortcuts really get impressive is intelligent actions. You can combine Shortcuts with Apple Intelligence to program complex automations, all without any coding knowledge. Apple shared an example from a lecture, where Shortcuts was able to ingest the lecture recording, feed that to an AI model for a summary, and generate a file with that response. After setting up this automation, you'll be able to run it through Shortcuts for any audio recording.

macOS Tahoe refreshes the Mac with Liquid Glass design and on-device intelligence

Highly anticipated: Apple's macOS 26, also known as Tahoe, introduces a sweeping visual and functional update designed to enhance clarity, intelligence, and user productivity. Unveiled during WWDC 2025, the update features a new design language called Liquid Glass, expanded AI integration through Apple Intelligence, and a refined suite of system apps and tools to streamline daily tasks. The centerpiece of macOS Tahoe is its Liquid Glass interface - a layered, translucent visual style inspired by the depth, color responsiveness, and feel of glass. This aesthetic overhaul touches everything from the Dock and menu bar to buttons, sidebars, and app icons. System widgets also adopt the new look, offering dynamic contrast that adjusts to light and dark modes. Apple says the goal is to create a sense of visual harmony across apps and surfaces, making the interface feel more cohesive and immersive. On the AI front, Apple Intelligence is now deeply integrated into the macOS experience. Users gain access to features like Writing Tools for refining emails and notes, Priority Notifications that surface what matters most, and Smart Reply within Mail. Spotlight also sees a notable upgrade, delivering faster, richer results along with new actions like launching shortcuts or composing messages directly from search. These tools aim to reduce friction in everyday tasks, enabling more fluid interactions across apps without breaking the user's focus. Cupertino developers also focused on expanding cross-device capabilities. Continuity features, such as iPhone Mirroring, now allow users to access and control their iPhone directly from a Mac desktop, complete with drag-and-drop support and audio playback. Live iPhone notifications appear seamlessly in macOS, further blurring the lines between Apple devices. This tighter integration aims to create a more unified workspace, enabling users to transition seamlessly between screens without interruption or duplicated effort.

I review MacBooks for a living: 3 macOS Tahoe 26 features I'm most excited about

Tahoe has me more excited about macOS than I have been in years I just got back from covering WWDC 2025 in Cupertino, and after cooking in the sun for a few hours to catch the keynote I have to say: I'm impressed by what the company is doing with macOS. That's not a sentence I type often, but the colorful visionOS-inspired makeover Apple is delivering with Tahoe has me charmed. On top of that, there are a few new features that promise to make even the best MacBooks a bit more capable. Of course, I review Macs for a living here at Tom's Guide so I might be a little biased when it comes to getting excited about operating systems. But I also reviewed the last few iterations of macOS, and I have to tell you: Tahoe is (for my money) the most promising update Apple's debuted in years. Let me show you what I mean by highlighting a few of the most interesting new features I've seen here at Apple HQ. Apple Intelligence made its Mac debut in macOS Sequoia, and it's fine. Some people find the AI-powered Writing Tools useful, and playing around with Image Playground is fun a few times. But like most of Sequoia's AI-powered features, it's easy to forget about. With macOS Tahoe 26, Apple promises to make a slew of updates to Apple Intelligence features throughout your Mac. So not only should the image and text generation tools get better, but your Reminders will get more intelligent -- or at least, more dynamic in what and how they remind you. But most exciting to me is the Apple Intelligence-fueled overhaul coming to Spotlight Search. The contextual search tool will gain support for a host of new actions and services, plus it will allow for more natural language in queries. So you can type something like "Send", for example, and you will see a list of search results drop down with uses of the word across your email, Notes and more -- and the top option will be a shortcut to send a text via the Shortcuts app, so you can just hit Return and start typing the message right in Spotlight Search. If this works as advertised I expect Spotlight Search is going to become sort of like the Start button in Windows 11: the first stop and one-stop shop for power users looking to get things done. I just think it's so cool that Macs are going to get real-time translation with macOS Tahoe. I know I probably won't have much cause to make use of translated Messages or real-time translated captions in FaceTime calls, but the fact that it'll soon be so easy to chat with folks around the world on your MacBook without having to speak the same language feels mind-blowing. Plus, since Apple is opening up a large swathe of its Apple Intelligence tech to third-party developers, I expect we'll also see a slew of Mac apps getting real-time translation features in the next few years. I'm not always psyched about new AI features in tech, but real-time translation seems like an unalloyed good -- and one of the best new features of macOS Tahoe 26. Look, it's never going to replace Steam, but I do think it's exciting that Apple is finally shipping a dedicated Games app for macOS Tahoe. By all accounts this new app aims to be your one-stop shop for gaming on your Mac, and it will feature a special in-game overlay you can summon during gameplay to do things like message friends. Windows 11 has a very similar overlay, and I don't love how it gets in the way when PC gaming in Steam's Big Picture mode. Hopefully Apple's version doesn't create similar headaches, but we'll have to wait until macOS Tahoe 26 ships in September to find out. Even if the new Games app isn't amazing at launch, I hope it's evidence that Apple is investing more effort and money in supporting Mac game devs and nurturing the Mac gaming landscape.

