Upgrading macOS doesn’t always go as planned. A new release might slow down your Mac, break essential apps, introduce bugs, or simply change features you rely on. If you’re wishing you could go back to the version you had before, the good news is that you can downgrade macOS.

While reverting a macOS update is generally easier than downgrading an iOS update, it’s not as simple as installing macOS. It is a multi-step process that typically requires wiping your Mac’s internal drive, as Apple does not allow installing an older version of the operating system directly over a newer one.

Because you need to erase your Mac’s internal drive before you can reinstall an older version of the operating system, your data must be backed up first. The exact process depends on whether you created a backup before upgrading macOS.

In this guide, we run through the safest way to revert to an earlier version of macOS, explain what works (and what doesn’t), and help you choose the best method for your situation.

Note: macOS 27 Golden Gate runs only on Macs with Apple silicon, so the main Golden Gate-to-Tahoe instructions in this article are for Apple-silicon Macs. We cover older Intel Macs separately below for readers using this guide to downgrade an earlier version of macOS.

What to do if the older macOS won’t install

Check the following:

• Confirm that the Mac model supports the version you are installing.
• Confirm that the full installer is in the Applications folder and is named correctly before creating the USB installer.
• Connect the installer directly rather than through a hub or dock.
• Make sure the Mac is connected to the internet.
• Re-create the installer if Terminal says it is invalid or the installation fails repeatedly.
• Confirm that the internal startup volume was erased as APFS.

Installing macOS 27 may also update the Mac’s firmware. Installing Tahoe later does not necessarily roll that firmware back; a macOS downgrade and a firmware downgrade are not the same operation.

Tips to avoid problems and data loss when you downgrade macOS

Reversing an upgrade carries a number of wrinkles and pitfalls. Many are caused by changes in file formats and settings between versions of the operating system. If you create a document or work on a file in a newer version of macOS and then try to open it in an older version, it may not work.

Where possible, export important documents in standard or widely compatible formats before erasing the Mac. For example, you could export a document as RTF or PDF in addition to retaining its native version.

Take screenshots of preferences and settings

Whenever you perform a clean installation of macOS, it’s a good idea to take screenshots of custom settings in apps and System Settings. That makes it easier to re-create them later.

Make a note of account details for anything you set up while running the newer operating system. Export bookmarks if they are not synchronized, and make sure you have access to application installers, subscriptions and license codes.

Synchronize cloud services

If you use Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive or another cloud storage service, make sure synchronization has completed before starting the downgrade. Files visible in a synchronized folder may not have finished uploading.

If you use Gmail, iCloud Mail or another IMAP service, make sure recent mail and drafts have synchronized. If you use a POP3 account, manually back up locally stored mail before erasing the Mac.

Finally, keep the Golden Gate backup intact until you have confirmed that Tahoe starts correctly and that all essential documents have been recovered. Do not erase or repurpose the backup drive merely because the downgrade appears to have completed.

Downgrading an older Intel Mac

Golden Gate does not support Intel Macs. These instructions are for if you want to downgrade an earlier macOS release on an Intel Mac.

Intel Macs start from a bootable installer by holding Option (Alt) at startup. Macs with the Apple T2 Security Chip may also need Startup Security Utility configured to allow booting from external or removable media. See our bootable macOS installer guide for the complete Apple-silicon, Intel and T2 instructions.

An Intel Mac may also be able to use Internet Recovery. Start it while holding:

• Shift-Option-Command-R to offer the macOS that came with the Mac, or the closest version still available.
• Option-Command-R to offer the latest macOS compatible with the Mac.
• Command-R to reinstall the current version.

Internet Recovery cannot install a version older than the one the Mac supports, and the exact version offered can vary.

iOS 27 is Apple’s best update in years. It fixes nearly every issue we had with iOS 26: It’s faster, cleaner, and more responsive, and the new Siri AI is actually useful. But there’s one new feature that’s driving me crazy.

For as long as I can remember, two things have been constant on my iPhone: Swiping down from the middle of the screen brings up Spotlight search, and swiping down from the middle of the top edge of the phone reveals the Notification Center. I use both regularly, as I’m sure many iPhone users do.

I’ve developed such muscle memory that I don’t think about either gesture. When I want to read or clear a notification, my finger goes to the top of the screen just above the Dynamic Island and swipes down. When I want to search for an app, I swipe from the middle of the Home Screen. It’s simple, smart, and intuitive.

Except now it’s changed. In iOS 27, swiping down on the Home Screen still brings up Search, except instead of a simple Spotlight search field, it now shows a “Search or Ask” card as part of Siri AI. It’s just a bit slower than the previous Spotlight search, a bit cluttered, and overly animated.

I don’t love it, and I’ve taken to swiping left to use the App Library more to get to apps that aren’t on my main Home Screen. It’s annoying but not a big deal. Most people will get used to it pretty quickly.

Siri’s new home at the top of the screen is far more aggravating. Ever since Apple moved the Control Center to the top of the screen in iOS 11, my fingers have instinctively known to go to the middle of the screen to access the Notification Center. In iOS 27, that now brings up the Siri search bar. Dozens of times a week.

I’ve been using iOS 27 for a couple of months throughout the public beta process, and my fingers still haven’t adjusted. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve accidentally ended up in Siri’s search bar instead of my notifications. Apple even added a little line under the clock to show where to swipe, and I still miss it most of the time.

I don’t know why Apple changed it to begin with. Users already know that you can swipe down anywhere on the Home screen to search, so why does it need to live at the top of the screen too?

TL;DR: Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows runs inside Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or Boot Camp on a Mac without a second Microsoft 365 subscription, and a lifetime license is on sale for $54.99 (reg. $249.99).

There’s a cheap way to get Microsoft Office running on the Windows side of a Mac, and it doesn’t involve paying for a second Microsoft 365 subscription on top of whatever the Mac already runs. Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows installs once inside Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or a Boot Camp partition, and a lifetime license for one PC, virtual or physical, is on sale for $54.99 (reg. $249.99).

Running Windows through Parallels or Boot Camp already means keeping two operating systems working side by side, and adding a subscription-based Office on top of that turns one Mac into two ongoing software bills.

A one-time license keeps the cost fixed no matter how long the Windows partition stays in use, which matters for anyone who only opens Windows a few times a month for a specific app or workflow.

What’s included with the Windows license

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• Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access all activate with the license and run natively within the Windows installation, just as they would on a Windows-native machine.
• Dark mode carries over from the subscription version of Office.
• Excel and Access include the same data analysis and database management tools found in Microsoft 365, useful for budgets or spreadsheets built on the Windows side of the Mac.
• Licensing is tied to the Windows PC or VM itself rather than to a Microsoft account, so the license stays in place after a macOS update, a Parallels upgrade, or a fresh Boot Camp partition.
• Redemption happens within 7 days of purchase, with the license key and download link arriving by email.
• Security patches continue for as long as Microsoft supports the release.

Get Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows on sale for $54.99.

Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows: Lifetime LicenseSee Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Apple has announced that paying iCloud+ subscribers now have access to Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and curated Apple Music stations as well as the cloud storage they originally signed up for. But this applies in certain countries only, and the list doesn’t include the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.

The upgrade covers every paid tier, all the way down to 50GB, and Apple insists there’s no extra cost for the additional services. Wherever the new offer is available, the company will stop selling standalone subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Arcade, and any existing standalone subscriptions will be cancelled and moved to iCloud+. It isn’t entirely clear how the transition will be handled but Apple says those affected “will continue to have uninterrupted access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade through their iCloud+ subscription.”

