Apple has released the first developer beta version of macOS Tahoe 26. I’ve installed it to a MacBook Air to put it through its early paces.
How to install the macOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta
To install the developer beta of macOS Tahoe 26:
- Launch System Settings
- Go to General and then open Software Update
- Tap the information symbol adjacent to Beta Updates and choose macOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta from the list of options
Software Update will download the update and give you the option of installing it straight away or overnight.
macOS Tahoe 26 – the Liquid Glass facelift
Apple has made changes right across the board with macOS Tahoe 26. Every app has undergone a significant facelift. Icons look different, corners on windows are more rounded and toolbars look like they’re floating because of the Liquid Glass design language.
This gallery of images highlights the way Apple has altered the entire look and feel of macOS.
What really pops is the way toolbars, alerts and sidebars now sit over the content rather than along side it.
For example, if you look at the image of the Music app, you’ll see that the sidebar sits over the image of the band at the top. This gives the entire screen, which now looks a lot more like its iPad and iPhone counterparts, a much more modern and layered appearance.
These changes are evident across almost every Apple application.
Apple finally gets Widgets right
Apple has had a few goes at introducing desktop Widgets with OS X and macOS over the years. It seems that they have finally managed to get things right. I particularly like the Calendar and Battery widgets as they put information I need to check regularly within easy reach.
There are some other cosmetic changes that will, I think, be a little less jarring. The Dock and Menu Bar have been given the Liquid Glass treatment so they are now almost completely clear with the icons and text sitting over the wallpaper background. It’s not a massive change but as I switch back and forth between Tahoe and its predecessor Sonoma, I notice the difference.
As this is the first developer beta of macOS Tahoe 26, there may still be more changes to come. Early rumours suggest that application icons would become a lot rounder so they’re more like icons in visionOS but that’s not happened – at least not yet. And, as is often the case, there will be older applications that either need to be updated or replaced to work with Tahoe.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.