macOS · Compatibility
Is My Mac Getting macOS 27?
If your Mac has an Apple silicon chip — any M1, M2, M3 or M4-family processor — then yes, it is getting macOS 27. If it has an Intel chip, it is not. macOS 27 Golden Gate is the first version of macOS that runs only on Apple silicon, so the whole compatibility question comes down to a single thing: which kind of chip is inside your Mac.
That makes this the simplest macOS compatibility check in years. There is no long list of qualifying model numbers to squint at and no borderline cases — the line runs cleanly between Apple silicon and Intel. Below we explain how to check your chip in seconds, which Macs qualify, and what happens to the Intel machines that are left behind. For the wider picture of features and timing, see our macOS 27 explainer.
macOS 27 needs Apple silicon (an M-series chip). Apple M1, M2, M3, M4 or later → you're getting it. Intel Core processor → you're not, and your Mac stays on macOS 26 Tahoe. Everything else on this page just helps you confirm which one you have.
How to check your Mac's chip
You do not need to know your Mac's exact model or year — you only need to know whether it is Apple silicon or Intel. Here is how to find out in a few seconds:
- Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Choose About This Mac — the macOS User Guide gives this as the way to see basic information about your Mac.
- Look at the chip information in the window that appears:
- A Chip line naming Apple M1, M2, M3, M4 (or a Pro, Max or Ultra version of those) means you have an Apple silicon Mac — it is getting macOS 27.
- A Processor line naming an Intel Core chip means you have an Intel Mac — it is not getting macOS 27 and stays on macOS 26 Tahoe.
That single line is the whole test. Once you know which chip family your Mac uses, the table below tells you where it stands.
macOS 27 compatibility at a glance
Every Apple silicon Mac Apple has shipped — across the M1, M2, M3 and M4 generations — is on the supported side of the line. Here is how the chip families map to the Mac line-up:
| Chip family | Representative Macs | Gets macOS 27? |
|---|---|---|
| Apple M1 (incl. M1 Pro / Max / Ultra) | MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio | Yes |
| Apple M2 (incl. M2 Pro / Max / Ultra) | MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro | Yes |
| Apple M3 (incl. M3 Pro / Max / Ultra) | MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Studio | Yes |
| Apple M4 (incl. M4 Pro / Max) | MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini | Yes |
| Intel (any Core processor) | All Intel-based Macs, including the last few Tahoe supported | No — stays on macOS 26 Tahoe |
Representative models only — every Mac in each Apple silicon generation qualifies, not just those listed.
Which Macs qualify
Because the requirement is simply "Apple silicon", macOS 27 covers the entire Apple silicon era of every Mac line:
- MacBook Air — every Apple silicon model, starting with the M1 version.
- MacBook Pro — every Apple silicon model, from the M1 generation onward.
- iMac — the Apple silicon iMac and its later M-series revisions.
- Mac mini — every Apple silicon Mac mini.
- Mac Studio — all models, which have been Apple silicon from the start.
- Mac Pro — the Apple silicon Mac Pro (the M-series tower), but not the Intel Mac Pro.
If your Mac is on that list — and About This Mac shows an M-series chip — you are getting macOS 27 Golden Gate. When it is time to install, our guide on how to prepare your Mac for macOS 27 walks through backing up and updating first.
Worth underlining: even the earliest Apple silicon Macs qualify. The original M1 machines that launched the transition are still on the supported list for macOS 27, so an M1 MacBook Air or Mac mini from the start of the Apple silicon era gets Golden Gate right alongside the newest M4 models. Some of the most demanding Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features may lean on newer chips or more memory, but the core operating system upgrade is offered across the whole Apple silicon range.
Which Macs are left on macOS 26 Tahoe
Every Intel Mac stops at macOS 26 Tahoe. Apple announced Tahoe as the last version of macOS to support Intel hardware, and Golden Gate makes good on that by dropping Intel entirely — there is no Intel build of macOS 27 at all.
The Intel machines being left behind are the handful that Tahoe still supported. These are reported to be the 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019), the 13-inch MacBook Pro (2020, four Thunderbolt 3 ports), the 27-inch iMac (2020) and the Mac Pro (2019). Older Intel Macs that were already capped below Tahoe are, of course, also excluded.
If your Mac is one of these — or any other Intel model — it is not a fault and nothing is broken. Your Mac keeps working exactly as it does today; it simply stays on macOS 26 Tahoe. Keep it current with macOS updates for as long as Apple issues security patches, and keep a Time Machine backup running — Apple's guide to backing up files with Time Machine recommends backing up to a location other than the internal disk, such as an external hard disk or a disk on your network.
The reason widely cited is Apple's on-device AI. The new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features in macOS 27 rely on the Neural Engine built into Apple silicon — hardware Intel chips do not have. Rather than ship a half-capable version for Intel, Apple has made Apple silicon the baseline for the whole operating system.
What to do next
Once you know where your Mac stands, the next step follows naturally:
- Apple silicon Mac? You're getting macOS 27. There's no rush — stay on the latest macOS 26 Tahoe update now, then move to Golden Gate after it ships this autumn. Our preparation checklist covers the details.
- Intel Mac? Keep Tahoe updated and backed up, and plan your next machine around Apple silicon. If you're weighing a Mac against a PC for that next purchase, our Mac vs Windows 11 guide lays out who each platform suits.
Frequently asked
How do I know if my Mac is getting macOS 27?
Check whether your Mac uses an Apple silicon chip. Choose Apple menu then About This Mac and read the Chip line. If it names an Apple M1, M2, M3, M4 or later chip, your Mac is getting macOS 27 Golden Gate. If it names an Intel Core processor, your Mac is not getting macOS 27 and stays on macOS 26 Tahoe, because Golden Gate is the first Apple-silicon-only release.
Which Macs are compatible with macOS 27?
Every Apple silicon Mac is compatible: the Apple silicon MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, the Apple silicon iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio and the Apple silicon Mac Pro. In chip terms that means any Mac with an M1, M2, M3 or M4-family processor, including the Pro, Max and Ultra variants. No Intel Mac is compatible, whatever its age or specification.
Why is macOS 27 Apple silicon only?
macOS 26 Tahoe was announced as the last version of macOS to support Intel Macs, and macOS 27 Golden Gate completes that transition by dropping Intel entirely. The reason widely cited is Apple's on-device AI: features such as the new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence lean on the Neural Engine that Apple silicon has and Intel chips do not, so Apple has made Apple silicon the baseline for the whole operating system.
My Mac is Intel — what macOS can it run?
An Intel Mac can run macOS 26 Tahoe, which Apple confirmed as the final release to support Intel hardware, but it cannot install macOS 27. Keep Tahoe updated for as long as Apple issues security patches. Your Intel Mac still works normally; it simply stops at macOS 26 rather than moving forward to Golden Gate.
How can I tell if my Mac has an Apple silicon or Intel chip?
Choose Apple menu then About This Mac. On Apple silicon Macs you will see a Chip line naming an Apple M-series processor, such as Apple M1, M2, M3 or M4. On Intel Macs you will instead see a Processor line naming an Intel Core chip. That single line tells you which side of the macOS 27 cut-off your Mac falls on.
Read the full macOS 27 explainer, get ready with our preparation checklist, or browse all macOS guides on Windows Now.