macOS Tahoe 26: The Mac Just Got Smarter, Prettier — And More Like Your iPhone

WWDC25: Apple has officially pulled the curtain back on macOS Tahoe 26, its next-generation operating system for Mac, promising a dramatic design overhaul and deep intelligence upgrades. Billed as the most significant leap in productivity, personalisation, and performance yet, the update brings a range of enhancements — from a reimagined Spotlight and advanced Continuity features to expanded Apple Intelligence tools.

A New Look That Feels Familiar

With macOS Tahoe, Apple has introduced a sweeping visual refresh — but not at the cost of familiarity. Built around a new translucent “Liquid Glass” aesthetic, the updated interface touches nearly every corner of the OS, including the Dock, toolbars, menu bar, and app icons. The changes aim to keep macOS recognisable while feeling more expressive and adaptive.

Users can now personalise their desktops with colour-tinted icons, custom folder symbols, and thematic wallpapers that align with light or dark mode preferences. The Control Center has been redesigned to give users more control over layout and function, reinforcing Apple’s push for both beauty and utility.

“macOS is the heart and soul of the Mac, and with Tahoe, we’re building on what users love most,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “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.”

Phone Calls, Live Activities, and Real-Time Sync

One of Tahoe’s biggest talking points is the enhanced Continuity experience. The arrival of the Phone app on Mac brings native support for features like Recents, Favourites, and Voicemails — all synced seamlessly from your iPhone. Additions like Call Screening and Hold Assist make phone calls more manageable from your desktop.

Call Screening will automatically answer calls from unknown numbers and ask for more information, allowing users to decide whether to pick up. Hold Assist keeps your place in a call queue, giving you the freedom to multitask on your Mac.

Meanwhile, Live Activities from iPhone — such as Uber rides, flight updates, or live sports scores — now appear in your Mac’s menu bar. Clicking on one launches iPhone Mirroring, letting users interact with apps in real-time without needing to pick up their phone.

Spotlight Reimagined for Supercharged Productivity

The humble Spotlight gets its biggest upgrade to date. Beyond searching files and apps, users can now perform hundreds of actions directly — from sending an email to creating a note or playing a podcast. The search tool is also smarter at ranking results by relevance and now includes new filters, better third-party app support, and even access to iPhone apps via Mirroring.

The update also brings in quick keys — short commands that get users directly to their desired action — and introduces more intelligent, personalised suggestions based on usage patterns.

Apple Intelligence Grows More Capable

Building on last year’s push into on-device AI, Apple Intelligence takes a major leap forward in Tahoe. Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone calls lets users communicate across languages with real-time text and voice translations — all processed on-device for privacy.

Shortcuts have also evolved. Now, users can automate complex tasks using Apple’s models or even ChatGPT, which integrates for broader, general-purpose knowledge. Tasks such as comparing class notes with audio transcriptions or summarising text are now possible with just a few taps.

Users can also create Genmoji with more control over attributes and expressions, while Image Playground gains new artistic styles and the ability to generate images based on custom prompts.

Gaming, Safari, and More

macOS Tahoe brings Apple’s new dedicated Apple Games app, giving gamers a one-stop hub for all their titles, with Game Overlay for multitasking without leaving the action. Titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Cyberpunk 2077, and Crimson Desert are heading to Mac with full support for Metal 4 enhancements.

Safari now features a rounded tab design and faster performance, claimed to be 50% quicker than Chrome for frequently visited sites. Messages gains new features like typing indicators in group chats, Backgrounds, and Polls. The Journal app makes its Mac debut, while Photos, Notes, FaceTime, and Accessibility settings all receive meaningful upgrades.

Availability

macOS Tahoe 26 is currently available to developers, with a public beta set for release next month. A full rollout is expected this fall as a free software update. Features requiring Apple Intelligence will need devices with M1 chips or newer and language settings aligned to supported locales.

With macOS Tahoe 26, Apple is clearly betting big on personalisation, intelligence, and cross-device synergy — all while preserving the iconic experience Mac users know and love.