The centerpiece of macOS Tahoe is its Liquid Glass design, a translucent interface that adds a dynamic, glass-like effect to desktop icons, folders, the Dock, menus, and toolbars. Elements like sliders or dialog boxes refract content beneath them, creating a fluid, engaging experience that emphasizes user actions. While visually bold, the design has been refined through beta testing to improve readability, addressing early concerns about legibility in certain apps. Users can disable the transparent menu bar for a more traditional look, offering flexibility for those who find the effect distracting.
This aesthetic, inspired by visionOS, extends to customizable folders with colors and emojis, as well as light, dark, tinted, or clear icon styles. The Control Center and menu bar are now more configurable, allowing users to add third-party app controls for quick access, making the Mac feel both fresh and familiar.
Spotlight Steals the Show with Clipboard History
Spotlight receives its most significant update in years, transforming into a productivity hub that rivals third-party launchers like Alfred 5 and Raycast. The new interface organizes results into tabs for Applications, Files, Actions, and Clipboard History, accessible via Command + 1-4 or arrow keys. The standout addition is Clipboard History, which stores up to ten copied items—text, images, or URLs—for eight hours, allowing users to paste any item in any order. This feature, long offered by third-party apps, is a game-changer for workflows, though its eight-hour limit and lack of password protection make it less robust than competitors like Alfred 5.
Spotlight’s Quick Actions further enhance efficiency, enabling tasks like sending messages, creating events, or starting timers directly from the search bar. By assigning short key combinations to frequent actions (e.g., “ST” for Start Timer), Spotlight streamlines repetitive tasks, reducing the need to open apps. These improvements make it a powerful tool for both casual and power users.
Seamless iPhone Integration with Phone App and Live Activities
macOS Tahoe bridges the gap between Mac and iPhone with new Continuity features. The Phone app, now available on Mac, lets users place and answer calls without touching their iPhone, leveraging the Mac’s microphone for seamless communication. Live Activities, previously an iPhone feature, sync to the Mac, displaying real-time updates like flight statuses or delivery times on the desktop. These additions keep users focused on their Mac, minimizing disruptions from switching devices.
The Magnifier feature, using an iPhone’s camera as a zoom tool via Continuity Camera, enhances accessibility. Users can customize multiple live session windows for tasks like tracking presentations or reading small text, with adjustable brightness and contrast filters. This makes macOS Tahoe a versatile platform for diverse needs.
New Apps and Accessibility Enhancements
macOS Tahoe introduces the Apple Games app, a one-stop hub for discovering game updates, in-game events, and friend challenges, integrating App Store and Apple Arcade titles. The Journal app, ported from iPhone, and an updated Safari with improved tab designs further enrich the experience. Accessibility features include Vehicle Motion Cues to reduce motion sickness and extensive Braille support, ensuring inclusivity for all users.
Fifteen new screen savers and customizable accent colors for text highlighting add personal flair, while Shortcuts gain new AI-driven actions for tasks like text summarization, enhancing automation capabilities. However, some Shortcuts, like tab group management in Safari, remain inconsistent, requiring further refinement.
Compatibility and Installation
macOS Tahoe supports all Apple Silicon Macs and the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro and 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro (Intel-based). Users can download the update via System Settings > Software Update. Apple also released macOS 15.7 and 14.8 for older systems unable to run Tahoe. Be cautious, as updating may cause temporary battery drain due to system indexing, and some apps, like those using FireWire, may face compatibility issues.
Before updating, back up your Mac using Time Machine or iCloud to prevent data loss. Check app compatibility, as some third-party apps may need updates to align with Tahoe’s Liquid Glass design. For users avoiding the new aesthetic, disabling transparency in System Settings offers a workaround.
