macOS 27 Golden Gate: What’s New and Which Macs Can Run It

Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate on 14 September 2026. The biggest change is Siri AI inside Spotlight, and the biggest catch is that it only runs on Macs with Apple silicon. This guide covers what is new, which Macs can run it and how to upgrade. It is part of our WWDC 2026 coverage.

Which Macs can run it

macOS 27 is compatible with Macs that use Apple silicon, including supported M-series and A-series models. Compatible models include:

macOS 27 supports MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with Apple silicon from 2020 onwards, MacBook Neo, the 24-inch iMac from 2021 onwards, Mac mini from 2020 onwards, Mac Studio from 2022 onwards and Mac Pro from 2023.

No Intel Mac is on the list. To check yours, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu and look at the chip. If your Mac is not compatible, you might be able to install an earlier version of macOS instead. If you are planning a replacement, our Mac Support & Setup service can help you choose and set one up.

Siri AI on the Mac

Siri AI is Apple’s rebuilt Siri, and on the Mac it is built into Spotlight. When you search, you can choose Ask Siri as the top result. It can draw on your messages, email, photos and notes to find what you need, take actions in apps such as Messages, Music and Reminders, and answer questions using information from the web.

A dedicated Siri app keeps your conversations in one place and syncs them across your Apple devices through iCloud. You can pin conversations to find them again. Siri can also help you write almost anywhere you type, and in Messages and Mail it can match your writing style and tone.

Siri AI is a beta, it starts in English and it needs Apple silicon. You turn it on in Settings. Our Siri AI guide explains the limits and how Apple says it handles your data.

Visual Intelligence by screenshot

With Visual Intelligence, you can select a window of your screen and ask Siri about it or take action, such as adding an event to your calendar. The keyboard shortcut is Shift-Command-Space bar. You can also take a screenshot of an image or a PDF and ask for answers or a search.

For work, that makes it quicker to pull the key dates out of a document, or to ask what a long PDF says without reading it all first. Check the answers before you rely on them.

Photos, Safari and Shortcuts

The Photos app gains Spatial Reframing, which lets you change the framing of a photo after you have taken it, and Extend, which expands a shot beyond its original edges. Clean Up has been improved to remove distractions more convincingly, even in complicated scenes.

Safari can group your tabs into topics automatically. Notify Me watches a page and alerts you to changes such as price drops or restocks, and Describe an Extension lets you create a simple extension by describing it. In Shortcuts, Describe a Shortcut assembles the steps for you from a plain description.

Design and search

Apple has updated Liquid Glass to improve readability, and a new slider lets you choose how it looks, from ultra clear to fully tinted. Toolbars are more uniform, sidebars run edge to edge and app icons carry more detail. Search in Spotlight and Mail has also been improved.

Parental controls on the Mac

macOS 27 includes the new parental controls, with Ask to Browse, Time Allowances and Schedules. Our guide to setting up parental controls on the Mac shows how.

What it means for a business

The main questions are compatibility and timing. First, find out how many of your Macs have Apple silicon. Any Intel Mac stays on an earlier version of macOS, so plan its replacement.

Second, confirm that your essential work software supports macOS 27 before you update. If the answer is not clear in the app, ask the supplier. Third, update one Mac first and use it for a day or two before you roll it out to the rest of the team. Siri AI is a beta with usage limits, so treat it as a useful extra rather than something your workflow depends on.

How to upgrade

Choose Apple menu, then System Settings, click General, then click Software Update. You can also search for Software Update in Spotlight. Back up first. Back up before any macOS upgrade; our guide to backing up your Mac with Time Machine and a NAS explains how. Our checklist before you update covers the rest.

Need a hand?

If you would like help checking compatibility or preparing your Macs, contact Your Mac Tech.