What’s new in macOS 27 Golden Gate: Top features and upgrades

Curious about all the macOS 27 new features? Me too. Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate on 14 September 2026. It is the first macOS release that runs only on Apple silicon, so sorry, Intel users, you lucked out on this one.

One thing I noticed straight up is that it’s a refinement release, not a full or total redesign.

It focuses on speed, stability, and making AI actually useful rather than showy.

I’ve put together a rundown of the features, plus who can install it, and how to prepare your Mac.

Which Macs can run macOS 27 Golden Gate?

You’ll need a Mac with Apple silicon. Apple’s rule is that macOS 27 runs on any Mac with an M-series or A-series chip, which includes the MacBook Neo with A18 Pro. That leaves Intel-based Macs out entirely, which I think is actually pretty big news.

Apple states that macOS 26 is the final release supporting Intel Mac computers, so Intel-based Macs stay on Tahoe.

macOS 27 is the final release with general-purpose Rosetta support. Intel-only apps still run here, but Apple says they will no longer run on Apple silicon Macs after this release, apart from certain older, unmaintained games that rely on Intel-based frameworks. So this really is the end of the road for apps that were never updated. macOS 27 can show you which ones you still depend on: in System Settings, click General, then About, and in the macOS section click Details next to Intel-based Apps.

A few Apple Intelligence features also have their own hardware floor. Customising how Siri sounds, for example, needs a Mac with M3 or later and at least 12GB of unified memory. So the base compatibility for macOS 27 itself is any Apple silicon Mac, while a handful of individual features ask for newer hardware.

macOS 27 new features

Siri AI and Apple Intelligence updates

Siri AI is the biggest change here. It replaces the old Siri and is powered by Apple Intelligence. It is currently a beta feature, and you turn it on in Settings.

You access it through Spotlight and type or speak your requests. It draws on personal context to find things across your messages, mail, and photos, and it can act inside apps. It can also draft text for you. And with Describe a Shortcut, you can create Shortcuts from a plain-language description.

Visual Intelligence is worth a mention too. You select a window of your screen, and Siri can answer questions about what’s there or act on it, like adding an event to your calendar. There’s a dedicated keyboard shortcut: Shift–Command–Space bar.

Source: Apple

Apple Intelligence is expanded elsewhere too: intelligent photo editing with Spatial Reframing, the Extend tool and an improved Clean Up, plus context-based Suggestions in Mail and Messages. Messages Suggestions is listed by Apple as coming in a later update, and the Suggestions features are English-only for now.

Siri AI works across Apple’s own apps.

Worth knowing: Apple Intelligence runs partly on device and partly on Apple’s servers, and Apple applies daily usage limits to the server-backed features — Siri AI, the intelligent photo editing tools, Image Playground and the AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts among them. The limits vary by feature, request complexity and system demand, and Apple’s own footnote adds that expanded access to those features “will be available for a fee in the future”, without saying what that will cost or when.

Performance gains and Liquid Glass design refinements

Apple describes macOS 27 as more responsive rather than putting numbers on it: quicker AirDrop transfers, faster network file browsing and speedier start page loading in Safari. Search is part of that — Apple says Spotlight and Mail search both surface what you need more easily, and Mail uses a new ranking system to put the most relevant results first.

Apple’s own emphasis is on responsiveness, reliability and design refinement. Reading the feature list, my take is that this is more a refinement release than a feature showcase — and for most of us, stability and speed win every time over flashy features.

Liquid Glass has been reworked for readability, with more uniform refraction and improved contrast. There’s a new slider that lets you set how it looks, anywhere from ultra-clear to fully tinted. Apple has also given macOS 27 uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and updated window shapes and menu bar icons.

Swipe down to refresh works in Safari, Mail, News, Podcasts, and Calendar.

Safari, Search, and app-level updates

There are quite a few new ​macOS 27 new features and updates here, so I’ve broken these down a bit.

Safari

Safari groups your tabs into topics automatically, and Notify Me watches a page for changes like a price drop or a restock and tells you when something moves. Describe an Extension lets you build a simple custom extension by describing it. The Passwords app flags weak or compromised passwords; updating them for you is a feature Apple lists as coming in a later update.

Search overhaul

Apple points to better search in Spotlight and Mail, with a new ranking system in Mail that brings the most relevant results to the top.

Parental controls expansion

Ask to Browse makes kids request permission before opening a new website in Safari, and Communication Safety is expanded. Time Allowances let parents set limits by category, and Schedules control which apps are available at which times of day. I think this is huge news for families.

One setup note: Ask to Browse works in Safari and other WebKit browsers, and it only becomes available after you upgrade Screen Time.

Other notable updates

You can add and edit Calendar events from a plain description, Call Context surfaces useful details from your apps when you ring a business, iCloud Shared Albums are easier to join from Android and Windows, and ultrawide displays now run at higher resolutions such as 5K at 120Hz.

If you want the full list, because there’s more than this, I’d take a look here at Apple's full feature explainer.

Get your Mac ready for macOS Golden Gate

My first bit of advice, before you do anything, back up your current device with Time Machine; it’s a bit of a non-negotiable for me.

Then have a quick look at your storage. Apple doesn’t publish a free-space figure for macOS 27, so check what you actually have free and clear some room if the disk is running low or if Software Update tells you there isn’t enough space. Software Update is also the supported way to install the upgrade. If you find yourself on the low-storage side, save yourself some hassle and clean up before you even attempt an install.

Next, I’d also check in the App Store, or wherever you get your apps from, if everything on your Mac is up to date, that’ll help with compatibility issues going into the Golden Gate update.

And while you’re at it, have a quick review of any login items and remove anything you don't need launching at startup. The reason I suggest that is that a cleaner system handles major updates better.

I would also highly recommend running the Smart Care feature from CleanMyMac before you install Golden Gate.

It’ll help to tidy up your Mac: think cache, junk and, outdated apps — you might even be surprised by just how much space it can reclaim for you. If you haven’t already, you can test the app fully for seven days for free (get your free trial here).