The TV and Arcade elements are straightforward: paying iCloud+ subscribers gain access to these exactly as if they had a standalone subscription. But the Apple Music feature requires a little more explanation:

“With an iCloud+ subscription, [users] will also have access to Apple Music Select, a collection of ad-free stations programmed by Apple Music for lean-back listening, offering a wide range of regionally relevant music to enjoy, as well as Top Songs, 80s, 90s, and more,” says Apple. “Apple Music Select stations are available in the Home tab of the Apple Music app.”

But it’s important to note that Apple Music itself is not included, although there is a discount for those who wish to add it to their portfolio.

A press release for the move can be found on individual Apple country pages. There are more than 100 such countries, but (without wishing to be too Euro-centric) the list may strike Macworld readers more for what’s not on it. Aside from the names above, the larger European nations all miss out: there’s no Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Denmark, Norway or Sweden.

But the new offer does include the most populous country in the world, and some Indian customers have been debating its merits as compared to the larger Apple One bundle, which is being phased out in countries which get the expanded iCloud+ offering. Apple One is still officially listed on Apple’s India site at 195 rupees per month for the individual package, which includes Apple Music as well as iCloud+, TV, and Arcade. The cheapest 50GB iCloud+ subscription, by contrast, costs 75 rupees per month, so customers can add a full Music subscription for the discounted price of 115 rupees (revealed on the Indian press release) and still come out slightly ahead.

iCloud+ is effectively replacing Apple One, in other words, at a fractionally better price and with the option of leaving out Apple Music (and replacing it with Apple Music Select). Of course, that doesn’t mean Apple can’t use the additional services to justify putting up the price further down the line.

Apple says the upgraded offering will roll out in the 100+ included countries “through the end of September.” It isn’t clear when the offer will appear in the U.S. and other excluded countries, or if it will at all.

Apple Watch owners hoping to upgrade to watchOS 27 could be in for disappointment.

Apple released watchOS 27 on September 14, bringing Siri AI, a new tap gesture for selecting widgets in the Smart Stack, a dynamic app grid and design refinements throughout the system. But a significant number of Apple Watches that could run watchOS 26 have been left behind.

watchOS 27 drops support for the Apple Watch SE 2, Series 6, Series 7, Series 8 and the original Apple Watch Ultra. That means the oldest supported models are now the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, both released in 2023.

The limited support perhaps shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. During the WWDC keynote in June, Craig Federighi barely mentioned watchOS, with the first significant Apple Watch announcement arriving nearly an hour into the presentation.

According to Apple, watchOS 27 is compatible with the following models:

• Apple Watch SE 3
• Apple Watch Series 9
• Apple Watch Series 10
• Apple Watch Series 11
• Apple Watch Series 12
• Apple Watch Ultra 2
• Apple Watch Ultra 3
• Apple Watch Ultra 4

Initially, the Apple Watch Series 9 was absent from the compatibility list on Apple’s website, but we were later able to confirm that it is supported by watchOS 27.

The new cutoff leaves behind several watches that were supported by watchOS 26, including:

• Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
• Apple Watch Series 6
• Apple Watch Series 7
• Apple Watch Series 8
• Apple Watch Ultra

It’s not clear why Apple has made such a sharp cut, but the dividing line broadly corresponds with the S9 generation, introduced with the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The S9 brought a new 4-core Neural Engine capable of processing machine-learning tasks up to twice as fast as the S8, giving Apple considerably more headroom for features such as Siri AI.

The Apple Watch SE 3 is the exception to that simple S9 cutoff, however, so processor requirements may not be the whole story.

Either way, plenty of Apple Watch owners will be disappointed to find that relatively recent devices can’t install Apple’s latest software. And, naturally, Apple will be happy to sell them a new Apple Watch Series 12.

If you’ve been waiting for a good moment to grab a MacBook Air, this is the sale you want. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air is down to $1,449 at Amazon right now, a savings of $150 off its usual $1,599. It’s not the best price we’ve ever seen, but it’s the lowest we’ve seen since Apple raised prices in June.

The best part about this laptop is that it’s fast. The M5 chip is the best you can get at this price point, and the 16GB of memory will make everything run smoothly. From launching apps in a blink to switching between them with ease, this laptop can help you handle your daily projects without issue. For anyone juggling work, school, and hobbies on a single device, the MacBook’s responsiveness will keep you going. The M5 chip is also perfectly capable of handling Apple Intelligence tasks, so you can use that to write, summarize, and generally get things done faster. Whether you want to polish up an email or some other task for work, this can do that easily.

Battery life is also stellar because you get a super slim laptop that can survive for 18 hours on a single charge. It will comfortably cover a full day of work or classes without having to panic if you forgot the charger, and that’s amazing.

Of course, the screen is amazing, too. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is vibrant and fast, so photos and videos look rich and lifelike, while text stays razor-sharp. For all the video calls that fill a normal week, the 12MP Center Stage camera keeps you centered in frame automatically, which is amazing if you tend to move around a lot.

For $1,449, this is an easy pick if you want a fast, gorgeous, all-day laptop that plays perfectly with the rest of your Apple gear.

Since the launch of the original iPhone in 2007, Apple has released dozens of versions of iOS, introducing new features, design changes, performance improvements, security updates and more. From the early days of iPhone OS through landmark releases such as iOS 7, iOS 14 and the current iOS 27, each version has changed the way we use the iPhone.

Whether you’re trying to identify the version running on your iPhone, check compatibility before upgrading, or find out which releases are still supported, this guide covers every version of iPhone OS and iOS in chronological order – from the original iPhone OS 1 to iOS 27.

Discover the major features introduced with each release, from the App Store and copy and paste to widgets, Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI introduced with iOS 27.

Below, you’ll find a complete list of iOS versions in order, along with release dates, key features, compatibility and support information.

List of iOS versions and latest versions

Here’s a breakdown of all the versions of iOS that have been released, when they were released, when they were last updated, and the latest iOS version.

OS version	Release date	Latest version	Latest update date
iPhone OS 1	June 29, 2007	iOS 1.1.5	July 15, 2008
iPhone OS 2	July 11, 2008	iOS 2.2.1	January 27, 2009
iPhone OS 3	June 17, 2009	iOS 3.2.2	August 11, 2010
iOS 4	June 22, 2010	iOS 4.3.5	July 25, 2011
iOS 5	October 12, 2011	iOS 5.1.1	May 7, 2012
iOS 6	September 19, 2012	iOS 6.1.6	February 21, 2014
iOS 7	September 18, 2013	iOS 7.1.2	June 30, 2014
iOS 8	September 17, 2014	iOS 8.4.1	August 13, 2015
iOS 9	September 16, 2015	iOS 9.3.6	July 22, 2019
iOS 10	September 13, 2016	iOS 10.3.4	July 22, 2019
iOS 11	September 19, 2017	iOS 11.4.1	July 9, 2018
iOS 12	September 17, 2018	iOS 12.5.8	January 26, 2026
iOS 13	September 19, 2019	iOS 13.7	September 1, 2020
iOS 14	September 17, 2020	iOS 14.8.1	October 26, 2021
iOS 15	September 24, 2021	iOS 15.8.8	May 11, 2026
iOS 16	September 12, 2022	iOS 16.7.16	May 11, 2026
iOS 17	September 18, 2023	iOS 17.7.11	May 11, 2026
iOS 18	September 16, 2024	18.7.10	August 17, 2026
iOS 26	September 15, 2025	iOS 26.7	September 14, 2026
iOS 27	September 14, 2026	iOS 27	September 14, 2026

So, there it is. A potted history of iOS. Want to know about all the versions of macOS? Read: Mac OS X and macOS: Every version released so far. You can also find out what the latest version of macOS is.

