Apple is now actively warning users about the upcoming removal of Rosetta 2. In the first developer beta of macOS Tahoe 26.4, the system displays an alert when launching apps that rely on Rosetta 2, making it clear those apps will stop working once Rosetta 2 support is fully removed.
The change is part of Apple’s long planned transition away from Intel Macs. Rosetta 2 was introduced in 2020 to allow Apple silicon Macs to run Intel compiled apps during the architecture shift. More than five years later, Apple is now entering the final phase of that transition.
At WWDC 2025, Apple confirmed that macOS Tahoe would be the last major version of macOS to support Intel based Macs. The upcoming macOS 27, expected in September 2026, will run exclusively on Apple silicon hardware.
Rosetta 2 will remain available on Apple silicon Macs running macOS 27. However, Apple plans to remove Rosetta 2 entirely with macOS 28. With macOS Tahoe 26.4, users now get an early heads up.
When opening an Intel only app in the macOS Tahoe 26.4 beta, a popup alert explains that the app will not function once Rosetta 2 is removed. The message is designed to give users time to update their apps or find alternatives before compatibility disappears.
Apple says limited Rosetta functionality may continue for certain legacy gaming titles that will no longer receive updates, along with support for some Intel binaries used in Linux virtual machines. Broader app level translation support, however, is ending.
If you want to check whether your apps depend on Rosetta 2, open About This Mac > More Info > System Report > Applications, then review the “Kind” column. Apps labeled Universal or Apple silicon run natively. Apps labeled Intel require Rosetta 2.
Apple began its transition to Apple silicon in November 2020 with the launch of the first M1 Macs. The company completed the lineup shift in 2023 with the Apple silicon Mac Pro. With macOS 27 dropping Intel Mac support and macOS 28 removing Rosetta 2, the Intel era on macOS is nearing its official end.
For users still relying on Intel only apps, macOS Tahoe 26.4 is a clear signal. Update to Apple silicon native versions where available, or plan to remain on macOS 26 if legacy software is essential to your workflow.
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