macOS 26 “Lake Tahoe” Unveiled: AI-Powered Spotlight, Enhanced Continuity, & Gaming Revolution
Do Son 
Apple has officially confirmed that the latest macOS iteration—macOS 26—is named after the scenic Lake Tahoe in California. This version not only embraces the Liquid Glass design language but also incorporates numerous features from iOS 26, further enhancing the system-wide Spotlight search to function as a more capable and convenient assistant within the macOS ecosystem.
Beyond adopting many of iOS 26’s refinements, macOS 26 extends Control Center support to third-party app toggles. The Finder now offers customizable folder colors and icons, allowing users to better organize and visually distinguish between various content types or project directories. Additionally, a higher level of interface customization enables seamless adaptation to different themes and color palettes.
The Continuity experience has also been elevated, enabling smoother real-time interactions between macOS 26 and iPhone content. Notably, a dedicated Phone app is now available on Mac, allowing users to place and receive iPhone calls directly from their computer. This includes access to advanced call features such as call screening, AI-powered answering, real-time translation, and call recording.
Shortcut automation has been significantly enhanced through Apple Intelligence, introducing Intelligent Actions that can suggest personalized shortcuts. These actions operate locally or within Apple’s Private Cloud Compute environment, with optional execution via OpenAI’s ChatGPT, all while maintaining strict privacy protections.
The revamped Spotlight search now indexes the Mac App Store, folders, shortcut actions, and even previously copied content—greatly improving task efficiency. Users can now invoke Spotlight as a functional command interface: for instance, typing “Send an email to a specific recipient with a detailed message and an attached file” will prompt the system to execute the task automatically. Users may also assign and customize shorthand commands to streamline operations.
Apple has also made the App Intents API available to developers, enabling broader integration of third-party apps into the Spotlight environment.
In the realm of gaming, macOS 26 introduces a redesigned Game app interface alongside the debut of the Metal 4 API. This update promises more lifelike lighting and dynamic motion blur effects, enhancing visual fidelity across titles. Apple has also hinted at an expanding roster of AAA games coming to the Mac platform, signaling a renewed focus on high-end gaming experiences.
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