Since the debut of Mac OS X in 2001, Apple has released dozens of versions of its Mac operating system, introducing new features, design updates, performance improvements, and more. From early big-cat releases such as Panther and Leopard to more recent California-inspired versions like Sonoma, Sequoia, Tahoe and Golden Gate, each release marked a new chapter in the Mac’s evolution.

Whether you’re trying to identify the version running on your Mac, check compatibility before upgrading, or find out which releases are still supported, this guide covers every Mac OS X and macOS version in chronological order – from the original Mac OS X Cheetah to macOS 27 Golden Gate.

Discover the major features introduced with each release, including Spotlight in Tiger, Time Machine in Leopard, Siri in Sierra and and the enhanced Spotlight search introduced in macOS 27 Golden Gate.

Below, you’ll find a complete list of macOS versions in order, along with release dates, codenames, key details and support information.

List of macOS versions and latest versions

Here’s an overview of every version of macOS and Mac OS X Apple has released. You’ll find a complete list of each version of OS X and macOS, along version code names, internal code names (if available) and the most recent version and when it was released.

Product version	Code name	Date of launch	Date of launch	Last update date
OS X 10 beta	Kodiak	September 13, 2000	—	—
OS X 10.0	Cheetah	March 14, 2001	10.0.4	June 22, 2001
OS X 10.1	Puma	September 15, 2001	10.1.5	June 6, 2002
OS X 10.2	Jaguar	August 14, 2002	10.2.8	October 3, 2003
OS X 10.3	Panther (Pinot)	October 24, 2003	10.3.9	April 15, 2005
OS X 10.4	Tiger (Merlot)	April 29, 2005	10.4.11	November 14, 2007
OS X 10.5	Leopard (Chablis)	October 26, 2007	10.5.8	August 13, 2009
OS X 10.6	Snow Leopard	August 28, 2009	10.6.8	July 25, 2011
OS X 10.7	Lion (Barolo)	July 20, 2011	10.7.5	October 4, 2012
OS X 10.8	Mountain Lion (Zinfandel)	July 25, 2012	10.8.5	August 13, 2015
OS X 10.9	Mavericks (Cabernet)	October 22, 2013	10.9.5	July 18, 2016
OS X 10.10	Yosemite (Syrah)	October 16, 2014	10.10.5	July 19, 2017
OS X 10.11	El Capitan (Gala)	September 30, 2015	10.11.6	July 9, 2018
macOS 10.12	Sierra (Fuji)	September 20, 2016	10.12.6	September 26, 2019
macOS 10.13	High Sierra (Lobo)	September 25, 2017	10.13.6	November 12, 2020
macOS 10.14	Mojave (Liberty)	September 24, 2018	10.14.6	July 21, 2021
macOS 10.15	Catalina (Jazz)	October 7, 2019	10.15.8	February 2, 2026
macOS 11	Big Sur (GoldenGate)	November 12, 2020	11.7.11	February 2, 2026
macOS 12	Monterey (Star)	October 25, 2021	12.7.6	July 29, 2024
macOS 13	Ventura (Rome)	October 24, 2022	13.7.8	August 20, 2025
macOS 14	Sonoma (Sunburst)	September 26, 2023	14.8.9	August 6, 2026
macOS 15	Sequoia (Glow)	September 18, 2024	15.8	September 14, 2026
macOS 26	Tahoe (Cheer)	September 15, 2025	26.7	September 14, 2026
macOS 27	Golden Gate (Honeycrisp & Fizz)	September 14, 2026	27	September 14, 2026

We also have a list of every version of iOS where you can see the latest versions and how long Apple supports iPhones for.

Even if you’re not getting a new iPhone 18 Pro this week, you can still make your old phone feel new again. iOS 27 is here, and the update brings a slew of new features, including the long-awaited Siri chatbot, along with a slew of AI tools across the system and first-party apps. Those averse to artificial intelligence will still appreciate the other unrelated features, design changes, and performance improvements across the board. Hesitant about updating your iPhone? Below are the top additions you’re missing out on.

Siri’s awakening

Siri AI is the signature feature of iOS 27, baking advanced smarts into the operating system. You get a dedicated app to initiate and store conversations with the chatbot, with support for extensions like ChatGPT. Unlike third-party AI chatbots, however, Siri AI’s responses aren’t limited to world knowledge and web results only.

Thanks to Apple’s deep implementation, Siri AI can access data stored on your iPhone and respond accordingly. So, it can dig through and reference old emails, iMessages, photos, calendar events, notes, and much more. It can also analyze what’s currently visible on your screen and take action inside apps. It’s truly an all-encompassing AI assistant that other providers can’t natively replicate on iOS.

Other Siri AI perks include assistance with composing text; the chatbot can proofread, rewrite, adjust the tone, and even write from scratch in any text box if you prompt it to do so. Apps like Apple Mail and Messages also offer smart replies that adapt to your typing style and the ongoing conversation.

It’s worth noting that you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, and accessing Siri AI may require getting past a potentially lengthy waitlist in the Settings app. But it’ll be worth it.

AI changes the image

iOS 27’s AI introductions extend beyond the revamped Siri. The built-in Photos app now offers a trio of AI-powered editing tools—two of which are completely new. The existing Clean Up feature now offers an advanced mode that consumes more time and energy, allowing you to conceal more complex objects. Meanwhile, the Extend perk is essentially the opposite of cropping, letting you generate relevant content outside the original photo’s frame. You also get the Reframe option, which tweaks the angle of the shot using AI.

I’ve stress tested all three of them, and they generally work reliably. Like most AI features, however, they may hallucinate and generate unpredictable results from time to time. Do note that using any of these tools will add an AI label to the photo’s metadata—regardless of how subtle your edits are—and platforms like Instagram will add an AI disclaimer accordingly. Like Siri AI, you’ll need at least an iPhone 15 Pro to take advantage of these new Photo features.

Taming the wild web

Safari on iOS 27 similarly adds three new core AI functionalities for the iPhone 15 Pro and later. Notify Me is a simple web crawler that scans selected sites for described changes based on a frequency of your choosing. If you’re anticipating a certain update, for example, you can stop manually refreshing the relevant webpage and Safari will alert you whenever it detects it.

Secondly, Safari can now automatically categorize different tabs based on their topics. You can then save generated tab groups to revisit them later. Otherwise, you can create Safari web extensions on iOS 27 by prompting the AI—sparing you from hunting for niche tools on the App Store.

Shortcuts for the rest of us

Similar to Safari extensions, iOS 27 lets you generate automations and workflows in the Shortcuts app using text prompts. For long, the app had required users to go through a sophisticated building process, barring tech newbies from creating complex shortcuts. Now, anyone can describe the needed tools using natural language, and the AI will pick the correct actions and sequence.

Even more Intelligence

iOS 27’s AI features (again for iPhone 15 Pro and later) can also be encountered in more subtle parts of the system. For example, the Calendar app can now extract event details from a casual text description. Meanwhile, the Phone app will surface useful personal data when relevant calls are made, like reservations and ticket numbers. In Image Playground, you can now generate more realistic images, an upgrade from its predecessor’s ghastly cartoons.

Solid Glass

Finally something for all phones: iOS 27 addresses a common Liquid Glass complaint introduced with last year’s design overhaul. With the latest OS version, you can finally kill the translucency of Liquid Glass and opt for a more opaque look across the system and apps universally. All you have to do is tweak the dedicated slider found under Settings > Appearance > Liquid Glass.

