MacOS Golden Gate
2026 operating system version
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
macOS Golden Gate (version 27) is the twenty-third major release of Apple's macOS operating system. The successor to macOS Tahoe, it was announced on June 8, 2026 at WWDC 2026[2][3][4] and will be the first version of macOS to run exclusively on Macs with Apple silicon and the last version with full Rosetta 2 functionality.[5]
| macOS Golden Gate | |
|---|---|
| Version of the macOS operating system | |
| Developer | Apple |
| OS family | |
| Working state | in beta |
| Source model | Closed, with open source components |
| Initial release | September 2026 |
| Latest preview | 27.0 beta[1] (June 8, 2026) [±] |
| Update method | Software Update |
| Supported platforms | ARM64 (Apple silicon) |
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| License | Proprietary software with open-source components and content licensed with APSL |
| Preceded by | macOS Tahoe |
| Official website | www |
| Tagline | “Truly helpful. Truly yours.” |
| Support status | |
| Drops support for all Macs with an Intel CPU, including the Mac Pro (2019), the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019), the MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, four Thunderbolt 3 ports), and the iMac (2020). | |
| Articles in the series | |
| iOS 27 iPadOS 27 watchOS 27 tvOS 27 visionOS 27 | |
It will be the first macOS to drop support for Intel-based Macs.[6] It is named after the Golden Gate, a strait between the Presidio of San Francisco and the Marin Headlands, which connects the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
Development
The development of the then-unnamed macOS 27 was confirmed by Apple at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 during its Platforms State of the Union event when it outlined the conclusion of the Mac transition to Apple silicon. Apple stated that macOS 27 would drop support for all remaining Intel Macs and run exclusively on Macs with Apple silicon, and would also be the last version with full Rosetta 2 functionality.[7]
macOS Golden Gate was formally announced at WWDC on June 8, 2026. The first developer beta was released the same day.[8]
Features
Apple said that macOS 27 Golden Gate focuses on user feedback for the last release, fixing and refining features.
System features
User interface
Many aspects of the Liquid Glass design language have been regressed, changed and refined to user expectations.
Desktop, Lock Screen & Control Center
Other new features
- Window border radiuses are now the same with each app, reverting a controversial change In macOS Tahoe.
- The mouse cursor has been redesigned, with it resembling a glove like pre-Tahoe but is more rounded
- There is a Liquid Glass slider in the System Settings app to adjust the transparency.
- The pull to refresh feature seen in apps such as Safari is now introduced to the Mac, to be more consistent with iOS and iPadOS.
Removed features
- Golden Gate no longer uses a separate default wallpaper and now uses the same as iOS and iPadOS. macOS versions now also use the same logo and slogan as the aforementioned.
- Golden Gate drops support for Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) and Time Machine backups to AirPort Time Capsule routers no longer function. AFP was a core Macintosh technology dating all the way back to System 6.[9]
Supported hardware
macOS Golden Gate runs on all Macs with an Apple M1 or A18 Pro chip or later, which includes:[10]
- MacBook Air (M1, 2020) or later
- MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 2026)
- MacBook Pro (M1, 2020) or later
- Mac mini (M1, 2020) or later
- iMac (M1, 2021) or later
- Mac Studio (M1 Max/Ultra, 2022) or later
- Mac Pro (M2 Ultra, 2023)
The final Intel Macs released between 2019-2020 were dropped, but Intel-based applications will still be able to be used with Rosetta 2 patches. However, it will be the final version of macOS to have full Rosetta 2 support.[11]