Like iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe follows Apple’s new yearly naming scheme. It also adapts the new Liquid Glass design, using glassy UI elements and updated system icons.
But that’s not it. macOS 26 Tahoe includes a redesigned Control Centre, a revamped Spotlight, and, for the first time ever, brings the Phone app to the Mac.
“macOS is the heart and soul of the Mac, and with Tahoe, we’re building on what users love most. 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,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering.
macOS 26 and Apple’s new Liquid Glass design
Photo: Apple
Unification is Apple’s theme this year, and it includes macOS 26 as well. Like iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe features a revamped glassy interface. It’s not a complete redesign — you’ll still find all the buttons and options where they should be. But they now all feature a modern, glassy look.
The new Liquid Glass UI takes better advantage of the bigger displays on modern Macs. As part of this, macOS Tahoe makes the menu bar transparent for a more immersive look.
Apple says the “refined” dock, sidebars, and toolbars bring “greater focus to a user’s content.” For greater customization, macOS Tahoe will allow users to change folder colors or even use a symbol or emoji.
Phone app and Live Activities come to the Mac
For the first time, macOS Tahoe brings the iPhone’s revamped Phone app to the Mac, further deepening the integration between the two devices. This will allow you to access your recent calls, contacts and voicemails. Even new features like Call Screening and Hold Assist will be available on Macs running Tahoe.
Live Activities also come to the Mac. If your iPhone is nearby, Apple says any ongoing Live Activities will appear in your Mac’s menu bar. This way, you can check for any ongoing real-time activity, like your food delivery order. Clicking on a Live Activity will directly open the app in iPhone Mirroring.
Spotlight gets smarter and powerful
Screenshot: Apple
Spotlight has received a long-overdue refresh in macOS Tahoe. It can now display results from files, folders, events and apps in a single unified view. macOS Tahoe also makes it possible to filter Spotlight search results to help you quickly find what you want.
More importantly, it gains third-party cloud services integration. With quick actions, you can perform tasks directly from Spotlight. For example, you can compose and send an email or create a note without opening the respective app.
Third-party apps can hook into this Spotlight improvement using the App Intents API. It is also possible to run shortcuts or trigger an action from the menu bar of an app.
With quick keys, you can trigger a specific action in Spotlight. Like, typing “ar” can help directly create a reminder.
Apple Games, Live Translation and more
Photo: Apple
Other improvements coming to macOS 26 Tahoe include Live Translation, an improved Genmoji and Image Playground experience with ChatGPT integration, and Apple Intelligence integration in the Reminders app.
Like the iPhone and iPad, Macs are also gaining a new Apple Games app. It’s a dedicated app for gamers, providing them with access to their favorite games, leaderboards, and more. The new Game Overlay feature lets gamers tweak system settings or chat with friends without leaving their game.
macOS 26 Tahoe will release to the public “later this fall.” It’s compatible with M1 and newer Macs but drops support for several Intel-based Macs.
Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple’s products and ecosystem.