And much more

Other welcome iOS 27 additions include custom pass creation in Wallet, a quick paste keyboard shortcut when copying items, the ability to save high-resolution video frames, redesigned workout summaries, independent alarm volumes, more landscape apps, extra-large widgets, and more. The update also speeds up app launching and AirDrop, extends battery life, fixes leftover bugs, and patches hundreds of security vulnerabilities.

To install it on an iPhone 11 or newer model, go to Settings > General > Software Update > and hit the Install Now button. Agree to the Terms of Service after reading them thoroughly, and keep your iPhone connected to a power source until the installation concludes.

Apple TV continued its triumphant awards season on Monday night, with the offbeat comedy-horror Widow’s Bay reaching a total of 14 Emmy wins for the year. Pluribus and Slow Horses also scored wins this week, adding to Emmy successes for other Apple TV properties such as Mr. Scorsese, Palm Royale, and Margo’s Got Money Troubles earlier in the month.

The Emmys are split into multiple ceremonies. The first section of the 2026 awards, Creative Arts, took place on September 5-6. Widow’s Bay was the most successful show across the two nights with eight wins (from 12 nominations) and added six more (from seven nominations) during the major Primetime awards this week, again making it the most successful entrant. Here are the show’s 14 wins:

Creative Arts awards

• Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (Betty Gilpin as Sarah Westcott Warren)
• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program
• Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
• Outstanding Cinematography for a Series
• Outstanding Music Composition for a Series
• Outstanding Music Supervision
• Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series and Animation
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series and Animation

Primetime (or major) awards

• Outstanding Comedy Series
• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Matthew Rhys as Tom Loftis)
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Stephen Root as Wyck Crawford)
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Kate O’Flynn as Patricia Moyer)
• Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
• Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Everybody else was left in the dirt by Widow’s Bay‘s 14 wins. Its closest rivals were (the superb) DTF St. Louis, The Traitors, and the Super Bowl halftime show, which each scored seven; but none of these managed more than a single major award. Unlike Apple’s show, which collected six of these most prestigious wins.

Those 14 wins also beat any previous Apple TV entrant; The Studio previously held Cupertino’s record with 13 in 2025. And with a total of 29 Emmy wins altogether (if you include the company’s Outstanding Commercial award, which isn’t credited to its streaming arm), Apple as a whole had its most successful year to date, surpassing the 22 it managed last year thanks to the success of The Studio and Severance. Before then, the company never managed more than 10 wins in a single year.

It was also the first Emmy night for new CEO John Ternus, who proudly showed off his iPhone Duo on the red carpet.

Macs are expensive, so it’s understandable that many users want to put off replacing them for as long as possible. But just how long should you expect a Mac to last?

You may also be considering an older, used or refurbished Mac to save money. Is that 2018 MacBook Pro for $300/£300 a good deal, or would you be better off spending a little more on a newer model?

Whether a Mac is too old depends on two main factors: hardware durability and software support.

• Hardware: Macs and MacBooks are built to last, with many users getting five to eight years of reliable performance. Beyond that, Apple classifies Macs that have been off sale for more than five years as “vintage” and, eventually “obsolete“, at which point opportunities for repairs become increasingly limited.
• Software: Software support is just as important, because unsupported Macs can be more vulnerable to security issues. Apple typically provides macOS updates for Macs for around seven to eight years, but that window is changing as Apple has now ended major macOS upgrades for Intel Macs. macOS 27 Golden Gate requires Apple silicon or the A18 Pro-powered MacBook Neo.

With Apple’s transition to its own silicon now complete, Intel Macs are entering their final years of security support. Knowing how long your Mac will continue to receive updates, and when it’s time to upgrade, is therefore more important than ever.

Use the table below to find the newest version of macOS supported by older Macs.

Year	MacBook Air	MacBook Pro	iMac	Mac mini	Mac Studio	Mac Pro
2026	macOS 27	macOS 27	—	macOS 27	macOS 27	—
2025	macOS 27	macOS 27	—	—	macOS 27	—
2024	macOS 27	macOS 27	macOS 27	macOS 27	—	—
2023	macOS 27	macOS 27	macOS 27	macOS 27	macOS 27	macOS 27
2022	macOS 27	macOS 27	—	—	macOS 27	—
2021	—	macOS 27	macOS 27	—	—	—
2020	macOS 27 (M1) / macOS 15 (Intel)	macOS 27 (M1) / macOS 26 (Intel, 4-port) / macOS 15 (Intel, 2-port)	macOS 26	macOS 27	—	—
2019	macOS 14	macOS 26 (16-inch) / macOS 15 (13/15-inch)	macOS 15	—	—	macOS 26
2018	macOS 14	macOS 15	—	macOS 15	—	—
2017	—	macOS 13	macOS 15 (iMac Pro) / macOS 13 (iMac)	—	—	—

Note that Macs limited to macOS 14 Sonoma or earlier are no longer receiving regular macOS security updates.

Apple has released macOS 27 Golden Gate, the newest version of the Mac operating system. It includes several AI features, including Siri AI and Apple Intelligence. It also has new features in Safari, Image Playground, and Photos. And it has a ton of refinements, as well as optimized performance.

Before you install macOS 27 Golden Gate, you should back up the data on your Mac, just in case. You can use Time Machine or another method. Also, you should check if your Mac is compatible with macOS 27 as Intel Macs are completely out of the picture.

Once the installation is done, what should you do with your Mac? Here are 12 things you should try first in macOS 27. This list will get you going on the new features and refinements.

Adjust the transparency of Liquid Glass

Last year, Apple’s operating systems adopted the Liquid Glass design language. Liquid Glass wasn’t as well-received as the company would’ve liked, so in macOS 27, Liquid Glass customization options are available.

You can now adjust the intensity of the Liquid Glass effect to your liking right from the setup stage. And if you’re not satisfied with your choice, you can change it later: this is easily done in the Appearance system settings, where you’ll find a nice easter egg.

Edit your favorite photos

For some time now, the Photos’ Clean Up tool can remove distracting elements from photos with varying degrees of success. Compared to professional software, Photos did have some significant drawbacks. But now, with the help of the improved Apple Intelligence, you can achieve almost professional results. Simply select an object you want to remove from the image and marvel at the result. You can also adjust the angle of a scene or extend the image. The latter, however, still falls significantly short of Photoshop’s generative filling; it simply extends the image with a blurred border.

Try Visual Intelligence

While Visual Intelligence is more prominent on an iPhone, it’s available in macOS 27. You can test what it’s capable of using your own photos, images from the web or screenshots. Right-click an image and select Ask Siri. The answer isn’t always correct, but Apple’s AI is constantly learning.

Play with Image Playground

Almost two years ago, Apple unveiled its image-generation tool, Image Playground, but it didn’t make much of an impression. You could turn people into superheroes using images from your own media library, or place them in fantasy landscapes with all sorts of accessories. But Apple decided not to let users create photorealistic images, so the illustrated results were not really convincing.

With the improved AI in macOS 27 Golden Gate, Image Playground is improved and capable of generating photorealistic images. You can use natural language or, as I did, several lines from my song “Cold Drink Heart.” The image below illustrates the first two verses from the song.

Do have a go with Image Playgrounds yourself, but don’t be surprised if the software refuses to let celebrities appear in the scenes you sketch. I’d love to show you a picture here of Lionel Messi in a Bayern Munich kit, but the AI won’t have any of it.

