At its WWDC occasion on 9 June 2025, Apple confirmed off the subsequent model of macOS that can be making its solution to desktops close to you later in 2025. macOS Tahoe comes with some spectacular new options, with productiveness and personalisation on the coronary heart of the improve. So, how does it evaluate to macOS Sequoia that it replaces, and do you have to rush to make the transition?
Options in macOS Sequoia
Earlier than we dig into the shiny new toys Apple is bringing with macOS Tahoe, we’ll rapidly recap on what was launched with macOS Sequoia. Listed here are the highlights:
Apple Intelligence
One of many actual tent-pole options of macOS Sequoia was the arrival of Apple Intelligence. In fact, it’s a taken some time for the total suite to roll-out, however for those who do have a Mac that sports activities an M-series processor, you then’ll be capable to make use of the brand new capabilities.
These embody writing instruments that work throughout the system and can help you have AI create emails, messages or different textual content, which you’ll then hone to the type you like. There’s additionally the Picture Playground, the place you’ll be able to immediately generate photos simply through the use of prompts.
Siri can also be meant to be getting mind upgrades through AI, however that has been delayed as Apple works on Siri 2.0.
Apple
iPhone Mirroring
For Macs with Apple Silicon (M-series processors), macOS Sequoia opened up communication together with your iPhone due to the iPhone Mirroring function. This allows you to function your iPhone immediately from the desktop in your Mac, through its Continuity capabilities. You may open and use apps, entry notifications, and even switch recordsdata between the 2 gadgets with out having to make use of your iPhone.
Home windows Tiling
This straightforward however very helpful function allows you to drag home windows to completely different areas of the display and have macOS mechanically resize home windows in order that they take up 1 / 4, half or all the show.
Video Convention Results
New modes in videoconferencing apps (not simply FaceTime) the place you could be overlaid in entrance of photos of paperwork in Presenter mode, a brand new background blur, plus response animations from others on the decision.
Safari updates
Apple gave Safari a little bit of polish in macOS Sequoia, including AI generated summaries of web-articles, a devoted video-viewer for content material on websites, plus the Highlights function that pulls up essentially the most related and vital data on a webpage once you first arrive.
Passwords app
Apple took on the Password Supervisor house with the introduction of its personal Passwords app that may deal with your entire account particulars, passkeys, codes, WiFi log-ins and syncs securely throughout your entire Apple gadgets.
Messages
macOS Sequoia launched formatting to Messages, reactions with stickers, plus the flexibility to schedule replies.
Notes
Apple well-liked Notes app can permit highlighting, collapsible sections, perceive maths notation, plus Apple Silicon Macs can profit from audio recordings with full textual content transcriptions.
The brand new options coming in macOS Tahoe
Whereas all the above is a fairly spectacular record of upgrades to how the Mac works, Apple hasn’t rested on its laurels, as there are many cool issues to look ahead to when macOS Tahoe arrives. Right here’s the decide of the bunch:
A brand new design
Apple has determined that every one of its working methods want a facelift in 2025, and is deploying a redesign known as Liquid Glass. This replaces the boxy menus and fields with ones which can be translucent and mix into the general aesthetic of what’s in your display. The background colours subtly move beneath the panels you open and the pop-up fields and dock have a softer model of these hues beneath. Redesigns could be controversial, so we’ll have to attend and see what Liquid Glass is prefer to dwell with day-to-day earlier than making a judgement. However first impressions are that it does look fairly cool.
YouTube / Apple
Customise Management Middle
As a part of the redesign, you even have extra choices Management Middle. Apple has elevated the widgets that may be dragged into your fast settings menu, which now embody ones from third-party apps like Zoom and iPhone apps.
YouTube / Apple
Personalisation
As a part of the continued pattern we’ve seen in earlier macOS launched, Tahoe will now allow you to personalise your Mac by altering the colours of particular person folders. You’ll additionally be capable to add symbols or emojis to the icon for that additional contact of personalisation.
Continuity
The merging collectively of Mac and iPhone exhibits no signal of abating, with extra Continuity options coming to the desktop.
Dwell Actions can help you observe progress of apps in your iPhone – say you’re ready in your meals order from Uber Eats – with the small print being absolutely interactive and displayed in your Mac.
Apple
Telephone app
Sure, you learn that proper. The Telephone app is coming to the Mac. Utilising the iPhone Mirroring function launched in macOS Sequoia, you’ll now be capable to make and obtain calls in your Mac, plus entry all of your Recents, Contacts, and Voicemails, as they’re synced out of your iPhone.
