macOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 1: A Deep Dive into Apple’s Latest Mac Update

At WWDC 2025, Apple unveiled macOS Tahoe 26, a transformative update that brings a fresh design, smarter features, and deeper integration with the Apple ecosystem. Now available in its first developer beta, macOS Tahoe 26 introduces a stunning Liquid Glass aesthetic, a revamped Spotlight search, a new Phone app, and powerful Apple Intelligence capabilities that make your Mac more productive and personal. With a public beta expected in July and a full release slated for fall 2025, this initial beta gives us a glimpse of what’s to come. Let’s explore the key features and changes in macOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 1, highlighting what makes this update a game-changer for Mac users.

macOS Tahoe 26: A Fresh, Intelligent Mac Experience

macOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 1 redefines the Mac experience with a bold new design and intelligent tools that streamline workflows and enhance usability. From a glossy new interface to seamless iPhone integration, here’s what’s new in this first beta.

Liquid Glass Design: A Visual Overhaul

The Liquid Glass design, introduced in developer beta 1, brings a glossy, fluid aesthetic to macOS, aligning it with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 for a cohesive cross-platform look. Key visual changes include:

• Refined Desktop and Widgets: The desktop features a dynamic, glass-like appearance with smoother animations. Widgets are more customizable, supporting light or dark tints and a new “clear” look for a minimalist vibe. Beta 1’s widgets are responsive but may stutter on older Macs during heavy use.
• Transparent Menu Bar: The menu bar now has a translucent, glass-like finish, with customizable layouts for controls and shortcuts. Beta 1 allows rearranging menu bar items, though some third-party apps don’t yet support the new design.
• Folder Customization: Add colors, symbols, or emojis to folders for a unique identity, synced via iCloud. Beta 1 offers limited emoji options but makes folders easier to spot in Finder.
• App Icons and Sidebars: App icons adopt light, dark, or clear appearances, while sidebars and toolbars in apps like Finder, Mail, and Safari use Liquid Glass for a cleaner focus on content. Beta 1’s sidebars are visually striking but can feel cluttered with many open apps.

The Liquid Glass design makes macOS feel fresh yet familiar, though beta 1’s animations may need optimization for smoother performance on Intel-based Macs.

Spotlight: The Biggest Update Ever

Spotlight search gets a major overhaul in developer beta 1, making it a powerful hub for productivity:

• Context-Aware Search: Spotlight now uses Apple Intelligence to prioritize results based on your current tasks, such as recent documents or emails. Beta 1’s ranking algorithms are effective but occasionally misprioritize less-relevant results.
• Actionable Results: Perform tasks like sending emails, creating calendar events, or starting podcasts directly from Spotlight without opening apps. Beta 1 supports basic actions like “send email to [contact],” but complex commands may fail.
• Quick Keys: Use shortcuts like “sm” for Messages or “ar” for Reminders to launch apps or actions faster. Beta 1’s Quick Keys are intuitive but limited to Apple apps.
• Third-Party Cloud Integration: Search across third-party cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox. Beta 1’s integration is spotty, working reliably only with major providers.

Spotlight’s update makes it a central command center, though beta 1’s third-party support and action reliability need refinement.

Apple Intelligence: Smarts Across the System

Apple Intelligence powers many of macOS Tahoe 26’s new features, and developer beta 1 showcases its potential:

• Live Translation: Translate text in real-time within Messages, Mail, and the new Phone app, supporting English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Chinese (simplified), with more languages expected by December 2025. Beta 1’s translation is smooth but may lag in low-bandwidth scenarios.
• Genmoji and Image Playground: Create custom emojis or generate images in styles like cartoon or oil painting using ChatGPT integration. Beta 1 offers basic Genmoji designs and a few Image Playground presets, with more styles promised in future betas. Results sync via iCloud.
• Writing Tools: Edit, proofread, or summarize text in apps like Notes, Mail, and Pages. Beta 1’s tools handle spelling, grammar, and tone adjustments well but struggle with long documents.
• Foundation Models Framework: Developers can tap into Apple’s on-device language model for text extraction and summarization. Beta 1’s framework is promising but lacks extensive documentation, limiting early adoption.

Apple Intelligence makes macOS smarter, though beta 1’s features are still evolving, with occasional performance hiccups on non-M-series Macs.

Phone App: Continuity Comes to Mac

Developer beta 1 introduces the Phone app to macOS, leveraging Continuity to relay cellular calls from your iPhone:

• Unified Interface: Access Favorites, Recents, and Voicemails in a familiar layout, mirroring the iPhone’s Phone app. Beta 1’s interface is clean but may lag when syncing large call histories.
• Call Screening: Filter spam calls with AI-driven prompts for unknown callers, supporting Cantonese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish. Beta 1’s transcription is accurate but slow for non-English languages.
• Hold Assist: Get alerts when a real person picks up during a hold, available in multiple languages. Beta 1 occasionally misses subtle hold music changes.

The Phone app makes your Mac a communication hub, though beta 1’s sync and screening features need polish.

