Along with a host of other news and developments, Apple has officially announced macOS 26 Tahoe during WWDC 2025. For this release, the big features for macOS 26 include an all-new redesign, new Spotlight Search, an overhaul for gaming, developer access to Apple Intelligence, and more.
Here’s a breakdown of the most notable features.
Brand-New Redesign and Apps
The new visual design will be based on the Liquid Glass UI found across the Apple ecosystem. This includes new dock icons, as well as a redesigned Control Center, among other newly redesigned elements. The new redesign allows for more personalization with new light and dark tints and appearances. A new Clear look is also available, and you will now be able to change the color of folders and add symbols or emojis to their names.
Check the macOS Tahoe compatibility list here.
The new Phone app marks the first time it’s available on Mac, allowing users to make phone calls and access contacts and voicemails for the first time. This is thanks to the Continuity feature that integrates with your iPhone. The new Phone app will feature Call Screening and Hold assist, giving you more breathing room from robocalls.
Live Activities from your iPhone are also coming to macOS Tahoe, helping you stay current. Any Live Activities from your iPhone will now display within the menu bar on your Mac. Clicking them will open iPhone Mirroring and you will be able to take control directly on your Mac.
New Spotlight Search, Games App, and Metal 4
Spotlight Search is receiving new features and elements in macOS 26. You can now view results from apps, events, files, and folders within a unified view which is ranked via AI to show what is most relevant for you. You will also get results from third-party cloud drives. A new browse view will also make it easy for you to scan through documents and files. Apple has also updated Spotlight to include a wealth of actions you can personalize without the need for jumping between apps.
The new Apple Games app allows you to check in on your friends and serves as an epicenter for all the games you play. A new Game Overlay allows you to adjust certain game settings, have a chat with friends, or invite them to a game without having to leave the one you’re playing. Additionally, macOS will also allow gamers to take advantage of Low Power Mode so that those running a MacBook can extend their playtime.
Additionally, Apple has announced Metal 4, which promises to deliver more advanced rendering and graphics to games. Elements like MetalFX Frame Interpolation and Metal FX Denoising provide faster frame rates and even smoother visuals.
Improvements to Apple Intelligence in macOS 26 Tahoe
The new macOS will also have improvements to Apple Intelligence, including Genmoji and Image Playground. FaceTime and Messages will now feature live language translation.
You will now have more options when creating shortcuts thanks to Apple Intelligence, such as when using Writing Tools or Image Playground. This also includes access to ChatGPT.
For Genmoji and Image Playground, macOS Tahoe will be able to modify certain attributes of existing emojis, such as hair length. This extends to Image Playground as well, which will also include new styles thanks to ChatGPT.
Lastly, for Apple Intelligence, Reminders promises to increase productivity by allowing you to review content on your Mac such as websites or notes to find the information most useful to you. You will have the option to categorize Reminders as well.
New App Updates
Other additional features for macOS Tahoe include an update to Safari, which takes advantage of the new Liquid Glass UI. Tabs will float within the toolbar, and a new sidebar will help you find saved content. Fingerprint protection is now available in Safari browsing by default.
The Photos app will also take advantage of the new Liquid Glass, and Pinned Collections are also arriving on Mac. New sorting options and customizations will be available as well. The new Liquid Glass is also arriving on FaceTime, which will include a new landing page featuring Contact Posters of those you recently called.
The Messages app now has an option for custom Backgrounds alongside the ability to create polls within a group chat. Group chats will also feature typing indicators to see who is about to send a message. You will also be able to navigate conversations more easily thanks to the redesigning of the details view.
Along with the Phone app arriving from iPhone, Tahoe will also bring access to the Journal app. An update to the Notes app allows you to import or export notes into a markdown file, and there will be shortcuts for taking notes from the Phone app.
Finally, the Passwords app is receiving an update that will help you track changes made to your accounts, including checking previous versions of passwords.
Accessibility Features and Release Date for macOS 26 Tahoe
New Accessibility features for Tahoe include the Magnifier on Mac, which allows those with low vision to zoom in through their Continuity Camera either on iPhone or via an attached USB camera. You can also change perspectives when viewing a presentation or book, and apply image filters to make certain items easier to read or see. Additional Accessibility features also include Accessibility Reader, Braille Access, and Vehicle Motion Cues.
The developer beta for macOS Tahoe is currently available to compatible devices, and the public beta will be available in July. You should expect to see a public release of macOS Tahoe sometime in fall 2025. Make sure you check out what’s new on iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 too!