Apple’s WWDC 2025 unveiled more than just iOS and iPadOS 26; it also brought us the new macOS Tahoe 26, replacing macOS Sequoia. The update, designed for Macs with M-series chips, will be available in beta this month, with a stable release in the fall. 
Let’s dive into the exciting new features that macOS Tahoe has in store.
First up, the interface is getting a major refresh, continuing Apple’s push for a more unified design across its platforms. Expect a sleeker look in macOS 26 with new glass-like UI elements, such as a fully transparent menu bar. The overall goal is to maximize screen real estate while still offering customization options. You can now rearrange menu items and control center widgets, making it easier to personalize your Mac.
The app icons are now more dynamic, changing colors to fit light and dark modes, and even allowing you to modify folder colors or add symbols and emojis for added flair. Combined with custom wallpapers and theme colors, macOS Tahoe gives you plenty of ways to make your Mac feel uniquely yours.
One of the standout new features is the Phone app for Mac. With Continuity, you can now answer and make calls directly from your Mac without reaching for your iPhone. The app mirrors the iPhone experience, with Recents, Favorites, and Voicemails. New features like Call Screening and Hold Assist further enhance its usefulness. Call Screening helps you decide whether to pick up unknown calls, while Hold Assist ensures you stay in the queue without losing focus on your Mac.
macOS Tahoe also brings real-time updates directly to your menu bar with Live Activities. Whether it’s tracking your Uber ride, a flight status, or the latest game score, you’ll see the updates at a glance without opening an app. Spotlight, always a key feature of macOS, is getting smarter too. Now it ranks search results based on your needs, filtering faster by file type or cloud services, and offers a browse view to help you discover what you need even if you’re not sure what you’re looking for.
Other quality-of-life updates include a refreshed Safari with rounded tabs and a cleaner sidebar. Messages now offers backgrounds and polls to liven up chats, while the Journal app finally makes its debut on Mac, allowing you to document memories and thoughts with ease. The Photos app has a fresh new look and now offers better organization and filtering options. FaceTime gets a new landing page with Contact Posters and more intuitive controls. Notes adds markdown support and even allows transcription of phone calls directly into notes.
For users needing accessibility features, macOS Tahoe adds Magnifier for zooming in on surroundings using Continuity Camera or USB cameras. Other improvements include a new Accessibility Reader mode, Braille Access updates, and Vehicle Motion Cues to reduce motion sickness when using your Mac in a moving vehicle. Finally, Passwords gets a handy update, letting you review older versions of your passwords to monitor changes and improve security.