(Credit: Apple)
Apple is ending support for Intel-powered Macs with macOS Tahoe. To run macOS 27 and later, you'll need an Apple Silicon Mac.
"Apple Silicon enables us all to achieve things that were previously unimaginable, and it's time to put all of our focus and innovation there," Apple said toward the end of its Platforms State of the Union presentation. "And so, macOS Tahoe will be the final release for Intel Macs."
This shouldn't come as a surprise to Intel Mac users, as most of them may have already stopped receiving major updates. Even the latest macOS Tahoe is only supported on four Intel Macs: the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 2020 Intel 13-inch MacBook Pro, the 2020 iMac, and the 2019 Mac Pro.
If you own one of these Macs, you might be able to hold on to it for a while longer. As Ars Technica notes, assuming Apple sticks to its usual pattern, these Macs will continue receiving security updates until fall 2028. A switch to Apple Silicon is needed only if you want to try out features rolling out with macOS 27 and later.
Apple's transition to Apple Silicon began with M1-powered Macs in 2020 and was completed across the entire product lineup two years ago with the M2 Ultra Mac Pro. However, Apple continued selling the 2018 Intel Mac mini and 2019 Mac Pro until 2023. Those late Intel buyers are likely to be hit the hardest with the support cutoff announcement.
During its WWDC keynote, Apple showcased all the new features of macOS 26. Like Apple's other OS platforms, this one also gets a new Liquid Glass design, alongside a new Games app and enhancements to Spotlight search. Follow our guides to check out the latest on iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and watchOS 26.