macOS 26 Tahoe: The Mac gets a makeover, and says goodbye to Intel 💎

Cliquez ici pour lire en français

Before diving in, let’s talk about what’s new across the Apple ecosystem. macOS 26 Tahoe shares a host of upgrades with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26—think deeper Apple Intelligence integration, revamped notifications, and tighter privacy controls. For a deep dive, check out our dedicated iOS 26 feature.

Liquid Glass: When the Mac channels Vista vibes 💎

The first thing you’ll notice: macOS 26 Tahoe introduces Liquid Glass, a transparent, layered interface that gives off major Windows Vista nostalgia—but with a 2025 Apple twist. The Dock, sidebars, and toolbars are sleeker, the menu bar is now see-through, and app icons can shift hue or go translucent.

© Apple

The result? A Mac that feels fresher, more personal, but still unmistakably familiar.

© Apple

© Apple

Spotlight: Apple’s answer to Raycast ? 🔍

Spotlight just got its biggest glow-up ever. It’s no longer just a file searcher—it now surfaces everything, ranks results by relevance, and lets you take action (send emails, create notes, launch podcasts) right from the search bar. Advanced filters and cloud search (Google Drive, OneDrive) bring it closer to Raycast, making it a real productivity powerhouse. And finally, native clipboard history is here—no more third-party apps needed to find what you copied an hour ago.

The Phone app lands on Mac 📞

Here’s a crowd-pleaser: the Phone app is finally on macOS. Take and make calls straight from your Mac, manage recents, favorites, and voicemails, all in an interface that mirrors iOS 26. No more scrambling for your iPhone during a Zoom call—everything’s just a click away, and device continuity has never felt smoother.

© Apple

Apple Intelligence: Cupertino’s take on AI 🤖

Apple Intelligence comes to Mac, and it’s more than just a buzzword. Think live translation in Messages and FaceTime, automatic captions, text summaries, and custom image generation. AI now powers Shortcuts and suggests smart actions, making the Mac more accessible and productive. Heads up: some advanced features are exclusive to Apple Silicon Macs.

© Apple

New name, new era: unified version numbers 🔄

No more confusing version names—macOS 26 now lines up with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, with a simple, year-based numbering system. It might seem minor, but it reinforces Apple’s push for a seamless, unified experience across all its devices.

Release date, compatibility—and a farewell to Intel 🕰️

macOS 26 Tahoe drops for free this fall, but only for newer Macs :

• MacBook Air et Pro (2020 et après), MacBook Pro 16 pouces (2019),
• iMac (2020+),
• Mac mini (2020+),
• Mac Studio (2022+),
• Mac Pro (2019+).

And here’s the big news: macOS 26 is the last update for Intel-based Macs. From 2026 onward, only Apple Silicon machines will get new features, though Intel Macs will still receive security patches for a while.

A Mac built for the future, with a nod to its legacy

macOS 26 Tahoe is Apple’s boldest Mac refresh in years. With a striking new look, smarter productivity tools, built-in AI, and tighter device integration, the Mac feels both renewed and familiar. It’s a fitting send-off for Intel Macs—and the start of a new era for Apple’s ecosystem.

What do you think of the new Liquid Glass design? Will the revamped Spotlight or Phone app change how you use your Mac? Let’s talk—drop your thoughts in the comments !