macOS Tahoe vs Sequoia: All the Big and Subtle Changes You Need to Know

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Apple made a big leap in version numbers this year—jumping from macOS 15 Sequoia to macOS 26 Tahoe. The reason? Apple wants the version number to align with the year it will be used most: 2026. But don’t let that numerical jump fool you. Beneath the new label, it remains a typical yearly update packed with standout features and quality-of-life improvements.

If you’re wondering what changed from macOS Sequoia to Tahoe, this guide breaks down all the upgrades—what’s new, what’s improved, and what’s gone.

1. Spotlight Is Now More Than Just Search

Spotlight has always been about opening files, apps, and settings. It could also solve a few math problems—but that was pretty much it. In Tahoe, it gets a complete upgrade. It now acts more like an action launcher:

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Run system actions like creating new notes, setting timers, sending emails, or triggering custom Siri Shortcuts
Access your clipboard history right inside Spotlight—a long-requested feature finally delivered
Assign Quick Keys to trigger actions instantly
View a grid of all your installed apps (Spotlight replaced Launchpad)

It works more like Alfred or Raycast—but fully integrated into macOS.

2. The macOS UI Now Feels Closer to Your iPhone

Apple introduced a new design called Liquid Glass, which unifies the design language across all its operating systems—from iPhone and iPad to Apple Watch, Mac, and even Vision Pro.

UI elements now have a translucent, glass-like appearance. The Control Center, Dock, folders, and even the Lock Screen clock resemble what you see on an iPhone.

Visually, this is the biggest design shift since Big Sur. And for the first time, your iPhone and Mac truly feel like they belong to the same ecosystem. That won’t be the case if you’re still on Sequoia.

3. Shortcuts Are Now Smarter with AI

In Sequoia, Shortcuts were powerful—but they’ve now leveled up with built-in Apple Intelligence in Tahoe:

You can ask AI to summarize text, rewrite content, or generate images inside a Shortcut
It works offline using Apple’s on-device models or can connect to ChatGPT for more complex stuff

For example, when you save a file in the “Meeting Notes” folder, a Shortcut can read it, summarize the content using Apple Intelligence, and create a new note for you.

Or every morning at 8 AM, a Shortcut can grab headlines from your favorite news sites, summarize them, and send you a quick digest via Mail or Messages.

The possibilities are endless. This is something Sequoia simply couldn’t do.

4. Control Center Is Finally Yours to Customize

In Sequoia, the Control Center was static. You couldn’t remove toggles like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and you cannot add much except for a few options, such as Accessibility Settings.

In Tahoe, Control Center is fully customizable:

Add or remove any control
Reorder them
Create multiple pages (e.g., one for smart home, one for productivity)
Even include third-party toggles like Zoom or Spotify

Beyond that, you can now add controls for Window tiling options, Screenshot tools, Shortcuts, Keyboard brightness, etc, which were not possible before.

This mirrors the iOS 18 overhaul, giving your Mac much-needed customization power.

5. Gaming Finally Gets a Seat at the Table

Gaming on a Mac has always been an afterthought. But Tahoe pushes it forward in a big way:

The new Apple Games app puts all your games in one place, showing your library, progress, and game suggestions.
Game Overlay lets you open a floating panel while playing to change settings, chat with friends, or invite them to join without leaving your game.
Low Power Mode helps save battery while gaming on a MacBook, allowing you to play for longer without needing to plug in.
Metal 4 enhances graphics with improved lighting and smoother frame rates, making supported games appear significantly better.

None of these gaming features were available in Sequoia. Tahoe doesn’t make your Mac a gaming beast—but it finally makes gaming on Mac worth taking seriously.

6. A Real Phone App for Real Calls

You could always answer phone calls on your Mac—but not much more. In Tahoe, there’s a full Phone app, just like on iPhone. So you can:

Make and receive regular phone calls
Access call history, voicemail, and favorites
Use Call Screening and Hold Assist to save time and dodge spam

It’s a huge quality-of-life improvement, especially for people who work on Mac all day.

7. Live Activities Come to macOS

Remember the small widgets on your iPhone Lock Screen that show delivery updates or live scores? They’re called Live Activities, and they’re now available on Mac.

Live Activities appear in the Mac menu bar. When you click one, it opens in iPhone Mirroring to show more details. So even if your phone is across the room, you can still track your deliveries, cab rides, or sports scores—right from your Mac.

8. Messages, Photos, Safari — All Got an Upgrade

A lot of small upgrades make daily use better:

Messages gets backgrounds, polls, and better group chat features
Safari now tints toolbars with webpage colors and improves scrolling depth
Photos adds better collection controls and sidebar consistency with iPad
Journal finally comes to Mac, letting you sync notes and memories across devices
Apple Music now lets you pin your favorite albums, artists, playlists, songs, etc., at the top
Notes app lets you export in Markdown format.
Podcasts allow custom playback speeds beyond 2x.
Reminders auto-categorize similar tasks.
In Clock, you can change the Snooze duration of alarms.
The Preview app features a fresh look, offering quick access to markup and a recent files screen.

9. Apple Intelligence Is Still a Work in Progress

Tahoe expands AI features on the Mac with tools like Live Translations, which can translate messages, phone calls, and FaceTime in real time. Image Playground now creates better images and allows you to combine multiple emojis into Genmoji. However, beyond that, the overall Apple Intelligence experience remains largely unchanged. Even Siri hasn’t received its major update yet—it’s expected sometime in 2026.

Apple is laying the foundation, but the full picture isn’t here yet.

10. Other Features That Tahoe Offers and Sequoia Doesn’t

Option to tint app icons, show them in dark mode, or make them translucent.
Folder icons can now be recolored and customized with emojis or symbols.
Automations in the Shortcuts app now support conditions like Wi-Fi connection or charger plug-in.
Mac-specific automation triggers, such as connecting an external monitor or drive.
System-wide Reader Mode works outside Safari, like in Word or PDFs.
Driving Motion Cues reduce motion sickness while using a Mac on the go.
Eight new background sounds, including train, airplane, and boat, for focus and sleep.

Who Should Upgrade—and Who Might Not

If you like the new Liquid Glass design, there’s no reason not to upgrade to Tahoe. You also get a better Spotlight, improved gaming features, a new Phone app, and tons of other small but useful upgrades across the OS. Plus, your Mac now looks and feels more like your iPhone.

If you’re not a fan of the Liquid Glass look, you can still upgrade and tone it down by reducing transparency. That way, you get all the new features without the new visual style. But if none of the features excite you, it’s totally fine to stay on Sequoia.

Either way, it might be smart to wait for the stable release this fall. But if you like to try things early, you can jump into Tahoe right now.

Apple Silicon Only: No More Intel Macs

This is the first macOS version that doesn’t support Intel Macs. Only Macs with M1 chips or newer are eligible. If you’re using an older device, you’re stuck on Sequoia. Apple is closing the chapter on Intel. macOS, going forward, is built for Apple Silicon first.

macOS Tahoe doesn’t reinvent the Mac, but it tightens everything up. From a cleaner design to smarter automation and deeper iPhone integration, it’s the most cohesive macOS yet. If you’re on Apple Silicon, this update makes your Mac feel more modern, more connected, and finally, just a bit more fun.

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