Speak to Siri

Instead of poking around you Mac with your cursor, you can simply ask the new Siri what you’ve recently noted down about a particular topic. Or which specific person, landscape or object you’ve photographed. Siri AI searches your Mac and presents the results. You don’t need to switch to an app, find the search box, and type in a term. It can all be done in one go via a voice command.

Try Siri AI with Spotlight

Spotlight and Siri have become fully integrated in macOS 27 Golden Gate. The Mac’s system-wide search is now semantic, which means it no longer just searches file names or for terms within content, but understands context in such a way that you can ask a question in natural language and get an answer directly in Spotlight. You don’t need to open a separate app to get an answer from the internet.

This requires a newly created index, which can take some time. Your Mac doesn’t simply create a flat index as before, but organizes your files and their contents into vectors, a numerical representation of a word, pixel or other data point. Apple already initiated the re-indexing process with the update to macOS 26.6. If you missed this update, you’ll now have to wait until the system has finished the job. You can speed up the process a little by leaving your Mac switched on overnight and plugged into the charger, if it’s a portable computer.

Use the Siri app

Chatbots such as OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini have become popular resources. Apple now has a Siri app that works a lot like those chatbots. What’s helpful is that it keeps a log of your queries, which you could refer back to at a later date. Bear in mind that if you resume a chat with Siri, the AI does not pick up where you left off, but instead reads through all the questions and answers again in full and evaluates them to formulate the next response.

Group tabs in Safari

Tabs are incredibly handy, especially in a browser. But it’s all too easy to lose track of things when you’ve got a dozen or two tabs open. The tab groups offered by Safari in macOS 12 Monterey haven’t always been much help. That’s changing with macOS 27 Golden Gate: Apple Intelligence automatically organizes tabs into thematic groups.

Test ‘Notify Me’ in Safari

You can be notified of every significant change on the websites that matter most to you, as often as every hour. If you want to track the price of a particular product on a shopping site, you could configure Safari to send you a daily update. You can also set it to track changes on a weekly or monthly basis.

To do this, go to the website in question and click on the icon with the three lines on the left of the address bar, then click Notify Me. You can even use natural language to tell Siri AI exactly what you want to keep an eye on.

Check your passwords and have them changed

Perhaps there an insecure password lurking somewhere in your Keychain or the Passwords app. Before, when a compromised passwords was flagged, you had to manage it all yourself. Now, Siri AI can change your passwords for you, replacing insecure ones with secure ones. This feature may not be available until a macOS 27 update.

Search your Mail boxes

Are you one of those users who never tidy up your inbox in Mail because you rely on the search function? You’ll no doubt have noticed time and again over the past few years that this strategy has its limitations and that you simply can’t find some emails anymore, even though you’re sure you didn’t delete them.

With macOS 27 Golden Gate, the new email search, promises a better overview when organizing the results. However, you may have to wait quite some time for Mail on macOS 27 Golden Gate to rebuild the search index before you can take advantage of the new search.

Share photo albums with non-Mac users

Go to the Photos app and share an album with someone who doesn’t have a Mac. This was already possible before, but macOS 27 Golden Gate makes it easier: the Photos app in iCloud has a new interface that users of Android smartphones or Windows PCs can access without having to compromise on image quality.

Apple releases a major update to macOS, the operating system that runs on Macs, every year, bringing new features and other improvements. The latest version, macOS 27 Golden Gate, was released on September 14, 2026.

In this article, we’ll explain how to download and install macOS 27 Golden Gate. We’ll also cover how to update an older version of macOS and what to do if you encounter problems installing an update. Also see: Fixes for Macs that won’t update macOS.

Updating your Mac is easy, free and generally straightforward, but there are a few things we recommend doing first. See our guide to how to get your Mac ready for a macOS update before you begin.

Not every Mac can run Golden Gate. macOS 27 no longer supports Intel-powered Macs, so if you have an older Mac you may need to install or continue using an earlier version of macOS instead. See: How to download old versions of macOS.

When did macOS Golden Gate come out? 

Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate on September 14, 2026. It is available now as a free software update for compatible Macs.

Should I update my Mac to Golden Gate?

Wondering if you should update to macOS Golden Gate at all? Before you start, we recommend you do the following:

Check our macOS Golden Gate vs macOS Tahoe guide to see how the new version compares with its predecessor.

Confirm whether your Mac can run Golden Gate. Golden Gate supports Macs with Apple silicon, but unlike macOS Tahoe, macOS 27 no longer supports Intel-powered Macs. If you have an Intel Mac, Golden Gate will not appear as an available upgrade.

Wait if you rely on your Mac for work or use important apps and peripherals. Despite Apple’s extensive beta testing, major macOS releases can still introduce compatibility problems, bugs and other issues that only emerge after launch. You may therefore prefer to wait for the first macOS 27 update before upgrading.

Waiting can also make the download process easier, as Apple’s servers are often busiest immediately after a major macOS release. We’ll be tracking any problems we hear about in our macOS 27 Golden Gate guide.

How to install macOS Golden Gate on your Mac

We’ll run through all the steps to download and install Golden Gate on your Mac below.

Step 1: Find the macOS Golden Gate Update

You may see a notification on your Mac that an update is available, in which case you can click on the update, upgrade or restart now button, depending on what’s displayed.

1. Click on the Apple logo in the menu at the top of your screen and choose System Settings.
2. Now pick General and then Software Update.
3. Your Mac will search for the update. 

You may also see a Software Update Available alert in the left column of System Settings.

Step 2: Download the macOS update

Assuming you see the macOS update, the process to download it works as follows:

1. Click Upgrade Now, Update Now or the equivalent button shown in Software Update to download the installer for the new version of macOS.
2. While the update is downloading you can continue to use your Mac. It may take a while to download, depending on the size of the update and the speed of your connection.
3. Once the download has finished, you should see a window pop up on your Mac asking you to start the install process. If you are ready to install move to step 3 below. 
4. If you don’t want to install the software yet, perhaps because you are making a bootable installer of macOS, you can find the installer file in the Applications folder via the Finder.

Step 3: Install the macOS update

If you are all set to install the update to macOS, and don’t mind your Mac being out of action for a while (particularly if it’s soon after release!) start the installation.

1. Click to install the new version of macOS.
2. Follow the onscreen instructions to finish installing the software update. 

What to do if your Mac won’t update macOS

While you shouldn’t encounter problems if you have made sure your Mac is prepared for the macOS update and read how to get your Mac ready for macOS, it is possible you will encounter issues. Here are some of the most common problems and what you can do about them. 

1. Make sure you have plenty of free space on your SSD or hard drive. Your Mac needs enough space to download, unpack and install the update. If there isn’t enough space, the installation can fail. Read: How to make space on Mac.
2. Make sure you have a reliable internet connection. If your Wi-Fi is unstable, move closer to the router or, if possible, use Ethernet. If you see a message such as “The network connection was lost,” your connection may be the problem. Read: How to fix Wi-Fi problems on a Mac.
3. Apple’s servers can become overloaded when a major macOS update is released, which can cause downloads to slow down, time out or fail. If that happens, try again later.
4. If the download or installation appears to freeze, see what to do if your Mac freezes during the installation process.
5. Check Apple’s System Status page to see if there is a problem with Apple’s services.

For more advice about what to do if you encounter problems read Fixes for Macs that won’t update macOS.

How long will the macOS update take?

It can vary, based on your internet connection and how many people are also trying to get the update. Major macOS upgrades can be several gigabytes in size, so the download may take some time, particularly on a slower connection or immediately after a major macOS release.

