Apple macOS Tahoe 26 revealed

Apple unveiled the latest update to its Mac software — macOS Tahoe 26 — during a keynote address that kicked off its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2025.

Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi announced that the numbering jump from macOS 15 to macOS 26 was because of an overhaul of naming conventions across all products.

Federighi also announced that all Apple devices would be getting an operating system design overhaul, featuring an expressive material the company calls Liquid Glass.

“With its gorgeous new design, amazing Continuity experiences, powerful enhancements to Spotlight, more intelligent shortcuts, and updates to Apple Intelligence, the Mac experience is better than ever,” he said.

“Whether you’re a power user or just getting started on Mac, there’s something for everyone, with even more features to turbocharge productivity and make working across Mac and iPhone more seamless than ever before.”

The Dock, sidebars, and toolbars will all feature the new Liquid Glass design. The menu bar is now completely transparent, and app icons have the new look.

Apple has also brought the Phone app to macOS with all the features from iOS, including the new call screening and hold assist updates available with iOS 26.

Mac users will also have live activities from their iPhone, such as Uber Eats deliveries or live sports scores, visible in their Mac’s menu bar.

If users want to learn more about the live activity, it will open iPhone Mirroring when clicked.

Spotlight will receive a substantial upgrade. All results, such as files, folders, apps, and messages, are listed together and ranked based on relevance.

Users can also take actions directly from Spotlight, such as sending an email or playing a podcast. This will be possible with any app, as developers can provide actions directly to Spotlight.

Brand new Apple Intelligence

As for Apple Intelligence, macOS users will have a host of new features at their fingertips.

The Live Translation feature automatically translates messages received in the Messages app and provides captions during FaceTime calls with another user.

When users are on a call in the Phone app, Apple’s on-device models translate people’s words as they are spoken.

Mac users can also create more powerful shortcuts by using Apple’s on-device and Private Cloud Compute Apple Intelligence models.

Apple provided the example of a student creating a shortcut to compare an audio transcription of a class to the notes they took. This functionality may also be used to run shortcuts automatically.

Users who use Image Plaground and Genmoji will have more control over their creations and can use new styles from ChatGPT, such as oil painting.

macOS Tahoe also brings a dedicated gaming app called Apple Games, which allows users to easily access games and adjust settings using Game Overlay.

The new operating system introduces Metal 4, bringing more advanced graphics and next-generation rendering technologies to games.

Below are some of the other features that will be introduced with macOS Tahoe 26:

• Safari: Now features a rounded tab design that floats in the toolbar and a refreshed sidebar with new sections to simplify navigation.
• Messages: Has backgrounds, polls, typing indicators in groups, and a redesigned details view for more straightforward navigation.
• Journal: The app is available for the first time on Mac, making it easy to type long entries.
• Photos: Updated design featuring Liquid Glass elements, enhancements for customisation, and sidebar consistency with iPadOS.
• FaceTime: Liquid Glass controls now float in the bottom right and recede to create more space.
• Notes: Users can now import and export into a Markdown file.
• Accessibility: The app now features Magnifier on Mac, which assists users with low vision.

Apple said macOS Tahoe 26 will be available for free later this year and that all Apple Intelligence features require at least its Apple Silicon M1 chip.