macOS 26 Tahoe: The 5 best features coming to your Mac this fall

The Mac is getting a visionOS-inspired design, Shortcuts Automations, AI upgrades, and more. During its WWDC25 keynote, Apple previewed macOS Tahoe 26. With this year's software releases, the company is streamlining the OS version numbers -- aligning them with the upcoming year. More importantly, it's unifying the user interface across its platforms and introducing a ton of functionality for Mac, iPhone, and iPad users. Curious what's coming to your Mac later this year? These are the five biggest changes included with macOS 26 Tahoe. Perhaps the most noticeable change bundled with macOS Tahoe 26 is the fresh UI dubbed Liquid Glass. This release borrows the translucent look first introduced with visionOS and applies it across Mac menus, app icons, the Dock, Control Center toggles, etc. By retiring the excessive use of solid colors in favor of translucency, macOS 26 makes the Mac look more futuristic than ever. The interfaces reveal the hues of objects behind them, making it easier to maintain the context as you scroll. The update also overhauls the menu bar, making it fully transparent. It also refreshes the Control Center with a new, customizable layout, similar to the existing one on iOS 18. Speaking of, dark and tinted app icons have also been brought to the Mac with this release, following a year of iPhone and iPad exclusivity. To make the Mac more personalizable, macOS 26 will also let you change the folder colors in Finder and add your preferred emojis or icons. The change will simplify categorization and make it possible to identify content at a glance. macOS Tahoe 26 also applies the Liquid Glass look to Spotlight Search. That, however, isn't the most notable upgrade to the universal, system-wide search. With this update, macOS will let users perform tasks at a faster pace by suggesting apps and actions based on the context. This will include files stored on third-party clouds, too. Spotlight Search on macOS Tahoe 26 will also support executing actions directly. This spares you from manually launching apps to locate the relevant menu or button. The upgraded search bar can even compose emails and iMessages directly by providing convenient recipient, subject, and content text fields. Beyond that, Spotlight Search has introduced Quick Keys. With this feature, you can quickly trigger specific actions by typing just a couple of letters. So, for example, you could hit SM to initiate the Send Message action. Fortunately, these new perks tie into the App Intents API, letting third-party developers add handy Spotlight shortcuts for their applications. With Spotlight Search on macOS 26, you can finally, finally access your clipboard history. So, instead of being limited to pasting the last copied item, you can view previous text and photos you've copied and re-insert them as needed. It's no secret that Apple is trying too hard to become relevant in the gaming space. macOS Tahoe 26 takes the company's vision a step further by introducing a dedicated Games app. With Apple Games, you've got the main Home tab, which highlights recently played games and recommended titles. Other tabs include Arcade -- which houses games from Apple's subscription service -- and Play Together for connecting with Game Center friends. There's also a Library tab for viewing all of your titles. When playing a game, macOS 26 offers a Steam-like overlay. When triggered, you can quickly invite or chat with friends you're gaming with -- without leaving the game itself. It also lets you control the game controller, Energy and Game Modes, volume, etc. macOS Tahoe 26 also introduces support for Metal 4, unlocking next-level graphics and rendering in Mac games. While macOS Tahoe isn't an AI-centric release, it still adds a few handy Apple Intelligence tools. Arguably, the most significant addition is on-device, live translation support in calls and messages. This makes communicating with foreigners in real time more manageable. Apple's in-house image generation capabilities are also getting a boost with macOS Tahoe. Genmoji now lets you mix two emojis to create a single sticker. It also supports tweaking the appearance and facial expressions of the person, if applicable. Image Playground will get more powerful with native ChatGPT integration, letting you generate images in more styles using OpenAI's superior models. macOS Tahoe 26 also caters to power users by integrating Apple Intelligence into the Shortcuts app. This enables you to create actions that incorporate asking ChatGPT, Apple's Private Cloud Compute, or the on-device models. macOS Tahoe 26 also borrows some existing and new iOS features. Similar to iPhone notification mirroring, your Mac can now show iOS Live Activities in the menu bar. It has also introduced the Phone and Journal apps, in addition to the Automations tab in the Shortcuts app. This will let Mac users view Contact Posters, utilize iOS 26's Call Screening and Hold Assist tools, and more. Apple has eliminated numerous Macs that support macOS Sequoia, including many Intel models. Here are the models that can get Tahoe in the fall: That means the following Macs won't be able to install Tahoe: macOS Tahoe 26 is already available to those enrolled in Apple's developer program. The company will then launch its public beta program in a few weeks. If you don't have a spare Mac, we advise you to wait till the stable version is coming this fall. Early developer betas are often riddled with bugs that could break your workflows, and it's best not to install these builds on your main machine.

macOS Tahoe 26 announced at WWDC 2025 with a new look and new numbering scheme: these are the best features for your new Mac or MacBook