You may want to leave your Mac downloading the operating system update overnight. And that’s before you even start the installation at which point you won’t even be able to use your Mac. Expect the actual installation to take up to an hour – it can go faster than that, but don’t expect it to be done in a few minutes.

How to revert to an older version of macOS

If you are unhappy with the new macOS, it is possible to downgrade, but doing so may involve wiping your Mac. If you have a backup from before the macOS update, you can use that to recover your data.

For help with this process, read How to downgrade macOS. We also cover How to install an older macOS over a new oneand How to download old versions of macOS.

If you want to try future macOS features before they are released to everyone, you can join Apple’s beta-testing program. We cover How to install the macOS beta separately.

You may also be interested in how to run a newer version of macOS on an unsupported Mac.

Apple just released macOS 27 Golden Gate to the general public, but I’ve been using it since the first beta became available. Overall, I think it’s an excellent upgrade that users should install as soon as possible.

Golden Gate has a lot of cool features, but there are three in particular that I absolutely love and use a lot. I think you will, too.

Captions for personal videos

I’ve come to rely on video captions for a couple of reasons: My hearing isn’t as good as it once was, and I watch videos on mute at certain times. Captions are usually available on commercially released videos, but not on personal videos.

But with the OS 27 update, video captions can now be generated on-device, which is extremely helpful. The captions aren’t always accurate;  I lost count of how many times it translates “Macworld” into “Mackerel,” and hopefully it improves over time. But it’s good enough to be useful and valuable now.

If captions are not provided, they are automatically generated. To make them appear in QuickTime Player or Photos, click the Caption icon in the playback bar and select On.

Photos Reframe

I’m by no means a photography expert, but whenever I hand my iPhone off to someone else to shoot a photo so I can be in the picture, I often find myself unsatisfied with the pic, mostly because I don’t like the framing. The new Reframe feature in the Photos app helps me improve those photos by allow you to adjust the angle from which the photo was taken.

It’s fairly limited; after all, there’s only so much that can be done with the available data, but I’ve been able to adjust many pics so that they’re better framed or more interesting.

To use Reframe in Photos, select a photo, then click Edit, and then under the Tools section, click Reframe. The Mac needs a moment to process the photo, and then you can move the photo around and tweak the settings to your desired angle.

Natural language Shortcuts

Shortcuts is a fantastic app, but I’ve often found myself spending too much time fine-tuning the aspects of the shortcuts I’ve created. But in macOS 27, Shortcuts supports natural language input, which has helped with that fine-tuning. For example, I made a shortcut by simply saying “Change the file names to the creation date,” and it worked. I was then able to fine-tune it by simply saying what I wanted.

I’ve only just started exploring what Shortcuts can do, but it’s already saving me time. So give it a shot.

If you are thinking of buying an older generation or used/refurbished iPhone, or wondering whether it’s worth upgrading your current iPhone to a new one, one important factor to consider is how long Apple will continue to support it.

The good news is that Apple provides software support for iPhones for many years. In most cases, iPhones receive security-related software updates for seven to eight years. Battery replacements and other repair services are often available for devices that are five to seven years old.

Read on to find out which iPhones are supported with the latest version of iOS, and which are eligible for servicing and repairs.

How long does Apple support iPhones with iOS updates?

In general, Apple provides many years of software support for its iPhones. Major iOS upgrades typically continue for around five to seven years, while security-related updates can continue for considerably longer.

Apple does not promise the same fixed software-support lifespan for every iPhone, although in some countries it now publishes minimum security-support periods for newer models. In practice, Apple’s track record shows that some iPhones continue receiving at least occasional security-related updates for a decade or more.

It is important to distinguish between major iOS upgrades and security-only updates.

Major iOS Updates: These bring new features, interface changes and app updates. You can typically expect an iPhone to support the latest major version of iOS for around five to seven years. The iPhone 11, released in 2019, can run iOS 27, although not all new features are available on older hardware.

Security Updates: Older iPhones do not necessarily become unsupported as soon as they stop receiving major iOS upgrades. Apple can continue issuing security patches and other important updates for older versions of iOS, extending the useful life of those devices.

For example, the iPhone XR and iPhone XS, launched in 2018, cannot run iOS 26 or iOS 27, but Apple has continued to issue security updates for them through iOS 18. In August 2026, Apple released iOS 18.7.10 specifically for the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max.

Support extends even further back. In May 2026, Apple released security updates for devices limited to iOS 15 and iOS 16, including the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and first-generation iPhone SE. That means some iPhones released in 2015 were still receiving security fixes more than 10 years after launch.

It is not yet clear whether Apple will continue providing regular security updates for iOS 15 and iOS 16 now that iOS 27 has launched. Both received security updates during 2026, but support for these older versions is likely nearing its end.

Apple is continuing to support iOS 26 for now. It released iOS 26.7 alongside iOS 27 on September 14, 2026, providing security fixes for users who have not yet upgraded. Because every iPhone capable of running iOS 26 can also run iOS 27, this parallel support is likely to be temporary, although Apple has not said how long it will continue.

Device specific security updates: Apple has increasingly restricted some older iOS updates to devices that cannot install a newer major version. For example, recent iOS 18 security updates have been available for the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max, which cannot run iOS 26 or iOS 27. Owners of newer iPhones are instead expected to update to a newer version of iOS to receive the latest security fixes.

Similarly, Apple no longer issues iOS 17-specific updates. All iPhones capable of running iOS 17 can also run iOS 18, and the final iOS 17 update for iPhone was iOS 17.7.2 in November 2024.

Certificate coverage: Not every update for an old version of iOS is a conventional security patch. In January 2026, Apple released updates for several older versions of iOS to extend certificates required for services such as iMessage, FaceTime and device activation beyond January 2027. This included iOS 12.5.8 for the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus – devices dating back to 2013 and 2014. Apple withdrew some of those January updates after reports of connectivity problems affecting some older devices, before making corrected versions available.

You should be very cautious about continuing to use an iPhone that no longer receives security fixes. Unpatched vulnerabilities can leave the device and the data stored on it at greater risk.

Which iPhones can run the latest iOS?

• The 2019 iPhone 11 is the oldest iPhone able to run iOS 26 and iOS 27.

iOS 27 supports the same older iPhone models as iOS 26, with the iPhone 11 from 2019 remaining the oldest compatible iPhone. This includes the following devices:

• iPhone Duo (2026)
• iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max (2026)
• iPhone 17 Series, including iPhone Air and 17e (2025/2026)
• iPhone 16 Series, including iPhone 16e (2024/2025)
• iPhone 15 Series (2023)
• iPhone 14 Series (2022)
• iPhone SE (3rd gen, 2022)
• iPhone 13 Series (2021)
• iPhone 12 Series (2020)
• iPhone SE iPhone SE (2nd gen, 2020)
• iPhone 11 Series (2019)

Which iPhones run each version of iOS?

The chart below shows each version of iOS and the iPhones it ran on. As you can see, in recent years support for new iOS versions has stretched back for around six years, while, if you include the versions that Apple supports with security updates, the cover goes back a further year.

iOS support chart by model

What is the oldest iPhone still supported by Apple?

• iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR – still receiving iOS 18 security updates
• iPhone X and iPhone 8 – last received iOS 16 security updates in May 2026
• iPhone 7, iPhone SE (1st generation) and iPhone 6s – last received iOS 15 security updates in May 2026

The oldest iPhones to have received security updates in 2026 are the iPhone 6s, iPhone 7 and first-generation iPhone SE, which received iOS 15.8.8 in May 2026. The iPhone 8 and iPhone X also received iOS 16.7.16 that month.