Messages: Personal and Powerful

The Messages app in developer beta 1 gets a refresh with new features:

• Custom Backgrounds: Personalize chats with photos, gradients, or dynamic designs created via Image Playground. Beta 1 offers limited presets, with more customization expected.
• Polls: Create polls in group chats for quick decisions, with real-time vote tracking. Beta 1 supports up to five options, feeling restrictive but functional.
• Live Translation: Translate messages in real-time, supporting nine languages. Beta 1’s translation is reliable but may drop in low-bandwidth conditions.
• Typing Indicators: See who’s typing in group chats. Beta 1’s indicators are consistent but can lag in large groups.

Messages feels more engaging, though beta 1’s features are limited by early implementation issues.

Preview App: A New Productivity Tool

Developer beta 1 brings the Preview app to macOS Tahoe 26, offering a dedicated hub for PDF and image editing:

• PDF Viewing and Markup: Annotate PDFs with tools for highlighting, drawing, or signing. Beta 1’s markup is responsive but lacks an undo history, which can disrupt workflows.
• AutoFill for Forms: Fill out PDF forms using data from contacts or saved info. Beta 1’s AutoFill is reliable but slow for complex forms.
• Image Editing: Crop, rotate, or mark up images with intuitive tools. Beta 1’s editing is robust but lacks advanced filters or layer support.
• iCloud Sync: Edits sync across your Apple devices. Beta 1’s sync is stable but may lag with large files.

The Preview app makes document management seamless, though beta 1’s performance needs optimization for heavy use.

Continuity and Live Activities

macOS Tahoe 26 enhances Continuity, bringing iPhone features to the Mac:

• Live Activities: View real-time iPhone updates, like navigation or music playback, on your Mac’s desktop or Dock. Beta 1 supports select apps but may drop updates during heavy system load.
• Captive Wi-Fi Sync: Enter login details for captive Wi-Fi networks (e.g., at hotels or airports) once, and they sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Beta 1’s sync is reliable but limited to specific networks.
• iPhone Mirroring: Control your iPhone from your Mac, even when locked. Beta 1’s mirroring is smooth but may disconnect on older Macs.

These features make your Mac and iPhone work as one, though beta 1’s reliability varies by device.

Accessibility: Inclusive and Powerful

Developer beta 1 introduces new accessibility features:

• Accessibility Reader: A system-wide reading mode adjusts font, color, and spacing for easier reading. Beta 1 integrates with Magnifier and select apps but struggles with dense PDFs.
• Braille Access: A user-friendly interface for connected braille displays. Beta 1’s interface is intuitive but limited to specific devices.
• Vehicle Motion Cues: Reduce motion sickness with visual cues during travel. Beta 1’s cues are effective but may not suit all users.
• Background Sounds: Play ambient sounds to aid focus, accessible via System Settings. Beta 1 offers a few sound options but lacks customization.

These tools make macOS more inclusive, though beta 1’s implementation is still maturing.

Other Notable Updates

• Safari: Features a rounded tab design and refreshed sidebar. Beta 1’s tabs are visually appealing but may overlap on smaller screens.
• Passwords App: Track password changes with version history. Beta 1’s app is functional but lacks third-party integration.
• Shortcuts: New intelligent actions like text summarization. Beta 1 supports basic tasks but struggles with complex workflows.
• Journal App: Capture moments with text, photos, or audio, with a map view for entries. Beta 1’s app is intuitive but lacks export options.
• Metal 4 and Game Porting Toolkit 3: Enhance graphics and game development, with new APIs for machine learning and performance. Beta 1’s toolkit is promising but limited to M-series Macs for full functionality.
• Video Effects API: Apply motion blur or super-resolution to videos. Beta 1’s effects are impressive but resource-intensive.

Supported Devices and Availability

macOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 1 supports Macs with Apple silicon and Intel-based Macs with a T2 Security Chip, including MacBook Air (M1 and later), MacBook Pro (2019 and later), iMac (2020 and later), and Mac mini (2018 and later). Apple Intelligence features require Apple silicon. Notably, this is the last macOS version for Intel Macs, with support for models like the 2018 MacBook Pro and 2017 iMac Pro dropped. The beta is available now through the Apple Developer Program, with a public beta expected in July 2025 and a full release in September or October. Beta 1 is relatively stable but has performance issues on older hardware, so use caution on primary devices.

Final Thoughts

macOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 1 is a bold step forward, blending a stunning Liquid Glass design with powerful features like an upgraded Spotlight, a new Phone app, and the versatile Preview app. Apple Intelligence brings smarts to everyday tasks, while Continuity features like Live Activities and iPhone Mirroring make your Mac and iPhone feel like a single ecosystem. Despite beta 1’s rough edges—such as occasional performance hiccups and limited third-party support—the update sets a strong foundation for a more productive and personalized Mac experience. Available now for developers and coming to public beta testers in July, macOS Tahoe 26 is poised to shine when it launches this fall. Stay tuned for future betas as Apple refines this ambitious release.