Apple has announced the latest version of macOS at WWDC 2025, its yearly developer conference. According to Apple, the new version of macOS Tahoe 26, the operating system used by MacBooks and Macs, is coming later this year, but before then an early beta version will be made available for developers to help ensure their apps work well with the new operating system. After that, Apple will launch a public beta that allows anyone with a compatible Mac to test out the operating system - though you should only do this with the understanding that this is an early version of the software and could lack features and could include bugs (after all, the reason for releasing a beta version is for people to help test out the software and highlight problems). As usual, macOS Tahoe 26 will be a free update for everyone with a compatible Mac or MacBook, so for most people I recommend holding on tight for the official launch around October or November, as by that point most, if not all, of the bugs and issues found in the beta version will have been fixed. Until then, read on for all the info we know about macOS Tahoe 26 so far, plus the new features we're most excited about. The rumors were right - Apple has overhauled the look of macOS (as with its other operating systems), with a unified design language which means that macOS, iPadOS and iOS will look similar. Known as 'Liquid Glass', this part of the user interface doesn't just look good, it reacts depending on the task you're performing. The Dock, sidebar and toolbars of macOS 26 Tahoe have been redesigned, with the menu bar now completely transparent. The idea behind this appears to be to make the user interface blend into the background, giving prominence to whatever you're working on on the screen. App icons have also been given a new look to fit in the the Liquid Glass design, and these will also change depending on if you're using the light or dark macOS theme. Apple is also expanding on the customization options of macOS 26 Tahoe, so it should be even easier to make the operating system suit your style. At WWDC, Apple announced the official name for the latest macOS: Tahoe. Once again, based on a landmark in Apple's native California. More surprisingly (if you weren't keeping up with the rumors), Apple also confirmed that there will be a new numbering scheme for macOS and its other operating systems. Instead numbering according to version (the current version is macOS 15), it will now be based on year, so there will be no macOS 16, but macOS 26, as well as iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and more. This is quite a change, but it shows how serious Apple is about making all of its operating systems feel like they are parts of the same ecosystem. Spotlight has been a key part of macOS for ages, allowing you to find and open up applications that you've installed. At WWDC 2025, Apple revealed that macOS Tahoe 26 will feature the 'biggest update ever' to Spotlight, with all search results across apps, files, folders, messages and more are all listed together and 'ranked intelligently based on relevance to the user.' Advanced filter controls should help you narrow down your results, and Spotlight will also be able to search for files stored on third-party cloud drives, such as Google Drive or OneDrive. You'll also be able to perform actions straight from Spotlight - so you can send an email, play a media file and more without having to open the app first. These can also be used via keyboard shortcuts, and according to Apple, Spotlight will learn from how you use your Mac, and will offer you personalized actions for tasks you perform often. The example Apple gives is quickly sending a message to someone you regularly talk to. As you might expect, Apple has put plenty of AI features into macOS Tahoe 26, and perhaps the most interesting (and useful) is Live Translation, which will automatically translate messages depending on the language of the person you're talking to (and their reply will be translated for you). During FaceTime calls, live captions will also be shown, and if you're old school and still use the Phone app, you can see a translation of what they are talking about - and all of this is done on-device so conversations remain private.

MacOS 26 Tahoe: The big reasons to update -- or to not update

Should you upgrade immediately to macOS 26 when it becomes available this fall, or wait out the initial patch cycle? Sure, you do want to keep your system relatively up to date to maintain proper app support and get all the latest security patches. But there's a difference between jumping on a new OS update immediately and getting to it a few weeks or months later. During Monday's Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple shared details on its upcoming plans for the iPhone, Mac, and iPad platforms and some updates to the Apple App ecosystem. As part of the Mac announcements, Apple detailed all of the changes coming with macOS Tahoe 26, which include an expanded Apple Intelligence portfolio, expanded Continuity features, a desktop facelift, and a revamped Spotlight search. But are these updates enough? Let's take a look. Apple's proprietary AI features, called Apple Intelligence, have been generally underwhelming to start. Many of the features that were announced for Apple Intelligence at WWDC last year are still not available on any Apple devices. If you were hoping for this year's WWDC to announce any significant changes there, you will continue to be disappointed. Apple still has not confirmed when it will be rolling out the better version of the Siri personal assistant, and the other AI updates are mostly just improvements on existing AI features like updates to the existing Apple Image Playground and Genmoji systems, better shortcuts, and AI-powered Reminders. Apple's big AI win for Tahoe is live translation across the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps. This is very similar to the Live Captions feature of Microsoft's Copilot+ or Google's translation system built into the Gemini AI on ChromeOS and Android devices. Apple's other major changes with the macOS 26 Tahoe update are built around offering a more seamless experience. Not only does macOS Tahoe come with a new design, offering more customization and better ease of use for quick settings controls, but the new operating system iteration also brings over some additional Continuity features to make switching from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac even more seamless. With the Mac iPhone app, you can make and take calls more easily from your laptop or desktop. Tahoe makes the Phone app look even more like the Phone app from your iPhone and offers the same features, like Recents, Favorites, and Voicemail. Plus, the new Phone app for Mac includes Apple's enhanced call screening and hold assist features. Live Activities also go over from iOS to Mac with the Tahoe update, porting straight from your iPhone. So if you've got an upcoming flight or ride-share notification on your phone, the information will also appear in the menu bar of your MacBook, so you don't lose track when you swap devices. Finally, Spotlight Search is getting a major overhaul. You can now take direct action from the search window, including sending an email or playing a podcast. Spotlight Search can now access third-party cloud storage devices in addition to your local storage and iCloud drive. Ultimately, it's up to you whether you install macOS Tahoe the instant its available on your MacBook or iMac. The Apple Intelligence offerings for macOS and iOS devices are still slim and ultimately far from compelling. There's not enough new about Apple Intelligence coming with Tahoe, just the Image Playground and Genmoji features we've already seen on iOS or live translation on video calls, which launched on Windows Copilot+ PCs a year ago. So you won't be missing much if you hold off on your upgrade. However, there are plenty of compelling reasons to update anyway. Between keeping your apps up to date, getting the latest security features, the revamped Phone app, and enhanced Spotlight Search, there's really no reason to hold off for long. Certainly, Tahoe has its uses, even if it doesn't quite cash in on Apple Intelligence in a satisfying way. Apple will launch macOS Tahoe 26 this fall, likely alongside the next generation of MacBooks. However, if you'd like to take an early look at macOS Tahoe, the OS update is currently available through the Apple Developer Program, and a public beta test will be available next month.