However, Apple has not released another security update for either iOS 15 or iOS 16 since May. With iOS 27 now available, it seems increasingly unlikely that Apple will continue maintaining those older operating systems. It is therefore possible that the May 2026 updates were the final security releases for iOS 15 and iOS 16, although Apple has not formally confirmed that support has ended.

That means we can no longer say with certainty that the iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, first-generation iPhone SE, iPhone 8 and iPhone X are still supported. They received security updates relatively recently, but ongoing protection against newly discovered vulnerabilities is no longer assured.

The iPhone XS, XS Max and XR are on firmer ground. Apple released iOS 18.7.10 for these models in August 2026, indicating that iOS 18 remains an actively maintained security-update branch.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 is the oldest standard iPhone able to run Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 27, although the second-generation iPhone SE is also compatible.

Apple’s hardware classifications tell a slightly different story. The first-generation iPhone SE and iPhone X are classified as obsolete, while several other older models are classed as vintage. Apple’s vintage and obsolete classifications relate primarily to hardware service and parts availability and do not necessarily coincide with the end of software security updates.

Which iPhones are too old

We don’t recommend using the following iPhone models because they no longer receive critical security updates, or are likely to stop receiving such updates soon. Using one of these iPhones could therefore put your security at risk:

• iPhone XR (2018)
• iPhone XS/XS Max (2018)
• iPhone X (2017)
• iPhone 8/8 Plus (2017)
• iPhone 7/7 Plus (2016)
• iPhone SE (2016)
• iPhone 6s/6s Plus (2014)
• iPhone 6/6 Plus (2014)
• iPhone 5s (2013)
• iPhone 5c (2013)
• iPhone 5 (2012)
• iPhone 4s (2011)
• iPhone 4 (2010)
• iPhone 3GS (2009)
• iPhone 3G (2008)
• iPhone (2007)

For more information, see which version of iOS can my iPhone run and our list of every version of iOS.

When will Apple stop supporting each iPhone?

Truth is we don’t know for sure, but on the basis that Apple supports phones for five to seven years after they are removed from sale:

• iPhone XS (2018-2019) – Approx 2026
• iPhone XR (2018-2021) – Approx 2026
• iPhone 11 (2019-2022) – Approx 2027-2029
• iPhone SE2 (2020-2022) – Approx 2027-2029
• iPhone 12 (2020-2023) – Approx 2028-2030
• iPhone 13 (2021) – Approx 2032
• iPhone SE3 (2022) – Approx 2033
• iPhone 14 (2022) – Approx 2034
• iPhone 15 (2023) – Approx 2035
• iPhone 16 (2024) – Approx 2036
• iPhone 17 (2025) – Approx 2037
• iPhone 18 (2025) – Approx 2038

Apple Intelligence: With the arrival of Apple Intelligence AI features and their more demanding hardware requirements, older iPhones are likely to become obsolete faster.

When does Apple stop repairing old iPhones?

When it comes to repairs, Apple supports iPhones (and all devices it makes) for seven years from the last time it sold that particular model. So as long as your iPhone was still being sold by Apple up to seven years ago, the company or a third-party service provider will still service it.

Apple distinguishes between iPhones (and other devices) that are obsolete and vintage.

• Vintage Apple Products: These are products that Apple stopped selling between five and seven years ago. They are considered old, but there may be limited access to repairs depending on whether Apple has the parts available.
• Obsolete Apple Products: These are products that Apple stopped selling between more than seven years ago. They are considered end-of-life and will no longer be repaired by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Obsolete iPhones

The following iPhones are now considered Obsolete, which means sales were discontinued more than seven years ago and Apple has now discontinued all hardware servicing.

• iPhone
• iPhone 3G
• iPhone 3GS
• iPhone 4 (all models now obsolete from 2026)
• iPhone 4s
• iPhone 5 (discontinued September 2013, obsolete in 2026)
• iPhone 5c (discontinued September 2013, obsolete in 2021)
• iPhone 5S (discontinued in 2016, vintage in 2021, obsolete in 2024)
• iPhone 6 (discontinued in 2016, vintage in 2021, obsolete in 2025)
• iPhone 6 Plus (discontinued in 2016, vintage in 2021, obsolete in 2024)
• iPhone 6s (32GB) (discontinued in 2018, obsolete in 2024)
• iPhone 6s Plus (32GB) (discontinued in 2018, obsolete in 2024)
• iPhone 8 and 8 Plus (PRODUCT) Red (discontinued in 2018, obsolete in 2026)
• iPhone SE, 2016 (discontinued in 2018, vintage in 2023, obsolete 2025)
• iPhone X (discontinued in 2018, vintage in 2024, obsolete 2026)

Vintage iPhones

And the iPhones below are listed as Vintage, which means they have not been sold for more than five years (but less than seven years). Apple will still service these products as long as it has the required parts. So you could say that the oldest iPhone still supported by Apple is now the ten-year-old iPhone 6s, but we don’t expect that Apple will have the required parts.

• iPhone 6s (16GB, 64GB, 128GB) (discontinued in India in 2019, vintage in 2022)
• iPhone 6s Plus (discontinued in 2018, vintage in 2022)
• iPhone 7 (discontinued in 2019, vintage in May 2025)
• iPhone 7 Plus (discontinued in 2019, vintage in May 2025)
• iPhone 7 (PRODUCT) Red (discontinued in 2017, March 2022)
• iPhone 8 (discontinued in 2020, vintage in 2024)
• iPhone 8 Plus (discontinued in 2020, vintage in 2024)
• iPhone XS (discontinued in 2018, vintage in 2024
• iPhone XS Max (discontinued in 2019, vintage in June 2025)
• iPhone 11 Pro & Pro Max (discontinued in 2020, vintage in September 2025)

All iPhones that followed those handsets, so iPhone 12 onwards, should be fully supported by Apple – for now.

Why are some iPhones listed as vintage but some newer ones are already Obsolete?

This is because Apple’s vintage/obsolete status is based on the date Apple stopped distributing a particular model or configuration for sale.

In the case of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus you may have noted that the 32GB models is already obsolete, while other 6s capacities remain vintage. This seems like an anomaly, however, Apple continued to sell the iPhone 6s in India after it was discontinued elsewhere. Those Indian sales continued until 2019, which may account for the extended support. PRODUCT Red iPhones also seem to reach obsolete status earlier, perhaps because of the availability of parts.

You may also be interested to learn how long Apple supports Macs and how long Apple supports iPads. We also have guides for getting a broken iPhone fixed and how much Apple product repairs cost.

Is your iPhone slipping into obscurity? Find a great deal on a new iPhone here or check the best prices below and take a look at our round-up to choose the Best iPhone for you.

If you’ve ever worked at your iMac after dark, you know the frustration of a desk lamp that throws light in the wrong direction—glaring off your screen, leaving your keyboard in shadow, and eating up desk space you don’t have to spare. iMac users deserve better, and now they have it.

In 2017, BenQ created the world’s first monitor light bar with ScreenBar®, establishing an entirely new lighting category built on a simple idea: light your desk, not your screen. Since then, BenQ has led the category through science-backed optical innovation and award-winning design. iScreenBar brings that pedigree to iMac, in a form built specifically—and exclusively—for it.

Designed to match Your iMac

iScreenBar isn’t adapted to fit an iMac; it’s engineered around one. The body is precision-machined from a single block of aluminum and paired with a refined glass touch surface, giving it the same seamless, premium finish as the iMac it sits on.

