Quick answer: open the Apple menu and click About This Mac. If it lists an Apple chip (M1, M2, M3 or later), your Mac runs every current version of macOS — including macOS Tahoe 26 and this fall's macOS Golden Gate 27. If it lists an Intel processor, macOS Tahoe 26 is the end of the road, and only four Intel models even get that far. Here is the full 2026 compatibility picture, model by model.
First: find out exactly which Mac you have
Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen, then About This Mac. You will see two things that matter:
- Chip or Processor — either an Apple chip (M1, M2, M3, M4) or an Intel Core/Xeon processor.
- Model name and year — for example, MacBook Air (M1, 2020) or iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019).
Those two lines answer everything below.
The three macOS versions that matter in 2026
- macOS Sequoia 15 (2024) — the last version many older Intel Macs can run.
- macOS Tahoe 26 (released September 2025, currently on 26.5) — the version most Macs should be on today, and the final macOS for Intel.
- macOS Golden Gate 27 (announced at WWDC in June 2026, shipping this fall) — Apple silicon only. It adds the new conversational Siri AI and is billed as a stability-focused release.
macOS Golden Gate 27 — Apple silicon only
Golden Gate runs on every Mac with an M1 chip or later — every M1, M2, M3 and M4 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, Mac Studio and Mac Pro — plus the new A18 Pro-based MacBook Neo. No Intel Mac can install it. Two fine-print notes: Apple Intelligence features work on all supported Macs, but the on-device Siri AI needs an M3 or later with at least 12GB of RAM, and Golden Gate is the last version with full Rosetta 2 support for older Intel-built apps.
macOS Tahoe 26 — every Apple silicon Mac, plus exactly four Intel models
Tahoe supports all Apple silicon Macs, and these Intel Macs only:
- iMac (2020)
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- Mac Pro (2019)
Apple confirmed at WWDC 2025 that Tahoe is the last major macOS for Intel. Those four models are expected to keep getting security updates for roughly three years after release — into about 2028 — but no new features, and they do not get Apple Intelligence.
Stuck on Sequoia or older? These Macs cannot run Tahoe
If you own one of these, macOS Sequoia 15 is your ceiling:
- MacBook Pro (all 2018 models, and 13-inch 2019 models)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- iMac (21.5-inch and 27-inch, 2019)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac Mini (2018)
Anything older than that is already off Sequoia too — a 2017-or-earlier MacBook Air or MacBook Pro is several versions behind, which means no new Safari security patches and a growing list of apps that refuse to update.
Compatibility at a glance
| Your Mac | Newest macOS it can run |
|---|---|
| Any Apple silicon Mac (M1 or later) | Golden Gate 27 (fall 2026) — fully current |
| iMac 2020 · MBP 16-inch 2019 · MBP 13-inch 2020 (4 ports) · Mac Pro 2019 | Tahoe 26 — final version, security updates into about 2028 |
| 2018–2019 MacBook Pros · 2019 iMacs · iMac Pro 2017 · Mac Mini 2018 · MBP 13-inch 2020 (2 ports) | Sequoia 15 — no longer current |
| 2017 and earlier | Ventura 13 or older — unsupported |
What to do if your Mac is on the wrong side of the line
An Intel Mac still works, but every year on an unsupported macOS means more apps, browsers and security patches leaving it behind. The economical fix is not a new Mac — it is a recent refurbished Apple silicon one. Every Mac we sell has an M-series chip, which means every Mac in our store runs macOS Golden Gate 27 and will keep getting major updates for years (here is how long M1 Macs are expected to stay supported, and how long MacBooks last in general):
- MacBook Air M1 (2020) — $450 — the cheapest ticket to the Apple silicon side.
- MacBook Air M2 (2022) — $549 — newer design, brighter screen.
- MacBook Air M3 (2024) — $849 — meets the M3 bar for on-device Siri AI in Golden Gate.
- MacBook Pro 14-inch M1 Pro — $879 — pro ports and a 120Hz screen.
- Mac Mini M2 — $599 — keep your monitor, replace the aging tower.
Every unit ships free and is covered by our warranty. Have an aging Intel Mac to offload? We buy Macs — working or broken — so the old machine funds the upgrade.
Frequently asked questions
Can my Intel Mac run macOS Golden Gate 27?
No. Golden Gate is Apple silicon only. The four newest Intel Macs top out at macOS Tahoe 26; everything older tops out at Sequoia 15 or earlier.
Is it safe to keep using a Mac that cannot update anymore?
For a while, yes — Apple typically ships security updates for about two more macOS versions back. But once those stop, the browser and OS stop receiving patches, and banking or work apps start refusing to run. Treat the last update as the start of a two-to-three-year countdown.
Will a used M1 Mac from 2020 get macOS Golden Gate 27?
Yes. Every M1 Mac — including the $450 MacBook Air M1 — is on the Golden Gate compatibility list, and M1 machines are expected to keep receiving major macOS versions for years to come.
How do I check my macOS version right now?
Apple menu, then About This Mac. The version number is under the macOS name — 26.x is Tahoe (current), 15.x is Sequoia, 14.x is Sonoma.