macOS

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Mac Compatibility

Complete Mac compatibility guide. Check which Mac models support the latest macOS version. MacOS Tahoe 26 compatibility for iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, Mac Studio, all MacBooks including MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

Before you upgrade macOS, check if the latest macOS operating system is compatible with your Mac.

Here's how to upgrade macOS after you've checked compatibility:

Before you get started

You'll need a terminal application to use the Mac command line. Apple includes the Mac terminal but I prefer Warp Terminal. Warp is an easy-to-use terminal application, with AI assistance to help you learn and remember terminal commands. Download Warp Terminal now; it's FREE and worth a try.

Check macOS compatibility

Check Mac compatibility before downloading anything. Your Mac determines which macOS versions you can download and run.

Check your model by clicking the Apple menu > About This Mac > More Info

  1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner
  2. Choose "About This Mac"
  3. Check the model name and year listed
  4. Compare against the compatibility list below

Recent and latest macOS versions

macOS Sonoma 14

MacOS Sonoma 14.7.6 remains available with security updates for legacy hardware, particularly 2018-2019 MacBook Air models that macOS Sequoia no longer supports.

macOS Sequoia 15

macOS Sequoia 15 works on these Mac models:

  • iMac (2019 and later)
  • iMac Pro (2017)
  • Mac Studio (2022 and later)
  • Mac mini (2018 and later)
  • Mac Pro (2019 and later)
  • MacBook Air (2020 and later)
  • MacBook Pro (2018 and later)

macOS Tahoe 26

MacOS Tahoe 26 works on these Mac models: • MacBook Air: M1 (2020) and later • MacBook Pro: M1 (2020) and later • MacBook Pro (Intel): 16-inch, 2019; 13-inch, 2020 (four Thunderbolt 3 ports) • iMac: 2020 and later • Mac mini: M1 (2020) and later • Mac Studio: 2022 and later • Mac Pro: 2019 and later

Apple supports macOS Tahoe 26 on all of its Apple silicon models, but now only the latest Intel-based Macs (mostly 2019 and 2020 releases) are included. Older Intel models—including iMac Pro (2017), Mac mini (2018), and all Intel-based MacBook Airs—are not compatible.

Complete macOS Tahoe 26 compatibility list

macOS Tahoe 26 represents a major milestone: it's the last version of macOS that will support Intel-based Macs. Apple announced this new operating system at WWDC 2025 in June and released it to the public on September 15, 2025.

Future macOS releases will require Apple Silicon exclusively. If you have a compatible Intel Mac, this represents your final major macOS upgrade unless you plan to purchase a newer Apple Silicon model.

For unsupported Macs, you can continue using macOS Sequoia, which will receive security updates for approximately three years after its 2024 release.

Here's the complete list of Macs that can run macOS Tahoe 26:

All Apple Silicon Macs (full support)

MacBook Air

  • MacBook Air (13-inch, M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, M2, 2022)
  • MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024)
  • MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)
  • MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)

MacBook Pro

  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M1 Pro/Max, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M1 Pro/Max, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M2 Pro/Max, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro/Max, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3 Pro/Max, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M3 Pro/Max, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M4 Pro/Max, 2024)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M4 Pro/Max, 2024)

iMac

  • iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021)
  • iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023)
  • iMac (24-inch, M4, 2024)

Mac mini

  • Mac mini (M1, 2020)
  • Mac mini (M2, 2023)
  • Mac mini (M2 Pro, 2023)
  • Mac mini (M4, 2024)

Mac Studio

  • Mac Studio (M1 Max/Ultra, 2022)
  • Mac Studio (M2 Max/Ultra, 2023)
  • Mac Studio (M4 Max/Ultra, 2024)

Mac Pro

  • Mac Pro (M2 Ultra, 2023)

Limited Intel Mac support

Only four Intel-based Mac models can run macOS Tahoe 26, and these won't support Apple Intelligence features:

  • Mac Pro (2019) - Cascade Lake Xeon-W processors
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) - 9th generation Intel processors
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - 10th generation Intel processors
  • iMac (27-inch, 2020) - 10th generation Intel processors

What won't work with Tahoe

Several recent Intel-based Macs that supported macOS Sequoia won't be compatible with Tahoe:

Excluded MacBook Models

  • MacBook Air (2018, 2019, 2020 Intel models)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, 2019)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018, 2019)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)

Excluded Desktop Models

  • iMac (21.5-inch, all models)
  • iMac (27-inch, 2017, 2019)
  • iMac Pro (2017)
  • Mac mini (2018)
  • Mac Pro (2013)

Apple Intelligence requirements

Apple Intelligence features require Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) processors. The four supported Intel Macs can run macOS Tahoe but won't have access to AI-powered features like Live Translation, enhanced Siri, or Writing Tools.

What's next

My mac.install.guide is a trusted source of installation guides for professional developers. Take a look at the Mac Install Guide home page for tips and trends and see what to install next.