macOS Tahoe 26 Release Date and Features Overview

Apple is preparing to release macOS Tahoe 26, the next big update for its Mac operating system. This update brings a redesigned interface that keeps the familiar Mac feel but adds new customization options. Users will notice changes in the desktop layout, Dock, navigation within apps, and toolbars -- all designed to make the interface cleaner and easier to use. Plus, the Control Center now has more color choices for folders, app icons, and widgets, so you can make your Mac look more personal. One of the key improvements in macOS Tahoe 26 is better integration with the iPhone. The new Phone app comes to Mac, so you can handle calls, access recent calls, contacts, and voicemail directly from your desktop. Features like Call Screening and Hold Assist are also available, which can help manage calls more efficiently. Another handy feature is Live Activities, which shows real-time updates on your Mac, like flight statuses or package deliveries, so you don't have to check your phone constantly. Spotlight search gets a big upgrade too. Now, it's not just for finding files or apps -- you can use it to perform hundreds of tasks directly, like sending an email or making a note, right from the search bar. The browsing experience inside Spotlight is also smoother, helping you find what you need faster without opening multiple windows. Apple is also adding new AI-powered features, which they call Apple Intelligence. This includes Live Translation, which can translate both text and audio to help you communicate in different languages. For creative users, there are tools like Genmoji and Image Playground, offering new ways to create images and content. The Shortcuts app is more powerful as well, letting you automate more complex tasks by connecting directly to Apple's AI models. Importantly, Apple emphasizes privacy, ensuring these intelligent features protect your data at every step. The gorgeous new design enhances the Mac experience in new ways, while maintaining the familiarity of macOS. It is crafted with Liquid Glass, a translucent new material that reflects and refracts its surroundings. The Dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been refined, bringing greater focus to a user's content. The menu bar is now completely transparent, making the display feel even larger. There are more ways to customize what controls appear in the menu bar and Control Center, along with how they're laid out. The new design also unlocks more personalization on the Mac. App icons come to life in light or dark appearances, colorful new light and dark tints, as well as an elegant new clear look. Users can also change the colors of folders and add a symbol or emoji to give them a unique identity. And when combined with personalized wallpapers and theme colors, it's easier than ever to make Mac a seamless extension of a user's style. New Continuity Experiences with the Phone App and Live Activities The Phone app arrives on Mac thanks to Continuity, which lets users relay cellular calls from their nearby iPhone. The Phone app on Mac has the familiar features of the Phone app on iPhone -- including Recents, Favorites, and Voicemails -- and the latest updates like Call Screening and Hold Assist. Call Screening automatically answers calls from unknown numbers and asks the caller for information so a user can decide whether or not to answer. And when a user is stuck on hold, Hold Assist allows them to keep their spot in line while they wait for a live agent, so users can continue working on their Mac. Live Activities from a user's nearby iPhone will now appear in the menu bar on their Mac so they can stay on top of things happening in real time, like an upcoming Uber ride, flight, or live sports score. When clicking on a Live Activity, the app opens in iPhone Mirroring to show more information so users can take action right from their Mac. The Biggest Update Ever to Spotlight Spotlight, the central place to search for things on Mac, makes finding what users are looking for easier than ever, and provides users with all-new ways to take action. During a search, all results -- including files, folders, events, apps, messages, and more -- are now listed together and ranked intelligently based on relevance to the user. New filtering options rapidly narrow searches to exactly what a user is looking for, like PDFs or Mail messages. Spotlight can also surface results for documents stored on third-party cloud drives. And when a user doesn't know exactly what they're searching for, Spotlight's new browse views make it easy to scan through their apps, files, clipboard history, and more. Users can now take hundreds of actions directly from Spotlight -- like sending an email, creating a note, or playing a podcast -- without jumping between apps. Users can take actions from both Apple apps and apps built by developers, because any app can provide actions to Spotlight using the App Intents API. Users can also run shortcuts and perform actions from the menu bar in the app they're currently working in, all without lifting their hands off the keyboard. Spotlight learns from users' routines across the system and surfaces personalized actions, such as sending a message to a colleague a user regularly talks to. Additionally, Spotlight introduces quick keys, which are short strings of characters that get users right to the action they're looking for. Brand-New Capabilities Powered by Apple Intelligence Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence, gets even more capable while protecting users' privacy at every step. Seamless communication across language barriers with Live Translation: In Messages, Live Translation can automatically translate messages, so if a user is making plans with new friends while traveling abroad, their message can be translated as they type and delivered in the recipient's preferred language. And when the user receives a response, each text can be instantly translated. On