macOS 27

At its 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple will unveil the next version of macOS, macOS 27. Most rumors ahead of WWDC focus on iOS because it's Apple's most popular platform, but there are many shared features between iOS and macOS, so we do have some insight into the features we're going to get in macOS 27.

macOS 27 will include the same Siri upgrades that are coming to iOS, because the smarter version of Siri will come to all of Apple's software platforms.

People haven't been entirely happy with the Liquid Glass redesign of macOS that Apple introduced in macOS Tahoe, so there could potentially be some macOS design updates coming to refine the Liquid Glass changes.

iOS 27 is also going to be a "Snow Leopard" update focusing on performance and stability improvements, so we could also see some of that same careful code review and revision in macOS.

We don't know Apple's 2026 WWDC dates yet, but macOS 27 will be previewed in June, and then it will be provided to developers so they can get started on new apps. Sometime around July, Apple will give public beta testers the opportunity to download the update.

macOS 27 will see an official public release in the fall alongside iOS 27.

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Apple has been using California landmark names for the Mac operating system since macOS Mavericks came out in 2013, and there's no sign that's going to change. Apple trademarked several California-themed names over the last decade, and some of the possibilities that we've yet to see used are listed below.

• California
• Condor
• Diablo
• Farallon
• Grizzly
• Mammoth
• Miramar
• Pacific
• Redtail
• Redwood
• Rincon
• Shasta
• Skyline
• Tiburon

Apple doesn't have trademarks for these names because they've expired, but that hasn't stopped the company from using names in the past. With macOS Big Sur, for example, the Big Sur trademark had expired when Apple used it.

Apple has also used names that were never on its trademarked list in the past, so it's also possible macOS 27 will get a name that's never been mentioned before.

The names Apple has already used: Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe.

Apple is working on a high-end OLED MacBook Pro that will include touchscreen capabilities. Apple is updating macOS for the MacBook Pro, making it more touch friendly.

Mac users will be able to tap or click on-screen elements, and controls will change based on input method. If a user taps on a menu bar item, as an example, it will display a larger set of controls optimized for touch. If it's clicked, the controls will be smaller.

Touch-based options and interfaces will be integrated throughout macOS, and the operating system will support iPad functionality like fast scrolling and pinch gestures for zooming in and out.

Both iOS 27 and macOS 27 will be "Snow Leopard" updates, with Apple set to focus on improving quality and performance. Apple plans to review and revise its codebase to boost efficiency and cut down on bugs.

We were supposed to get the Apple Intelligence version of Siri in iOS 26.4 and macOS Tahoe 26.4, but Apple is still having problems with development. Siri isn't yet operating as expected, and it's not ready to launch.

Some or all of the new Siri features could be pushed to the iOS 27 and macOS 27 cycle, though there's a chance we'll get something new in iOS 26.5 and macOS 26.5. It's a little unclear just what we'll get and when, because there have been rumors about Apple Intelligence Siri features followed by a full chatbot version of Siri that will work like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.

We could get an entirely revamped chatbot version of Siri with all of the new features all at once, or we could get the Apple Intelligence update and then chatbot functionality in later iOS 27 and macOS 27 updates.

Apple is partnering with Google and plans to use a custom AI model built in collaboration with Google's Gemini team for some of the new Siri features, including the Siri chatbot functionality that's coming.

Apple Intelligence Siri Features We're Waiting On

Apple described three ways that Siri will improve with Apple Intelligence integration, including personal context, the ability to see what's on the screen to know what the user is talking about, and the capability to do more in and between apps.

Siri will understand pronouns, references to content on the screen and in apps, and it will have a short-term memory for follow-up requests.

Personal Context

With personal context, Siri will be able to keep track of emails, messages, files, photos, and more, learning more about you to help you complete tasks and keep track of what you've been sent.

• Show me the files Eric sent me last week.
• Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating.
• Find the books that Eric recommended to me.
• Where's the recipe that Eric sent me?
• What's my passport number?

Onscreen Awareness

Onscreen awareness will let Siri see what's on your screen and complete actions involving whatever you're looking at. If someone texts you an address, you can tell Siri to add it to their contact card. Or if you're looking at a photo and want to send it to someone, you can ask Siri to do it for you.

Deeper App Integration

Deeper app integration means that Siri will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and completing tasks that are just not possible with the personal assistant right now. We don't have a full picture of what Siri will be capable of, but Apple has provided a few examples of what to expect.

• Moving files from one app to another.
• Editing a photo and then sending it to someone.
• Get directions home and share the ETA with Eric.
• Send the email I drafted to Eric.

Answers and Images

Back in August 2025, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi told employees that efforts to update the architecture were promising enough that Apple would be able to implement a "much bigger upgrade" than Apple originally envisioned.

Since then, rumors suggest that Apple will add image generation capabilities to Siri, relying on Image Playground. Siri is also expected to get a "World Knowledge" search feature that would provide information on general search queries using information pulled from the web. Siri will be able to summarize web results like ChatGPT to answer questions.

Chatbot Siri

Apple is planning to turn Siri into a full chatbot that users can interact with similarly to Claude or ChatGPT. The Siri chatbot will be deeply integrated into Apple's operating systems at the system level, and it won't be a standalone app experience.

There's no word yet on what the Siri chatbot interface will look like, but Apple will need to make changes if it wants to match the functionality offered by chatbot apps. Right now, there's no way to have a back and forth typed conversation with Siri where the conversation history is visible, and that will need to change. A text-friendly version of Siri with a chat history is a natural fit for macOS.

The Siri chatbot will be able to do everything current chatbots can do, like searching the web for information, analyzing uploaded files, and summarizing information, but since it will be integrated into the Mac at the system level, Siri will also be able to ingest information from on-device data, control device features and settings, use personal data for tasks, analyze on-screen content, and more.

Siri Design Update

With iOS 27 and macOS 27, Apple could update Siri's design to accommodate the new features. There are no specifics about what the redesign might entail, but rumors linked to Apple's upcoming tabletop robot suggest that the company might introduce a version of Siri that's more animated and character-like, taking design cues from the Mac Finder logo.

macOS Tahoe is the last version of macOS that will run on Intel-based Macs. Machines with Intel chips will not be able to be upgraded to macOS 27. Apple is also starting to phase out Rosetta 2 support, and macOS 27 will be the last version of macOS that fully supports Rosetta 2.

Rosetta 2 lets Macs with Apple silicon (Arm architecture) run apps that were built for Macs with an Intel processor (x86 architecture), by translating code.

macOS 27 will run on Macs that have an Apple silicon chip, which includes the M1 and later.

macOS 27 will be introduced at the WWDC 2026 keynote event in June 2026. The first beta will be provided to developers on event day, and a public beta will come later in the summer.

Apple will officially launch macOS 27 sometime in the fall.