A magnetic clip—compatible with 2021 and later iMac models—creates a secure, tool-free attachment, while integrated magnetic cable management routes the power cord neatly without ever covering the Apple logo.

The frontless structure keeps the FaceTime camera fully unobstructed, and oval acoustic openings are precisely positioned to preserve the built-in microphones and speakers, so nothing about your iMac’s design or performance is compromised.

The result is innovative design in in three colorways—silver, green, and blue—designed to complement different iMac setups.

Lighting engineered for screens

At the core of iScreenBar is its 3rd-generation ASYM-Light™ optical system, which delivers over 1000 lx of balanced illumination while precisely directing light onto your desk rather than your screen or eyes.

A calibrated cutoff angle minimizes reflections and glare, so your display stays completely clean even at full brightness. Illumination spreads evenly across a generous 85×50 cm area at 500 lux—and up to 115×50 cm at 300 lux—eliminating the dark patches and hot spots typical of a standard lamp.

Color accuracy matters too: with Rf > 96 color fidelity and a spectrum close to natural daylight, iScreenBar reveals true-to-life color on everything from sketches to sticky notes, and stepless brightness control lets you dial in anything from a warm 2700K to a crisp 6500K depending on the task and time of day.

Smart features that work automatically

iScreenBar responds to you rather than just lighting your desk. Its 24GHz millimeter-wave radar motion sensor detects your presence with precision, automatically illuminating your workspace the moment you sit down, and switching off after a few minutes of inactivity to save power. A built-in ambient light sensor continuously reads your surroundings, auto-dimming to maintain a comfortable 500 lx no matter how the room’s lighting shifts throughout the day.

For video calls, a dedicated Video Call Mode intelligently dims the center light while softly brightening the sides, producing natural, flattering illumination without harsh lens flare—so you always look your best on camera.

Seamless macOS integration

A dedicated BenQ iScreenBar app puts full control directly on your iMac. Power Sync automatically turns the light on when your iMac wakes, so it’s ready before you are. It automatically switches to Video Call Lighting mode the instant your camera activates and lets you save personalized lighting profiles for different apps and activities—one setting for focused work, another for evening browsing, another for calls.

Built exclusively for the way you work

From its magnetic, cable-managed mount to its radar-sensing automation and daylight-accurate optics, iScreenBar represents a light bar built with a single purpose: to work in perfect harmony with your iMac. It’s not a general-purpose accessory—it’s the lighting solution iMac users have been missing, built by the company that invented the category.

The BenQ iScreenBar for iMac is priced at $189.

To celebrate the launch, BenQ is inviting you to share what you consider a Perfect Match in your life for a chance to win an iMac + iScreenBar. Enter now and share your ideas!

TL;DR: MacPilot gives you access to macOS settings and system tweaks that Apple keeps tucked away, with lifetime access available for $39.99.

macOS is designed to keep things simple, but that simplicity can come at the expense of control. Plenty of useful settings and system-level options are hidden away or require digging through menus — or even opening Terminal. MacPilot puts more of those controls in one place, making it easier to customize and fine-tune your Mac without getting into command-line tinkering. Lifetime access is currently available for $39.99 (MSRP $99).

Access deeper Mac controls without the learning curve

MacPilot is like having a hacker mode for your Mac without needing a coding degree. With a few clicks, you can:

• Reveal hidden system settings: Show hidden files in Finder, disable the startup chime, and tweak icon animations
• Supercharge your Dock: Add spacers, smart stacks, and hidden menu options
• Optimize performance: Run maintenance tools, clear cache, and repair system files
• Get deep system insights: View detailed specs on hardware, RAM speeds, network ports, and more

Whether you’re a developer, creative pro, or just someone who wants their Mac running at peak efficiency, MacPilot puts advanced customization at your fingertips — without the headache of Terminal commands.

Squander your Mac’s potential no longer and get a lifetime license to MacPilot for just $39.99.

MacPilot Lifetime LicenseSee Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

We think iOS 27 is really very good. One of Apple’s best iPhone updates in years, honestly.

But if you’re for any reason unwilling or unable to update to iOS 27 and you still want all the dozens of security updates that come with it, Apple has you covered with iOS 26.7. It doesn’t include quite as many security updates as iOS 27 because there are lots of fundamental changes to the low-level code in the latest release, but there are still nearly 80 fixes in iOS 26.7.

Apple’s release notes for iOS 26.7 don’t mention anything other than the security updates; there are no other significant feautres in this release.

To install iOS 26.7 on your iPhone or iPadOS 26.7 on your iPad:

• Open Settings
• Tap General
• Tap Software Updates
• You’ll probably see an option to install iOS 26.7 and another option to install iOS 27. If you only wish to stay on the iOS 26 branch, choose iOS 26.7.

Apple unveiled iOS 27 at WWDC on June 8, 2026. It immediately entered a beta-testing phase, and was widely released on September 14.

There are three main sets of features in this update: Siri AI, which is an entirely new Siri architecture with a dedicated Siri app, new features for parental safety, and a big emphasis on system improvements like faster performance and a lot of quality-of-life features users have been asking for.

iOS 27 supports every iPhone back to the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd generation), although some Apple Intelligence and Siri features will require newer hardware.

This hub covers everything Apple has confirmed for iOS 27, including new features, compatible iPhones, beta updates, Apple Intelligence improvements and what’s changing with Siri. We also cover notable discoveries from the beta and the latest updates following the launch.

It used to be that operating system “point releases”—the minor updates throughout the year—contained around a dozen security vulnerability fixes. But that number has been growing in the last couple of years and has exploded in the past few months.

There were 35 security vulnerabilities fixed in iOS 26.0. That was up to 43 in iOS 26.5. A 26.5.2 update solely for security fixes added another 29 and iOS 26.6.7 adds 79 more.

But that’s nothing compared to the latest round of updates. There are an unprecedented 122 security vulnerabilities fixed in iOS 27. Think that’s a lot? The macOS 27 update has 204 fixes listed on Apple’s Security Updates page. Even watchOS 27 adds about 90 fixes.

Thanks to AI coding agents, this is the new normal. You can expect dozens of security vulnerabilities to be fixed every couple of months, at least for a while.

Why is this happening?

You can thank, and blame, AI for this.

AI coding agents have gotten good. Very good. Not only has “vibe coding” become commonplace, but the best AI models can analyze and test very large code blocks and databases. And they find things that people miss.

A few months ago, we wrote about Project Glasswing, a collaboration between Anthropic and a handful of other companies (including Apple) to provide those companies’ security researchers with access to the company’s most advanced AI model, in the hopes of finding vulnerabilities before the models become public and all the bad actors get their hands on them.

The world we live in right now is one of security acceleration. Hackers and malicious groups can use advanced AI tools to find unique vulnerabilities that can, sometimes in combination with each other, compromise systems like never before. The sort of resources and research once only available to nation-states and the largest tech corporations are now broadly available.

But AI is having just as much of an impact on the positive side. Security researchers are using these tools to find more vulnerabilities than ever, reporting them to software companies, who now, thanks to AI coding tools, have the scope to address more of them more quickly.

For the time being, we’re in an AI-accelerated arms race between the hackers who use AI to find vulnerabilities and exploit them, and the researchers and developers who use AI to find vulnerabilities and fix or report them. And it’s resulting in increasingly large and important security update releases.

This may eventually wind down, as the AI coding tools get sophisticated and commonplace enough to more thoroughly test massive code databases and all their interactions with other code before its ever released. But for the time being, and likely for some time to come, expect operating system updates—including Apple’s—to fix a big list of security issues with every release.