At its WWDC occasion on 9 June 2025, Apple confirmed off the subsequent model of macOS that can be making its option 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 examine to macOS Sequoia that it replaces, and must you 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 are going to 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 complete suite to roll-out, however should you do have a Mac that sports activities an M-series processor, then you definately’ll be capable of make use of the brand new capabilities.
These embrace writing instruments that work throughout the system and let you have AI create emails, messages or different textual content, which you’ll then hone to the fashion you like. There’s additionally the Picture Playground, the place you possibly can immediately generate footage simply through the use of prompts.
Siri can also be meant to be getting mind upgrades by way of 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 along with your iPhone due to the iPhone Mirroring function. This allows you to function your iPhone immediately from the desktop in your Mac, by way of its Continuity capabilities. You possibly can 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 easy however very helpful function enables you to drag home windows to completely different areas of the display screen and have macOS robotically 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 may be overlaid in entrance of photographs 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 essential info on a webpage whenever 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 enable 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 checklist 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 referred to 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 screen. 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 may be controversial, so we’ll have to attend and see what Liquid Glass is wish to reside with day-to-day earlier than making a judgement. However first impressions are that it does look fairly cool.
YouTube / Apple
Customise Management Heart
As a part of the redesign, you even have extra choices Management Heart. Apple has elevated the widgets that may be dragged into your fast settings menu, which now embrace 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 of add symbols or emojis to the icon for that further contact of personalisation.
Continuity
The merging collectively of Mac and iPhone reveals no signal of abating, with further Continuity options coming to the desktop.
Reside Actions let you observe progress of apps in your iPhone – say you’re ready on your meals order from Uber Eats – with the main points being totally 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 of 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 permits Apple to convey over a number of the coolest new options from iOS 26, which embrace Maintain Help (the place AI will take over whenever you’re on maintain, then provide you with a warning when the decision is answered), Name Screening (AI will reply calls from unknown numbers, ask who is asking and what about, then offer you a abstract earlier than you determine whether or not to reply the decision or not), plus Reside Translation (the place AI will take heed 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 (perhaps whenever you save a file in a folder or join an exterior show) or they are often scheduled to run at sure occasions.
For M-series Macs there’s additionally the combination of Apple Intelligence, one thing it calls Intelligence Actions, so you possibly can generate textual content or photographs through the use of actions that you simply outline. Within the WWDC presentation, Apple confirmed off how a pupil might document a lecture, then have the transcription analysed by AI to see in the event that they’d missed something essential 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 may not be essentially the most thrilling app on the Mac, but it surely’s extremely helpful and Apple has supercharged it in macOS Tahoe.
Now, you’ll not solely be capable of seek for issues with extra accuracy, due to the addition of filters and clever solutions. However, extra impressively, you possibly can execute Actions immediately from the Highlight bar. Need 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 sort SM and Highlight would set itself as much as Ship Message.
Apple
You may as well discover instructions for apps you’re utilizing by trying to find 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 might 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 speak with pals or invite them to play.
Apple
Messages
As with the iPhone, Messages has a number of new options on the way in which, together with new background photographs for group chats, plus a helpful screening capabilities that may filter messages from unknown or suspicious contacts in order that they don’t muddle up your foremost feed.
Reside Translations
Once more, following on from its introduction in iOS 26, the Mac will quickly have the flexibility to create reside translations throughout a variety of apps. For those who’re sending messages to pals or contacts in one other a part of the world, Apple Intelligence will now be capable of translate them into the recipients’ language, then repeat the feat once they reply.
Apple
It’s an identical function on voicecalls, though this time an audible translation will comply with your phrases, plus there’s reside captioning coming to FaceTime the place macOS will subtitle international 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 12 months. Keep in mind although, that the Apple Intelligence options will solely be accessible 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 possibly can see, Apple is admittedly 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 might be huge if it really works in addition to its described.
Must you improve to macOS Tahoe?
You probably have gadgets that assist Apple Intelligence, then macOS Tahoe seems like a powerful improve to the model it replaces. There’s some intriguing new capabilities that look genuinely helpful and will actually enhance productiveness on the Mac. Plus, in fact, there’s the brand new design, which is all the time enjoyable.
In case your Mac isn’t powered by an M-series processor although, it’s most likely not going so as to add way more to your life, and we’re undecided but how a lot system sources can be demanded by the shading and coloring of Liquid Glass. In all probability finest to carry in that case. You may additionally wish to begin excited about a Mac replace as a result of Intel assist will finish with the late 2026 iteration of macOS.
