Apple informed developers that Mac App Store applications targeting macOS 13 or later can now abandon Intel support entirely, shifting directly to Apple silicon-only builds. The change allows developers to simplify codebases, reduce download sizes, and optimize performance without maintaining backward compatibility for aging Intel hardware.
Developers make the switch by updating their app’s build settings to “arm64” only, then rebuilding and resubmitting to the Mac App Store. Intel Mac users retain access to the last version of each app compatible with their machine, but will receive no further updates once developers make the transition.
The End of Rosetta 2 Translation Era
This policy shift arrives as Apple prepares to retire Rosetta 2, the translation layer that has allowed Intel applications to run on Apple silicon since 2020. macOS 27 will be the final operating system release to support Rosetta 2; macOS Golden Gate is limited to Apple silicon Macs with an M1 chip or later. After macOS 27, Intel-only applications will not run on any Mac with Apple silicon.
Apple’s six-year support window for Intel Macs matches typical hardware lifecycles. The company announced the move away from Intel at WWDC in June 2025 when it debuted macOS Tahoe as the last Intel-compatible release, though the company formally completed its own internal transition to Apple silicon three years ago with the silicon Mac Pro.
Developers Simplify Apps; Intel Users Lose Updates
The policy removes a previous constraint that forced Mac App Store developers to maintain universal binaries if they wanted App Store distribution. Developers can now build leaner, faster applications optimized purely for Apple silicon architecture, reducing app download sizes and eliminating translation overhead entirely.
However, the shift creates a hard deadline for developers of smaller, niche, or abandoned applications. Many professional tools, specialized utilities, and legacy software remain either Intel-only or reliant on Rosetta 2 translation. Some users report maintaining 67 Intel-only applications across their machines, indicating a long tail of software unlikely to receive native updates before Rosetta disappears.
Intel Mac owners face a choice: upgrade hardware, remain on macOS 27 indefinitely, or search for replacement software. Users with 2019-2023 Intel MacBook Pros and Mac Pros still have years of useful device life remaining, but increasingly broken app ecosystems will force upgrade decisions sooner than hardware degradation would.
macOS Tahoe Is the Last Intel Release; What Comes Next
macOS Tahoe is the last version of macOS that is expected to run on Intel-based Macs. Starting with macOS 26.4, users launching Intel-dependent apps already see system notifications urging them to update to native Apple silicon versions.
After Tahoe, the system becomes Apple silicon-only. For most users, this timeline matches typical hardware lifecycles; six years of support exceeds what most vendors provide. For professionals running specialized software, mission-critical tools, or niche applications unlikely to see updates, the deadline arrives with urgency. Developers and organizations still dependent on Intel-only builds will need either replacement software identified before macOS 28 ships or acceptance that they remain on macOS 27 permanently.
