Apple confirmed that the upcoming macOS 27 "Golden Gate" release will be limited to Macs equipped with Apple Silicon, starting with the original M1 chip introduced in late‑2020. This marks the final macOS version that will run on Intel‑based Macs, ending native support for those machines.
Intel Macs currently on macOS 26 "Tahoe" can expect security and Safari updates for roughly two more years, while devices on macOS 15 "Sequoia" will receive another year of patches. Apple’s Rosetta 2 translation layer will still allow Intel apps to run on macOS 27, but future releases are slated to curtail its use, primarily preserving compatibility for older games that still rely on Intel code.
Owners of late‑model Intel Macs from 2019‑2020 will soon lose the ability to upgrade to the latest OS, unless they resort to third‑party tools such as OpenCore Legacy Patcher, which have already extended the lifespan of unsupported hardware. The practical outcome is a push for users to transition to M1 or later Apple Silicon devices to stay current with security and feature updates.
