Apple Unveils MacOS Tahoe 26 with Liquid Glass Design and New Features

At WWDC 2025, Apple unveiled MacOS Tahoe 26, the next evolution of its Mac operating system, set to launch this fall. This update brings a fresh aesthetic with the new Liquid Glass design, innovative Continuity features, an AI-enhanced Spotlight search, live translation capabilities, and a dedicated Games app, signaling a significant leap in user experience and functionality.

Liquid Glass Design Transforms Mac Interface

The Liquid Glass design introduces a visually striking, glassy, and reflective look to the Dock, sidebars, and toolbars. The menu bar, traditionally a fixed element, becomes fully transparent, blending seamlessly with the desktop background. This subtle yet impactful change enhances focus on content while maintaining functionality. Users can now customize folder colors beyond the classic light blue and even add icons or emojis, offering a more personalized desktop environment.

Enhanced Continuity Bridges Mac and iPhone

MacOS Tahoe 26 introduces two key Continuity features that deepen integration between Mac and iPhone. The Phone app now runs natively on Mac, allowing users to make calls, access voicemails, and manage contacts without reaching for their iPhone. It supports new Call Screening and Hold Assist features, enhancing call management. Additionally, Live Activities appear in the menu bar, providing real-time updates on flights, deliveries, or sports scores, with interactive notifications that mirror iPhone actions.

Spotlight Gets Smarter with AI and Quick Actions

Spotlight search is revamped with AI to rank results by relevance, speeding up file discovery. Users can filter results to refine searches effectively. More impressively, Spotlight now supports running Shortcuts and recognizes quick key inputs to trigger actions directly, such as sending messages or adding reminders, streamlining workflows without opening separate apps.

Live Translation and the New Games App

Apple Intelligence introduces live translation for text, phone, and FaceTime conversations, catching up with competitors like Microsoft’s Copilot Plus. This feature enhances communication across languages seamlessly. Meanwhile, the Games app serves as a dedicated hub for mobile games, featuring a Library view, cooperative play sections, and an in-game overlay for settings and chat, enriching the gaming experience on Mac.

Compatibility and Availability

MacOS Tahoe 26 is currently in developer beta, with a public beta planned for July and a free final release this fall. The update primarily supports Macs with Apple silicon processors, including MacBook Air and Pro models from 2020 onward, iMacs, Mac minis, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro models from recent years, ensuring optimized performance on modern hardware.

With MacOS Tahoe 26, Apple continues to refine the Mac experience, blending elegant design with powerful new features that enhance productivity, communication, and entertainment. This release sets a new standard for seamless integration across Apple devices and smarter, more intuitive interactions.