MacOS 27 public beta is live for Apple Silicon Macs

Apple has released the MacOS 27 “Golden Gate” public beta, opening the upcoming Mac update to anyone willing to test unfinished software ahead of its full launch this fall. The beta is available now, but only for Apple Silicon machines — Intel-based Macs are no longer supported.

Apple first showed MacOS 27 at WWDC 2026. The update focuses on performance improvements, visual design refinements, and a revamped Siri. According to ZDNET, Siri gets its own dedicated app and can use information from files, emails, and messages on your Mac to answer more personalized natural-language questions.

The public beta is free through Apple’s Beta Software Program. To install it:

• Check that your Mac is compatible.
• Sign up with your Apple account on Apple’s beta software program site.
• On your Mac, go to System Settings > General > Software Update.
• Click the (i) icon next to Beta Updates.
• Choose MacOS Public Beta, then click Done and Update Now.

Supported models listed by ZDNET include:

• MacBook Air M1 and later
• MacBook Pro M1
• MacBook Neo
• iMac M1 and later
• Mac mini M1 and later
• Mac Studio M1 and later
• Mac Pro M2/2023 and later

Apple recommends backing up your Mac before installing. ZDNET also cautions against putting the beta on your main machine, since public betas, while usually more stable than developer builds, can still be buggy or underperform. Feedback can be sent directly to Apple through the built-in Feedback Assistant app.

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Apple released the developer beta during WWDC 2026 and pushed the public beta in mid-July. Based on Apple’s usual schedule, ZDNET says the full release is expected in September, after Apple’s annual iPhone event.