I’m going to cut to the chase – I like macOS 26 Tahoe a lot. No, it’s not perfect, and yes, I wish Apple had done even more, but that’s the case every year.
What I love about Tahoe is its balance. It’s not the sort of thing you can draw up a set of specs or a table of pros and cons for. It just feels right.
The heart of why Tahoe works is that it meets users where they are better than the typical annual release. If you’ve been using macOS for years and prefer to follow a beaten path through its features, you can. You may stumble across a new feature now and then, and you’ll notice visual differences thanks to Liquid Glass, but I’ve been moving between macOS Sequoia and Tahoe all summer long, and when I’m not seeking out what’s new, everything simply feels familiar and comfortable. That’s a good thing for an OS that’s relied upon by millions of people to get their work done.
But you’re probably wondering how I can say that given the Liquid Glass design and online drama surrounding it over the summer. The thing is, whether you’re a Liquid Glass fan or foe, it’s just not as big of a deal on the Mac as it is elsewhere. I’ll explain what I like about Liquid Glass and what I don’t, but it hasn’t moved the needle at all when it comes to my daily work.
[Tahoe is] a release that walks a careful line between the familiar and the new.
What has moved the needle are the new features available in Tahoe. They won’t get in the way of your existing workflows, but if you’re interested in exploring new and better ways of getting things done, there’s a lot to like about this update. That’s why I’m such a big fan of macOS 26: it’s a release that walks a careful line between the familiar and the new. There’s no adjustment period, but there are plenty of new features to explore that I think will make a big difference in the way MacStories readers use their Macs.
So join me for a tour off the beaten path to explore what you can expect to discover in macOS 26 Tahoe.
Exclusive Extras & Support MacStories
eBooks, Making-Of, Drafts Actions, and Apple Intelligence Shortcuts
As we do every year, we’ve put together some fun extras to make this week extra special for Club MacStories members who want to dive deeper into this year’s OS updates and reviews. And for Club MacStories Plus and Premier members, we’ve got even more in store to help you improve your automations and workflows using techniques from Federico’s review, as well as exclusive ways to experience our other OS reviews.
Today, Club MacStories members can download a complete, interactive eBook edition of iOS and iPadOS 26: The MacStories Review to read on their favorite device or app. And this Saturday, Club Members will receive a special edition of our MacStories Weekly newsletter featuring a behind-the-scenes making-of story with details on how Federico researched, wrote, and compiled his review of iOS and iPadOS 26, including his use of Drafts, Notion, LLMs, and more.
If you’re not already a member, you can join Club MacStories for $5/month or $50/year using the buttons below:
Apple Intelligence shortcuts will be released next week.
Club MacStories Plus and Premier members get even more perks.
Throughout the week, members will receive a set of eBook editions of the macOS 26 Tahoe, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26 reviews from the MacStories team to read however they like. And next week, Federico will publish two special stories exclusively for Club Plus and Premier members: a collection of Drafts actions he used to make his review and a new lesson in the Automation Academy centered on Apple Intelligence shortcuts, showcasing the new ‘Use Model’ action and teaching members how to take advantage of it themselves.
To unlock all of these additional perks, use the buttons below to join Club MacStories Plus:
Or join Club Premier:
The support of our Club members throughout the year means the world to us and helps make it possible for the MacStories team to do what we do. In addition to the exclusive content we publish for Club members year-round, we look forward to offering extra perks like these alongside each fall’s reviews.
If you enjoy reading the reviews and want to support our work, consider signing up for Club MacStories and unlocking all of these perks and more.
For more details on Club MacStories and this year’s extras, you can read our full breakdown here.
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