FaceTime, a user can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker's voice. And when a user is on a call in the Phone app, their words are translated for the recipient as they speak. This is enabled by Apple-built models that run entirely on device, so conversations stay private. Shortcuts get more intelligent: A whole new class of intelligent actions lets users create shortcuts that are more powerful than ever, including summarizing text with Writing Tools and creating images with Image Playground. And now users will be able to tap directly into Apple Intelligence models, either on-device or with Private Cloud Compute, to generate responses that feed into the rest of their shortcut, maintaining the privacy of information used. For example, a student can build a shortcut that uses Apple Intelligence models to compare an audio transcription of a class lecture to the notes they took, and add any key points they may have missed. Users can also choose to tap into ChatGPT for its broad world knowledge and expertise. Additionally, users can now run shortcuts automatically on macOS, such as at a specific time of day, or when taking a specific action like saving a file to a folder or connecting a display. Updates to Genmoji and Image Playground: macOS Tahoe brings new ways to create Genmoji, giving users the ability to start with existing emoji and descriptions, modify personal attributes like hair length or accessories, and select expressions based on the moment. Users will also have more control of personal attributes and expressions in Image Playground, and can tap into brand-new styles with ChatGPT, like an oil painting style or vector art. For moments when users have a specific idea in mind, they can tap Any Style and describe exactly what they want. Increased productivity with Reminders: Apple Intelligence can review an email, website, note, or other content on Mac to find the most relevant action items. And users can also choose to use Apple Intelligence to automatically categorize Reminders into sections to make them more manageable. Alongside these improvements, developers continue to deliver exciting new games on Mac, including upcoming titles like Crimson Desert and InZOI. Both games leverage powerful software technologies like MetalFX Upscaling to accelerate performance and deliver high-quality visuals, as well as take advantage of the M3 and M4 family of chips with ray tracing for a breathtaking experience. Additional titles on the way include Cyberpunk 2077, Cronos: The New Dawn, Architect: Land of Exiles, Lies of P: Overture, HITMAN World of Assassination, EVE Frontier, Where Winds Meet, and more. Additional features in macOS Tahoe include: Safari, the world's fastest browser, offers a fresh but familiar experience, featuring a rounded tab design that floats in the toolbar, along with a refreshed sidebar with new sections to help users more easily find saved content like iCloud Tabs and Saved. When compared to Chrome, Safari is 50 percent faster at loading frequently visited websites and offers up to four more hours of battery life when streaming video. And for even greater protection from trackers when browsing, Safari now offers advanced fingerprinting protection in all browsing by default. The Messages app brings Backgrounds, Polls, and a redesigned details view that helps users easily navigate what has been shared in a conversation. Plus, it features typing indicators in groups to let participants know exactly who is going to chime in, as well as the ability to add new contacts easily right from the group chat and search with more natural language. Journal comes to Mac, making it easy to capture and write about everyday moments and special events when inspiration strikes. On Mac, it's easy to type long, thoughtful entries and view them on a map. Users can keep multiple journals for various aspects of life, which are all synced across Apple devices. Photos has an updated design that includes beautiful Liquid Glass elements, enhancements for customization, easier workflows, and sidebar consistency with iPadOS. Pinned Collections now come to Mac, so users can access the collections they use most with a click on the sidebar. Users will also find new buttons to quickly access filtering and sorting options in all views, and the ability to customize the size of Collections tiles, so they can view their library just how they like. On FaceTime, the reimagined landing page features beautiful Contact Posters of recent callers, Liquid Glass controls now float in the bottom right and recede to create more space, and a new More button lets users quickly access features like SharePlay and Live Translation. Notes adds the ability to import and export a note into a markdown file, and support for capturing conversations in the Phone app as audio recordings with transcriptions. Accessibility features include Magnifier on Mac, which enables users with low vision to zoom in on their surroundings using Continuity Camera on iPhone or attached USB cameras, apply image filters so items are easier to see or read, and even change perspective when viewing presentations or books from an angle. Additional features include Accessibility Reader, a new systemwide reading mode designed with accessibility in mind; an all-new Braille Access experience that offers a user-friendly interface for those with a connected braille display; and Vehicle Motion Cues, which helps reduce motion sickness in a moving vehicle. With Passwords, users can easily reference changes they make to their accounts, including checking previous versions of passwords they save, along with details on when they were changed. Availability All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. The release will be available as a free software update this fall. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. For more information, visit apple.com/os/macos and apple.com/apple-intelligence. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com. Source: Apple

