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Apple Ends Support for Intel Macs With macOS 27 Golden Gate

The release signals a firm deadline for Intel-only apps by removing full Rosetta 2 translation after macOS 27 and forcing migrations or workarounds.

Overview

  • macOS 27 Golden Gate entered developer beta in June 2026 and is the final macOS to ship with full Rosetta 2, which Apple says will be removed as a general-purpose translator in the next major release.
  • Golden Gate runs only on Apple silicon and adds a new System Settings Intel‑based Apps panel that lists apps opened in the past year and warns that Intel apps will not open in macOS 28.
  • The update will automatically uninstall Rosetta 2 for users upgrading from macOS 26 Tahoe, requiring anyone who still needs Intel translation to reinstall Rosetta or remain on macOS 27.
  • Most mainstream apps have been rebuilt for Apple silicon since 2020, but specialized, legacy, and some enterprise Intel‑only software will need native updates or replacement to keep working.
  • Apple began the transition in 2020 and shipped its last Intel Mac in 2023; the company will keep a narrow Rosetta subset for older, unmaintained games and plans a public beta next month with a full release expected in September 2026.