Apple has officially announced that Intel-based Mac computers will not receive macOS 27, marking the end of software support for the company’s pre-Apple Silicon machines. The announcement came during Apple’s Platforms State of the Union event at WWDC 2025, where the company revealed that macOS 26 Tahoe will be the final major operating system update for Intel Macs.
The Final Chapter for Intel Macs
During its developer conference, Apple made it clear that the transition to Apple Silicon is now complete, with all future innovation and development resources being focused exclusively on machines powered by Apple’s custom chips. This decision affects several Intel Mac models that are currently supported by macOS Tahoe, including the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 2020 Intel 13-inch MacBook Pro, 2020 iMac, and the 2019 Mac Pro.
The writing has been on the wall for some time, as Apple had already begun phasing out support for certain Intel models. macOS Tahoe notably dropped compatibility with Intel MacBook Air and Mac mini models, signaling the company’s gradual move away from Intel-based hardware.
Security Updates Will Continue
While Intel Mac users won’t receive new features or major system updates after macOS 26 Tahoe, Apple has committed to providing critical security updates for these machines for approximately three more years. This approach follows Apple’s typical support pattern, ensuring that older hardware remains secure even after losing access to new features and functionality.
The security update timeline means that Intel Mac owners can continue using their devices safely until around 2028, though they’ll miss out on new features, design improvements, and performance enhancements that come with future macOS releases.
Apple Silicon Takes Center Stage
The decision to end Intel Mac support reflects Apple’s complete commitment to its Apple Silicon ecosystem, which began with the M1 chip launch in 2020. The transition represented a fundamental shift in Apple’s hardware strategy, moving away from Intel processors to custom-designed chips that offer better performance, improved battery life, and tighter integration between hardware and software.
Going forward, the minimum hardware requirement for future macOS versions will be Apple Silicon machines from 2020 onwards, starting with the original M1 models. This includes the M1 MacBook Air, M1 MacBook Pro, M1 iMac, and M1 Mac mini, with subsequent generations like the M1 Pro, M1 Max, M2, M3, and M4 series also supported.
What This Means for Users
For current Intel Mac owners, this announcement provides valuable advance notice to plan their upgrade path. Rather than surprising users with sudden compatibility drops, Apple’s early warning allows people to make informed decisions about when to transition to Apple Silicon hardware.
The 2019 Mac Pro, being Apple’s most expensive and professional-focused Intel machine, represents perhaps the most significant casualty of this transition. Many professional users invested heavily in these systems, expecting longer software support lifecycles typical of Apple’s pro hardware.
M-Silicon Future:
Apple’s decision aligns with broader industry trends toward custom silicon and reflects the company’s strategy of maintaining tight control over both hardware and software development. The move also enables Apple to optimize future macOS releases specifically for Apple Silicon capabilities, potentially unlocking performance and feature improvements that wouldn’t be possible while maintaining Intel compatibility.
The three-year security update commitment demonstrates Apple’s balance between pushing users toward newer hardware and maintaining responsibility for existing customers’ security needs. This timeline is consistent with Apple’s historical support patterns for discontinued hardware platforms.
For users still running Intel Macs, the message is clear: macOS 26 Tahoe represents the final major update for these machines, making it an important milestone for anyone planning their future Mac purchases or considering whether to upgrade their current Intel-based systems.
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