This enables Apple to carry over a number of the coolest new options from iOS 26, which embody Maintain Help (the place AI will take over once you’re on maintain, then warn you when the decision is answered), Name Screening (AI will reply calls from unknown numbers, ask who is asking and what about, then provide you with a abstract earlier than you resolve whether or not to reply the decision or not), plus Dwell Translation (the place AI will hearken to your phrases, then generate an audio translation within the language of your recipient – then vice versa).
Apple
Shortcuts
The Shortcuts is getting some consideration in macOS Tahoe, with you now with the ability to automate issues by setting triggers for when shortcuts run (possibly once you save a file in a folder or join an exterior show) or they are often scheduled to run at sure instances.
For M-series Macs there’s additionally the combination of Apple Intelligence, one thing it calls Intelligence Actions, so you’ll be able to generate textual content or photos through the use of actions that you simply outline. Within the WWDC presentation, Apple confirmed off how a pupil may file a lecture, then have the transcription analysed by AI to see in the event that they’d missed something vital within the accompanying notes they’d made within the Notes app. Something AI noticed would then be added to the textual content.
Apple
Supercharged Highlight
It’s true that Highlight won’t be essentially the most thrilling app on the Mac, nevertheless it’s extremely helpful and Apple has supercharged it in macOS Tahoe.
Now, you’ll not solely be capable to seek for issues with extra accuracy, due to the addition of filters and clever recommendations. However, extra impressively, you’ll be able to execute Actions immediately from the Highlight bar. Wish to ship a message to somebody, you are able to do so straight from Highlight with out the necessity to open Messages. There’s additionally new Fast Key instructions that mix a few letters to let Highlight know what you wish to do. So, for that message, you’d merely kind SM and Highlight would set itself as much as Ship Message.
Apple
You may as well discover instructions for apps you’re utilizing by looking for it in Highlight, then choose it and the motion can be utilized again within the app. If this works in addition to it did within the presentation, then it may very well be a productiveness game-changer.
Video games App
Speaking of video games, there’s additionally a brand new devoted Video games app coming in Tahoe, with fast entry to your library, in addition to helpful in-game setttings, in addition to the flexibility to talk with buddies or invite them to play.
Apple
Messages
As with the iPhone, Messages has just a few new options on the best way, together with new background photos for group chats, plus a useful screening capabilities that may filter messages from unknown or suspicious contacts in order that they don’t litter up your important feed.
Dwell Translations
Once more, following on from its introduction in iOS 26, the Mac will quickly have the flexibility to create dwell translations throughout a spread of apps. Should you’re sending messages to buddies or contacts in one other a part of the world, Apple Intelligence will now be capable to translate them into the recipients’ language, then repeat the feat after they reply.
Apple
It’s an analogous function on voicecalls, though this time an audible translation will observe your phrases, plus there’s dwell captioning coming to FaceTime the place macOS will subtitle overseas lanuages into your native tongue – all in real-time.
Which Macs will get macOS Tahoe?
Apple has confirmed that the next Macs can be supported on macOS Tahoe when it releases later this yr. Keep in mind although, that the Apple Intelligence options will solely be obtainable for Macs with Apple Silicon (M-series of processors):
- MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Professional with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Professional (16‑inch, 2019)
- MacBook Professional (13‑inch, 2020, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- iMac (2020 and later)
- Mac mini (2020 and later)
- Mac Studio (2022 and later)
- Mac Professional (2019 and later)
What’s the distinction between macOS Tahoe and macOS Sequoia?
As you’ll be able to see, Apple is actually digging into the Apple Intelligence aspect of issues within the subsequent model of macOS, with iPhone compatibility front-and-center. Though macOS Sequoia was the horse that AI rode in on, it does look as if the primary helpful options can be present in its successor, with the beefed up Highlight being essentially the most intriguing new addition, and one which may very well be large if it really works in addition to its described.
Do you have to improve to macOS Tahoe?
In case you have gadgets that assist Apple Intelligence, then macOS Tahoe seems like a robust improve to the model it replaces. There’s some intriguing new capabilities that look genuinely helpful and will actually improve productiveness on the Mac. Plus, in fact, there’s the brand new design, which is at all times enjoyable.
In case your Mac isn’t powered by an M-series processor although, it’s in all probability not going so as to add rather more to your life, and we’re undecided but how a lot system assets can be demanded by the shading and coloring of Liquid Glass. In all probability greatest to carry in that case. You may additionally wish to begin fascinated by a Mac replace as a result of Intel assist will finish with the late 2026 iteration of macOS.
