macOS Tahoe 26: Apple's Liquid Glass UI and More

06/10/2025 Software

Apple's upcoming macOS Tahoe 26 is poised to bring significant changes to the Mac experience. The most immediately noticeable alteration is the introduction of the Liquid Glass UI, a design overhaul that incorporates varying degrees of transparency, including a fully transparent menu bar. While reminiscent of past design trends, the implementation offers a new level of customization and visual appeal.

Beyond Aesthetics: Functional Improvements

Beyond the visual refresh, macOS Tahoe 26 boasts several substantial functional updates. The long-awaited integration of the Phone app directly into the operating system is a welcome addition, allowing for seamless call management without switching between apps. Live Activities from your iPhone will also appear in the menu bar, offering easy access to real-time updates for deliveries, rideshares, and more.

Spotlight, Apple's search function, receives a massive upgrade in Tahoe 26. It now supports searching across virtually all system data – files, apps, and messages – with powerful query refinement options, including the ability to specify file types (like PDFs) and integrate with third-party cloud storage. Spotlight also gains "hundreds" of built-in actions, allowing users to perform tasks such as sending emails or launching podcasts directly from the search results. This, combined with future Apple Intelligence AI enhancements, promises to make Spotlight a central hub for Mac interaction.

Further enhancing productivity, Quick Keys – short letter sequences for launching specific functions – are introduced, streamlining workflows for power users. The enhanced clipboard history within Spotlight will also prove invaluable for users who frequently work with copied data.

Additional refinements include a dedicated Games app, mirroring the iOS 26 update, and redesigned Safari and Photos apps featuring the Liquid Glass aesthetic. While the Safari upgrade on iOS 26 offers a more significant functional shift, the transparent location bar on macOS could still be beneficial for Mac users. Furthermore, the system-wide integration of Apple Intelligence upgrades will bring new features such as Live Translations in Messages, enhanced Genmoji, and expanded Image Playground capabilities.