At the recent WWDC keynote, Apple quietly confirmed that macOS Tahoe will mark the end of support for Intel-based Macs. Many, including myself, initially speculated that support would last until September 2025.
However, the reality shifted when Marko Zivkovic uncovered an early compatibility list revealing that many Intel hardware models would no longer be supported. It has become increasingly evident that the era of Intel-powered Macs is drawing to a close.
While Apple may continue to provide security updates for several more years, the timeline for support is shrinking. Most users will likely move on to newer hardware within the next few years, even if some retain their Intel Macs for longer than expected.
During the recent State of the Platform discussion, reactions on social media ranged from shock to sadness as the announcement settled in. The last Intel Mac models were released in 2020, meaning full support for those devices will continue through September 2026.
There are some older models still in use, but they are far fewer in number. Intel Macs that have been cut off from official support, particularly the original cheese grater Mac Pro towers, have historically managed to run modern operating systems through OpenCore.
However, with the upcoming release of macOS 26 in September 2025, challenges are anticipated for these users. This is primarily due to every remaining supported Intel Mac including a T2 chip, which complicates the process of running the new OS on older machines.
As the transition to all Apple Silicon code approaches with macOS 27 in September 2026, the operating system will likely shed Intel code entirely, potentially even eliminating Rosetta 2. The swift removal of PowerPC support from Mac OS X serves as a reminder that change is often rapid within Apple’s ecosystem.
The future seems poised for a new era without Intel Macs.
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