Apple Seeds First macOS Tahoe Public Beta

Apple today provided public beta testers with the opportunity to test the newest version of macOS, macOS Tahoe, ahead of its launch this fall. If you want to sign up for the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ public beta, you can do so on Apple's beta website. The first Tahoe public beta is identical to the fourth developer beta that was released on Tuesday.

macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb 2
Public beta testers can download ‌macOS Tahoe‌ from the Software Update section of the Settings app after signing up for the betas.

‌macOS Tahoe‌ has the same Liquid Glass design as iOS 26, and it extends to app icons, folders, the Dock, in-app navigation, menus, the Control Center, and the Menu Bar. The Control Center and the Menu Bar are both customizable, and you're also able to customize folders, app icons, and widgets.

macos tahoe design
Safari has an updated tab design and a redesigned sidebar, and Apple has brought the Phone app to the Mac for making phone calls through Wi-Fi Calling. The Phone app supports the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features.

Spotlight has been overhauled with improved search and the ability to execute hundreds of actions without opening up an app. There's a new Games app with a Game Overlay feature, and developers have access to Metal 4.

More on what's new can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.

Related Roundup: macOS Tahoe
Related Forum: macOS Tahoe

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...

Top Rated Comments

Tig_one Avatar
7 months ago

It's quite bad, not gonna lie. Tabs are readable, but the design there is far from ideal.
I wish it was readable at least.


Unbelievable they won't bring back compact tabs too.
The level of design they are putting out these days is absolutely soulless & decadent.

Attachment Image
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bradman83 Avatar
7 months ago
Liquid Glass is fine, it's used so sparingly across the OS that it's not that intrusive. But the whole OS just feels... ugly. When I heard Apple was adopting the glassy look from visionOS I was excited because I was hoping they'd be taking the gray, smoked glass look. I think the fundamental problem with this redesign is that they're trying to do everything white on white using only faint shadows and gradients to provide depth and differentiation.

My biggest issue is the sidebars. Since Yosemite sidebars have had a visual differentiation from the main window by using a soft, blurred translucency. Now they're a slab of Liquid Glass that floats above the window contents. For apps like Maps or Home it provides a neat effect because the contents slide under the sidebar, but for the majority of windows there's nothing underneath, it's just plain white with a tiny hint of color refraction from the desktop or window contents.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GrumpyOldGuy52 Avatar
7 months ago
It is ugly. Reducing transparency helps, but it's still unnecessarily ugly.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobbyjack Avatar
7 months ago
"MacOS Tahoe is out, it has liquid glass design, updated safari tabs and the phone app. Also spotlight."

Guys, the revolution is underway.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AUGUSTU5 Avatar
7 months ago

Has anyone tried Safari on MacOS yet? Are tabs readable now?
If it’s the same build as yesterday’s Beta 4, then the answer is Nope. Safari is hot garbage in macOS26. They will need so much time to fix that / rollback some of those changes to make it atleast “usable”…
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mgymnop Avatar
7 months ago
Played around with the beta a bit more. Dark mode is even more atrocious. Totally deactivated it. My thoughts:
Trillion dollar company developed a skin that looks like a 10 year old 3rd party theme for Android phones. Whoever designed this should be fired.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)