macOS 26 “Tahoe”: Everything New in Apple’s Ambitious Mac Update
At WWDC 2025, Apple introduced macOS 26 (codenamed “Tahoe”)—its boldest Mac update in years.
With a fresh “Liquid Glass” interface, integration of phone calling, advanced AI features, and revamped apps, macOS 26 marks a shift to a unified, year-based OS naming (moving from macOS 15 to macOS 26) and a renewed user experience across Apple’s ecosystem.
🌊 Liquid Glass: A Design Overhaul Inspired by VisionOS
macOS 26 debuts Apple’s new Liquid Glass design across all platforms:
- Translucent UI elements—floating menus, windows, and toolbars create a sense of depth.
- The menu bar becomes transparent, revealing productive content beneath while maintaining readability.
- App icons and folders adopt glass-like edges and color overlays, with custom coloration and emoji support for folders.
- Updated developer APIs enable seamless adaptation of existing apps to the new look.
📞 Phone App Comes to Mac
For the first time, macOS gains a built‑in Phone app, enabling users to:
- Make and receive cellular calls from their Mac via iPhone Continuity.
- Manage calls—view contact info, voicemail, and call screening functionality on Mac.
🔍 Smarter Spotlight & Search
Spotlight gets a robust upgrade:
- Natural‑language search: Ask queries like “documents I edited last week”.
- Search results now include deeper indexing—files, apps, email, and cloud storage in one unified view.
- Visual Intelligence support: capture screen or use camera input to gather context-aware suggestions.
🤖 Apple Intelligence: AI Everywhere
macOS 26 introduces fresh AI-powered features:
- On-device AI—foundation models available to third-party devs via system framework.
- Genmoji & Image Playground: Create or edit pictograms directly from Mac using prompts or photos.
- Writing Tools: Grammar rewrite, summarization, tone adjustments via Apple Intelligence.
- Live Translation & Calling Enhancements: On-device translation and AI-powered call handling in Phone app.
- Smart Siri: Improved context awareness, with ChatGPT/Gemini escalation for complex queries.
🎮 New Mac Games App
Following iOS and iPadOS, macOS 26 includes a Games app:
- Your central hub for games from Mac App Store and Apple Arcade.
- Features include game overlay, achievements, leaderboards, and social integrations.
- Designed to streamline cross-device gaming on Mac.
📱 Utilities & Continuity Enhancements
- Captive Wi‑Fi sync: Sign-in credentials sync across Apple devices.
- Vehicle Motion Cues: Reduce motion discomfort by syncing display movement to vehicle motion.
- iPhone as Magnifier: Use iPhone camera as a magnifier on Mac via Continuity.
♿ Accessibility & Productivity Boosts
- System-wide Reader mode: Clean clutter-free reading environment.
- Markdown support: Rich text editing in Notes and Mail.
- Live Captions: For calls and media playback.
- Braille Support: Full system and app compatibility.
💻 Compatibility & Release Schedule
Supported Macs: Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3 etc.) and Intel Macs with Coffee Lake/Cascade Lake Xeon—excluding pre‑2020 Intel Macs like 2018 MacBook Pro/Air or iMac Pro.
Timeline:
- June 9, 2025: Developer beta available.
- July 2025: Public beta via Apple Beta Software Program.
- Fall 2025 (likely September): Final public release, aligned with macOS 26 naming and new iPhone launch cycle.
✅ Summary of Key Features
| Category | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Design | Liquid Glass UI, customizable folders, transparent dock & menu bar |
| Phone | Phone app integration, call handling & translation on Mac |
| Spotlight | Natural-language search, deeper file & cloud indexing |
| AI | On-device Apple Intelligence, Genmoji, Image Playground, Writing Tools |
| Games | New Games app with overlay, leaderboards, social features |
| Utility | Captive Wi‑Fi sync, Vehicle Motion Cues, iPhone Magnifier |
| Accessibility | Reader mode, captions, markdown, braille support |
| Compatibility | Apple Silicon & newer Intel Macs (2020+), no 2017–2019 Intel Macs |
💡 Why imatios.com Readers Should Care
macOS 26 Tahoe delivers a sweeping transformation: a unified, visually stunning interface, powerful on-device AI tools, and an enriched app ecosystem. Whether you’re a creative professional, developer, casual gamer, or everyday user, Tahoe offers:
- An interface that blends elegance with practicality—Liquid Glass modernizes macOS for today’s eye and workflow.
- Native phone call support and translating features that deepen Continuity with iPhone.
- AI features that elevate productivity—automating writing, translating, visual searches, and more.
- Accessibility enhancements that make macOS more inclusive than ever.
🔊 Final Take
macOS 26 “Tahoe” is Apple’s most ambitious update since Big Sur—melding an ecosystem-wide design revolution with practical AI and cross-device integration. If you're already on a compatible machine, prepare to elevate your Mac experience this fall. And if you’re still using an older Intel Mac, now may be the time to consider an upgrade.
Stay tuned to imatios.com for:
- Early beta walkthroughs & feature deep dives
- Installer guides for the macOS Beta program
- Visual comparisons between Sequoia and Tahoe
- Tips on maximizing productivity with Apple Intelligence on Mac
