Apple says macOS 26 Tahoe will be the last macOS release that supports Intel-based Macs, with macOS versions from 2026 only available for Apple Silicon models

During the Platforms State of the Union at WWDC, Apple just announced that macOS 26 Tahoe will be the last release of macOS that supports Intel.

9to5Mac 2025-06-10 Benjamin Mayo

Context & Ripple Effects

Apple has been narrowing the functional gap between its processor generations for years: several Monterey features were withheld from Intel Macs even while those machines remained supported. The cutoff turns that feature-level divergence into a platform-support boundary.

It also follows Apple’s earlier use of compatibility sunsets, including Mojave’s end of support for 32-bit apps. The significance is less a single release than the completion of Apple Silicon as the baseline Mac platform.

First-order effects

Owners of Intel-based Macs can use Tahoe, but future macOS releases beginning in 2026 will require Apple Silicon; they must plan around a fixed end to major OS-version upgrades.
Mac developers can focus future macOS compatibility and feature work on Apple Silicon, while maintaining Intel support only where their own customer base warrants it.

Second-order effects

Organizations with Intel Mac fleets face a clearer replacement and software-validation timetable, potentially shifting procurement toward Apple Silicon models before the OS cutoff takes effect.
Third-party developers and IT software vendors will have less reason to preserve Intel-specific testing paths as the supported macOS base becomes single-architecture.

Third-order effects

Apple’s hardware transition becomes an OS-policy transition: controlling the processor baseline lets it align future macOS capabilities more tightly with its own silicon roadmap.
If this pattern holds, Mac platform changes will increasingly arrive through staged feature exclusions followed by formal support sunsets, rather than broad long-term parity across older hardware.

The trend: The Mac is moving toward a vertically integrated, single-architecture platform in which software support policy accelerates the retirement of legacy hardware.

Discussion

@shonp40 Shon on x
@aaronp613 RIP Hackintosh
@weatheronthe8s Jackie on x
@ClassicII_MrMac Well, then that will be the end of OpenCore and Hackintosh as we know it as well as sad as that is.
@stevesi Steven Sinofsky on x
I thought 2 years but it ended up more like 5 years of releases plus long tail of support after Tahoe. The cost was low and the ecosystem moved. I haven't used an Intel binary in 3+ years except for the ones Apple itself still has floating around.
@matouecureuil @matouecureuil on x
@ClassicII_MrMac RIP iMac Pro 🥺💀
@thejoshmeister Josh Long on x
@ClassicII_MrMac Honestly, getting 20 years of annual macOS updates out of my 2007 iMac is pretty freakin' amazing! Thank you so much to @dosdude1, @khronokernel, and others who made this possible! 🫡
@classicii_mrmac Mr. Macintosh on x
Straight from Apple's #WWDC25 Platform State of the Union: macOS Tahoe is the FINAL supported release for Intel Macs. RIP macOS Intel Support 2006-2026 🪦💐 [image]
r/gadgets r on reddit
Apple will end support for Intel Macs next year, macOS 27 will require Apple Silicon
r/apple r on reddit
Apple details the end of Intel Mac support and a phaseout for Rosetta 2
r/hardware r on reddit
Apple will end support for Intel Macs next year; macOS 27 will require Apple Silicon
r/technology r on reddit
Apple details the end of Intel Mac support and a phaseout for Rosetta 2 | Rosetta app translation features for Intel apps won't stay around indefinitely.
r/macgaming r on reddit
Rosetta 2 Will Eventually Go Away
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
Have to say I am not a fan of macOS Tahoe removing Launchpad [image]
@parkerortolani Parker Ortolani on x
I'm honestly more excited about this than any of the other platforms. I never run macOS betas on my main Mac. But uh, this is tempting.
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
Next up is MacOS Tahoe (26) [image]
@dylanmcd8 Dylan on x
Why is Spotlight lowkey the Windows Start Menu now LOL
@snazzylabs Quinn Nelson on x
Spotlight adopting a bunch of Alfred/Raycast features was not on my WWDC bingo card. This looks absolutely fantastic.
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
Apple Music dosnt look like shit on macOS anymore! #WWDC25 [image]
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
Shortcuts and spotlight for big upgrades. Coming for RayCast Shortcuts also lets you access the Apple Intelligence on device model (~3B), Private Cloud Compute model (~32B), or ChatGPT [image]
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
Spotlight for Mac adding feature straight from Raycast wasn't on my bingo board, but I like it. You can take actions inside apps without leaving Spotlight, and access clipboard history [image]
@jeiting Jacob Eiting on x
i'm holding off updating for macOS Tenderloin
@zollotech Aaron Zollo on x
macOS 26 Tahoe New Design Transparent Menu Bar New Controls More Personalization of Folders Continuity Live Activities on Mac Phone App now on Mac Shortcuts Intelligent Actions Dedicated actions such as summarize text Use private cloud compute to help with shortcuts [image]
@stufflistings Mukul Sharma on x
macOS Tahoe Spotlight has your Clipboard history 😍 #WWDC2025 #WWDC25 #iOS26 #macOSTahoe [image]
@sondesix Alvin on x
macOS Tahoe is here! Again, with the new Liquid Glass Design Language. It looks awesome and extremely customisable. [image]
@jon4lakers Jon Rettinger on x
Phone app in MacOS Tahoe! [image]
@anoffsinger Adam Noffsinger on x
The increased and continuous corner rounding on windows in macOS Tahoe is 👌 [image]
@brandonbutch Brandon Butch on x
macOS 26 Tahoe looks sick! 🤩 #WWDC25 [image]
@brandonbutch Brandon Butch on x
Clipboard History on macOS 26 Tahoe! Finally! [image]
@snazzylabs Quinn Nelson on x
macOS Spotlight has been redesigned in macOS Tahoe 26 and all of a user's apps are now on view in Spotlight, including apps from iPhone, thanks to iPhone Mirroring. [video]
@theapplehub @theapplehub on x
macOS Tahoe looks stunning! 😍 #WWDC25 [image]
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
Someone seems to have remembered Spotlight this year for the first time in about a dozen. Very nice. You should be able to do almost everything from it. #WWDC25
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
New Spotlight for Mac is a game-changer for productivity. Pretty exciting.
@bffmike Mike Manzano on x
Ok Spotlight is a winner. It's like the command palette you find in VSCode, or other coding editors, but for your entire Mac. Love it!
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
This is a whole new macOS. [image]
@samsheffer Sam Sheffer on x
QUEUE THE OUTRAGE [image]
r/macapps r on reddit
The new spotlight features

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