Cupertino, California — June 10, 2025:
Apple has officially announced that macOS Tahoe will be the last operating system to support Intel-based Mac computers, marking the end of an era for the company’s 15-year reliance on Intel processors. The announcement was made at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, where Apple unveiled a series of new software updates and outlined its long-term roadmap for macOS.
macOS Tahoe, set to release later this year, will introduce a range of new features and performance enhancements, but Apple confirmed that it will be the final macOS version compatible with Intel Macs. Beginning in 2026, all future macOS releases will be developed exclusively for Apple Silicon, the company’s in-house chip architecture.
Apple began its transition away from Intel in 2020 with the launch of the M1 chip, and has since expanded its Apple Silicon lineup with the M2, M3, and the newly introduced M4 chips. This shift enables Apple to optimize both software and hardware within a unified ecosystem, improving efficiency, performance, and battery life across its devices.
“This is a natural next step in our journey with Apple Silicon,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering. “macOS Tahoe will deliver the best possible experience for all users, and it will also serve as the closing chapter for Intel-based Mac support.”
While macOS Tahoe will continue to support several older Mac models using Intel chips—including some iMacs, MacBooks, and Mac Minis from 2017 onward—these devices will no longer receive major OS upgrades beyond 2025. However, Apple has promised to provide security and maintenance updates for Intel Macs running macOS Tahoe for “at least two more years.”
The announcement has significant implications for Mac developers, who are being urged to transition fully to Apple Silicon-native applications. Apple’s existing tools, including Rosetta 2, have helped bridge the gap, but the company confirmed that universal application development will be a requirement moving forward.
For users, the transition signals a potential need to upgrade hardware in the near future if they wish to access future macOS features, performance improvements, and long-term support.
macOS Tahoe is expected to bring features such as AI-enhanced search, iCloud integration, and seamless continuity across devices running iOS and macOS. However, some of the most advanced capabilities will only be available on Apple Silicon Macs, as they rely on dedicated components like the Neural Engine.
The phase-out of Intel Mac support concludes a major chapter in Apple’s hardware history, which began when the company switched to Intel chips in 2006. With Apple Silicon now firmly established as the foundation of the Mac ecosystem, Apple is set to further streamline software development and enhance user experiences across its product line.
