Following yesterday’s report that Apple will unify its operating system versioning to 26 (so the next version of macOS will be macOS 26 instead of macOS 16), a report by AppleInsider reveals what Macs will be able to run macOS 16, listing the following Macs:
- 2019 or later MacBook Pro
- M1 or later MacBook Air
- 2020 or later iMac
- M1 or later Mac mini
- All Mac Studio models
- 2019 or later Mac Pro
What’s notable about the list is that the most recent Intel MacBook Air and Mac mini models, and the iMac Pro are not on it. Three Intel Mac models do make the list: the 2019 MacBook Pro, the 2020 5K iMac, and the 2019 Mac Pro.
When Apple announced it was going to drop Intel processors back in 2020, the company also stated that it would support Intel Macs for several years, though a specific timeframe has never been disclosed. Typically, Apple offers hardware compatibility with the latest version of macOS for five to seven years; after that, that Mac can no longer upgrade to the newest version of macOS, though they will receive security updates for a couple for years. The Macs that have been dropped from the macOS 26 compatibility list are about seven years old.
The dwindling list of compatible Intel Macs brings up the question of when they will be dropped completely from the macOS list. Next year, you can probably bet that the 2019 Intel MacBook Pro and the 2020 5K iMac will be dropped. That would leave the 2019 Mac Pro, which may stay on the list a little longer due to its high-end processor and considering that its Apple Silicon replacement was released only two years ago.
AppleInsider also cites unnamed sources that have seen the source code of the new version of macOS and that it includes references to macOS 26, though macOS 16 references also exist. Since the code is still a work in progress, those references will change before the software is officially released. Whatever it’s called, Apple will reveal the next version of macOS at WWDC25 on June 9, which will also reveal the official compatibility list.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.