macOS Tahoe 26 Brings Phone App, Live Activities, Spotlight and More Features

Spotlight will now show the user all of their apps, including iPhone apps macOS Tahoe 26, the next major macOS update, was previewed by Apple at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2025. The Cupertino-based tech giant introduced the company's new design language, dubbed Liquid Glass, for the macOS 26. The new design also updates the iconography, sidebars, toolbars, and other aspects of the user interface (UI). Apart from this, the new update is also adding more continuity features including the Phone app and Live Activity. A major focus has been provided to Spotlight, which now supports hundreds of new actions. According to Apple, macOS 26, also known as Tahoe, will be offered as a free over-the-air (OTA) software update later this year for MacBook Air and Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and newer), MacBook Pro 2019 and 2020, iMac (2020 and newer), Mac mini (2020 and newer), Mac Studio (2022 and newer), and Mac Pro (2019 and newer). Meanwhile, the macOS Tahoe 26 Developer beta is now available for compatible Mac devices. Apple is adding its new design language to all of its operating system. Liquid Glass is said to be a translucent new material that behaves like glass does in the real-world. The toolbars and sidebars will be enveloped in this new design and reflect whatever shows on the screen. The menu bar is now completely transparent, and users will find more ways to customise it. Liquid Glass UI will be applied to both light and dark modes. Colour of the folders can now also be changed, and users can add a symbol or emoji for greater personalisation. The tech giant is also expanding macOS' continuity features with two new experiences. The Phone app will be added to macOS Tahoe and allow users to relay cellular calls from their nearby iPhone. Users will be able to check Recents, Favourites, and Voicemails directly on their Mac device, as well as use the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features. Live Activities is also being added to macOS via Continuity. When a user keeps an iPhone nearby, the Live Activities from their phone will appear in the menu bar on their Mac. Additionally, users will also be able to click on a Live Activity, and iPhone Mirroring will let them take actions directly from their Mac device. Spotlight, the company's in-built search feature for macOS, is also getting a major upgrade. While users could access certain first-party apps via the search feature, with macOS 26, they will be able to access all the apps and their iPhone apps (via iPhone Mirroring). Additionally, files, folders, events, apps, messages, etc will be listed together to make the appearance more organised. At WWDC 2025, Apple said these items will also be ranked intelligently based on the relevance to the user. The feature is also getting new filtering options, and can display documents stored on third-party cloud drives. Additionally, a new browse view has been added that will let users scroll through the content of their device. Apart from adding more stuff to Spotlight, its functionality has also been improved. Apple says users can take actions, such as sending an email, creating a note, or playing music or podcast, right within the interface. Spotlight will also allow users to run shortcuts and perform actions from the menu bar in the app they're currently working in. Additionally, with macOS Tahoe, it will come with quick keys, which are short strings of characters to let users quickly find their desired action. Just like iOS 16, the new macOS also gets several new Apple Intelligence features. The biggest introduction is the Live Translation, which is integrated with the Messages app, FaceTime, and the Phone app, to offer real-time text (in Messages and FaceTime), and audio (in Phone app) translation of conversations. Shortcuts is also getting AI capabilities, and users can now automate more tasks using the on-device and Private Cloud Compute-based AI models. It is also integrating ChatGPT, allowing users to take responses from the chatbot that feed into their shortcuts. Shortcuts on macOS can now also run automatically based on time or file actions. Additionally, users can leverage Apple Intelligence on Mac to review content such as emails, websites, and notes to find relevant action items for Reminders. With AI, Reminders can also be automatically categorised into sections to make them easy to scan. macOS Tahoe 26 will also introduce Apple Games, a new app that acts as a central hub for all the games on a Mac device. Users can not only find their games and quickstart them, they can also discover new games that are relevant to them. A new Game Overlay feature will allow users to perform additional actions such as adjusting system settings, chatting with a friend, or inviting them to play a game, without leaving the game. The app also has a Low Power Mode which optimises the gaming experience to maximise playtime on battery. Some of the upcoming titles users can find on the Apple Games include Crimson Desert, InZOI, Cyberpunk 2077, Cronos: The New Dawn, Architect: Land of Exiles, Lies of P: Overture, Hitman World of Assasination, and more.

macOS Tahoe 26 launched at WWDC25: New 'Liquid Glass' design, iPhone mirroring & AI-powered spotlight

