Apple ends Intel Mac era with macOS 27 Golden Gate release

Apple has released the first developer beta of macOS 27, codenamed Golden Gate, which officially concludes support for Intel-based Macs. The new operating system mandates Apple Silicon hardware, requiring an M1 chip or later for installation. This move finalises Apple’s transition away from Intel processors, a process that began with the announcement last year that the current year’s macOS release would drop Intel support.

Intel Macs currently running macOS 26 Tahoe will receive security and Safari patches for approximately two years post-release. Those on macOS 15 Sequoia will receive one further year of updates. Apple is removing most remaining Intel code from the macOS architecture, similar to the transition away from PowerPC in Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Without that code, continuing to force new macOS versions to run on old Intel machines will become functionally impossible.

Apple Silicon Macs can continue to run Intel applications via the Rosetta 2 compatibility layer, though Apple plans to limit this technology in future releases. The company has stated it will mainly use the layer to support older games that still use Intel code. Third-party workarounds, such as OpenCore Legacy Patcher, are expected to cease functioning for macOS 27.

Advanced on-device Apple Intelligence features will require an M3 chip or newer with at least 12GB of RAM. Basic functionality remains available on all Apple Silicon Macs, including M1 devices and models with 8GB of RAM, such as the MacBook Neo. This reflects the convergence of AI developments and semiconductor industry trends, with Apple integrating external AI models alongside its proprietary Apple Foundation Models.

The final release of macOS 27 is scheduled for autumn, following a public beta in July. The first developer betas for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 were released following the WWDC 2026 keynote on 8 June 2026.