Apple ships macOS Golden Gate beta 4 to developers

Apple has released the fourth developer beta of macOS Golden Gate on Monday, July 20, 2026, arriving two weeks after the third beta.

Developers can install the update from System Settings > General > Software Update. Beta Updates must be enabled, and Apple requires a free developer account.

As previously outlined, macOS Golden Gate brings a broad visual refresh. Apple has adjusted Liquid Glass opacity to improve readability, added a transparency slider, and changed window shadows to make active windows easier to identify. Apps now use uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and less rounded corners, while menu bars include fewer icons.

Apple is also overhauling Siri into Siri AI, a chatbot-style assistant that combines general world knowledge, personal data, and onscreen awareness. It now lives in Spotlight, where users can ask questions through a new Search or Ask interface. There is also a dedicated Siri app for conversations and chat history, and on newer Macs, users can choose a custom Siri voice with personalized pace and expressivity.

Other additions include Visual Intelligence on the Mac, so Siri can answer questions about what is on screen, and Write with Siri, which can generate text or provide writing feedback. Apple has also added AI photo editing tools in Photos, AI tab organization in Safari, an option in Passwords to use AI to automatically update weak passwords, and a revamped Image Playground app that can generate photorealistic images.

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MacRumors says more details are available in its macOS Golden Gate roundup.