One of the standout features of macOS Tahoe 26 is its revamped design language, known as "Liquid Glass." This new aesthetic transforms the desktop environment with translucent surfaces that subtly adjust to ambient light and surrounding colors, offering a more immersive and dynamic visual experience.Apple announced a sweeping update to its desktop operating system at WWDC25, unveiling macOS Tahoe 26, a release that marks one of the most significant visual and functional overhauls in recent years. With a refined interface, smarter search capabilities, and deeper cross-device integration, the latest macOS version continues Apple's push toward a more unified and intelligent computing ecosystem. Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, described the release as "building on what users love most," highlighting features that appeal to both long-time power users and newcomers to the Mac platform, as mentioned in a report by Business Insider. One of the most striking updates in macOS Tahoe 26 is its new design language, dubbed "Liquid Glass." Apple has reimagined the desktop experience with translucent materials that shift subtly in response to ambient light and color. The Dock, menu bar, and sidebars now sport a cleaner, lighter appearance, with the menu bar fully transparent and adaptive icons that respond to light and dark themes. Folders can be personalised with colours, symbols, and emojis, offering new ways to visually organise digital workspaces. The aesthetic refresh extends across the operating system, aiming to enhance focus and productivity without compromising style. Furthering the continuity between Apple devices, macOS Tahoe 26 introduces native support for the Phone app. Mac users can now handle calls, view recent activity, access voicemails, and screen unknown callers -- all from the desktop. A notable addition is Live Activities, previously exclusive to iPhone, now available on the Mac menu bar. From tracking flights to monitoring rideshare status, users can click directly into mirrored content via iPhone Mirroring. This bridges the gap between handheld and desktop, allowing actions to be completed seamlessly without switching devices. Among the standout enhancements is a comprehensive upgrade to Spotlight, Apple's universal search tool. With support for over 100 built-in actions -- from sending emails to creating calendar events -- Spotlight is now more than a search bar. Aided by new "quick keys" and third-party integrations via the App Intents API, users can personalise workflows and complete tasks without opening individual apps. The feature now uses improved relevance ranking, contextual filtering, and browsable results to streamline content discovery, making Spotlight a smarter, more intuitive digital assistant. Building on its AI strategy, Apple continues to emphasise privacy with Apple Intelligence, now embedded throughout macOS. Features like Live Translation bring real-time voice and text translation to Messages, FaceTime, and phone calls, all processed on-device. Shortcuts have been upgraded to incorporate AI-based automation, including text summarisation, visual generation, and support for external tools like ChatGPT -- without compromising data privacy. Creative tools such as Genmoji and Image Playground also now offer granular customisation options for greater personal expression. Gaming on Mac gets a dedicated platform with the introduction of the Apple Games app. The addition of a Game Overlay allows players to manage chats, settings, and power modes mid-session. Developers benefit from Metal 4, Apple's updated graphics engine, offering new technologies like Frame Interpolation and Denoising for more fluid, high-fidelity performance. Titles including Cyberpunk 2077, Crimson Desert, and InZOI are confirmed to adopt these advancements, with more slated to follow later this year. macOS Tahoe 26 also delivers enhancements across core apps: Safari receives a redesigned tab view and claims up to 50% faster performance than Chrome. Messages now supports polls, dynamic backgrounds, and advanced search capabilities. FaceTime introduces floating controls and revamped layouts, while Notes supports markdown and phone call transcriptions. Accessibility features also see significant gains, with the rollout of image filters, a Magnifier tool, Braille support, and motion cues for vehicle use. The developer preview of macOS Tahoe 26 is now available, with a public beta to follow next month. The full release is expected in autumn 2025 as a free update. Select features -- particularly those leveraging Apple Intelligence -- will require newer hardware such as M1 Macs or iPhone 16 models, with broader language support rolling out by year-end. macOS Tahoe 26 is Apple's latest desktop operating system, unveiled at WWDC 2025. It introduces a major visual refresh, enhanced AI features, and deeper cross-device integration, particularly with iPhone. The new design language, called Liquid Glass, features translucent materials, adaptive icons, and a fully transparent menu bar that responds to light and dark modes. Folders can now be customized with colors, symbols, and emojis.

Apple macOS Tahoe 26: The Game-Changing Features You Need to Know (WWDC 2025)

Apple has introduced macOS Tahoe 26, featuring a redesigned interface, enhanced Continuity features, expanded Spotlight capabilities, and advanced Apple Intelligence tools. The update focuses on personalization, productivity, and seamless integration across Apple devices, while maintaining user privacy. One of the most striking features of macOS Tahoe 26 is its "Liquid Glass" design, a visually dynamic interface that combines translucency, depth, and fluidity. This aesthetic overhaul not only modernizes the operating system but also enhances usability by offering extensive customization options. Users can now personalize app icons, folders, widgets, and wallpapers, allowing for a desktop environment that reflects individual preferences and workflows. Key interface elements have been streamlined for improved efficiency. The menu bar now features a transparent design, blending seamlessly with the desktop background, while the Dock has been refined to appear sleeker and more compact. Sidebars and toolbars across native apps have been redesigned to be more intuitive, reducing visual clutter and allowing users to focus on their tasks with greater ease. macOS Tahoe 26 builds on Apple's ecosystem integration with enhanced Continuity features, further bridging the gap between Mac, iPhone, iPad, and other Apple devices. For the first time, the Phone app is available on Mac, allowing users to manage calls, access voicemail, and use features like Call Screening and Hold Assist directly from their desktop. Another notable addition is the integration of Live Activities, a feature previously exclusive to iPhone. Live Activities now appear in the Mac's menu bar, providing real-time updates on events such as sports scores, delivery tracking, or calendar reminders. This functionality allows users to stay informed without interrupting their workflow, enhancing multitasking capabilities. Spotlight, Apple's built-in search tool, receives a significant upgrade in macOS Tahoe 26. A unified search results system prioritizes relevance, making it easier to locate files, apps, and web content. This improvement streamlines the search process, catering to both casual users and professionals who rely on efficient navigation. New features include: These enhancements position Spotlight as a more versatile and powerful tool for managing daily workflows. Artificial intelligence plays a central role in macOS Tahoe 26, with Apple Intelligence driving several innovative features. Real-time translation is now integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app, allowing seamless communication across languages. The Shortcuts app uses AI to create smarter, automated workflows tailored to user habits. Whether powered by on-device processing or cloud-based models, these workflows simplify repetitive tasks and improve efficiency. Creative tools like Genmoji and Image Playground further showcase the potential of AI in macOS. Genmoji allows users to design custom emojis, while Image Playground provides tools for creating and editing images with ease. These features blend technology with creativity, offering new ways for users to express themselves. Gaming on macOS sees significant advancements with the introduction of the Apple Games app, a centralized hub for discovering, managing, and playing games. The app includes features like curated recommendations, game updates, and cloud save synchronization, making it easier for users to access their gaming library. The new Game Overlay feature enhances the gaming experience by providing in-game controls for quick adjustments, such as toggling settings or managing communication tools. These updates are powered by Metal 4, Apple's latest graphics technology. Metal 4 introduces ray tracing, allowing more realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections in games and creative applications. Together, these improvements position macOS as a more competitive platform for gamers and developers. Apple continues to prioritize privacy and accessibility in macOS Tahoe 26. The updated Safari browser offers faster browsing speeds, improved battery efficiency, and enhanced privacy protections. New password management tools include version history and change tracking, providing users with greater control over their online security. Accessibility features receive a comprehensive update, with tools like: These updates reflect Apple's commitment to creating technology that is inclusive and accessible to all users. macOS Tahoe 26 represents a significant evolution in Apple's desktop operating system. By combining a visually stunning interface with advanced tools for productivity, creativity, and communication, this update delivers a more personalized and integrated experience. With its focus on privacy, accessibility, and seamless device integration, macOS Tahoe 26 underscores Apple's dedication to innovation and user-centric design. Here are more detailed guides and articles that you may find helpful on Translucent design.

MacOS Tahoe 26: Smarter, Faster, and More Powerful Than Ever

The Liquid Glass design gives macOS Tahoe 26 a great, fresh look. The smooth, see-through menu bars and other parts of the user interface mix modern ideas with a bit of the past. People can now change how their apps look by coloring the icons, and the cooler animations in the updated Finder make sorting files a lot simpler. macOS Tahoe 26 improves how your Mac works with your iPhone. Users can make calls and send texts directly from their Mac through the Phone app. Live Activities now show up in the menu bar, giving real-time updates like sports scores. You can also drag and drop files between your Mac and iPhone with ease. This seamless integration lets you switch between your Apple devices super easily. New stuff in Tahoe 26 helps you do even more. For example, the Journal app is great for quick notes. It even has AI that can give you ideas when you're trying to brainstorm or just need a little inspiration. The Writing Tools help edit and summarize emails and documents on the spot, making it easy to turn long reports into quick bullet points. These features work seamlessly across apps like Notes and Mail, making content creation faster and more professional, great for students and professionals alike.

WWDC 2025: macOS Tahoe 26 brings deeper iPhone integration, AI upgrades, and striking new look to Macs

Spotlight and Shortcuts now leverage Apple Intelligence for smarter actions and automation. Along with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and tvOS 26, Apple announced macOS Tahoe 26, the most recent iteration of its desktop operating system. Like iOS 26, Apple has made major redesigns and added new features to improve the user experience and productivity. The new macOS Tahoe 26 features a Liquid Glass design, which gives core interface elements like the desktop, Dock, sidebars, and toolbars a translucent, refined appearance. Users will be able to personalise their experience. They can personalise their Macs with new options for folder and app icon colours, symbols, and emojis, as well as customisable Control Centre layouts. The company has also improved the continuity between Mac and iPhone with the release of the Phone app for Mac. It will provide users with call history, contacts, and voicemails, as well as new features such as Call Screening, which automatically answers calls from unknown numbers, and Hold Assist, which keeps users connected while on hold. Additionally, Live Activities from iPhone now appear in the Mac's menu bar, allowing for real-time tracking of events such as flights and rides. Apple has also made major modifications to Spotlight, combining search results across files, apps, messages, and more while allowing users to perform tasks such as sending emails or creating notes directly from the search interface. Speaking of AI features, the company has announced Live Translation, which automatically translates messages, FaceTime captions, and phone calls on-device to protect privacy. The Shortcuts app now has more powerful automation tools, including integration with Apple's AI models and ChatGPT. Genmoji and Image Playground, for example, now have new customisation options and artistic styles available. The company unveiled a brand-new Apple Games app that streamlines Mac gaming and provides new multiplayer capabilities and simpler access to favourite games. Additionally, the update supports Metal 4 graphics technology, which enhances game performance and visuals. The company has also introduced a redesigned Safari with floating tabs and promised enhanced privacy, updates to Messages featuring typing indicators, and group polls. The Journal app is also here. Accessibility enhancements such as the new Magnifier tool and systemwide reading mode aim to support users with different needs will also be there.