Apple releases macOS 27 Golden Gate: 7 new features to try

Welcome to the Golden Gate era of macOS. By Timothy Beck Werth Timothy Beck Werth Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl. Read Full Bio on September 14, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Flipboard Credit: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images Apple officially released macOS 27 Golden Gate on Sept. 14, and the operating system update finally brings the new Siri AI experience to Mac devices.Apple announced macOS 27 Golden Gate at WWDC in June, and the developer beta has been available for months. So, while the new OS doesn't come with any huge surprises, it does bring users upgrades both large and small.If you have a Mac device that supports the new macOS and Siri AI, then here are the top features we'd recommend trying after you update. Siri AI Credit: Apple We have to start with the headline news: You can finally try the new and improved Siri AI, powered by Google Gemini. Apple explained how the new Siri will work at WWDC, and the company has emphasized that its new cloud-based private cloud compute platform will provide high levels of privacy.Siri now comes in a standalone app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users, and the smart assistant will be integrated across the user experience.The new Siri can:Generate text, make writing and editing suggestions, and write and send emailsAnalyze what your camera sees to identify objects or provide context using visual intelligenceAnswer questions or take action based on the user’s screen using on-screen awarenessAccess a wide range of apps to find information, take action, and answer user questionsRemember your conversations and prompts in the new dedicated Siri appUsers can also customize Siri's voice to be more expressive and can change the pitch, tone, and pacing of the assistant's voice. Change the Siri voice's pitch, speed, tone, and accent. Credit: Apple Siri can now take actions across a wide range of apps Credit: Apple New photo editing tools, including Spatial ReframingSpatial Reframing is one of the cooler new AI tools revealed at WWDC. This tool allows users to adjust the angle of photos after they've been taken. It's just one of the new AI photo editing capabilities that arrive with macOS 27.In the Photos app, users can also clean up and extend photos in new ways. Credit: Apple New child safety and parental controlsDo any kids or teenagers in your house use a Mac, or maybe a MacBook Neo? Apple has added new parental controls to macOS 27 Golden Gate. Mashable Light Speed Credit: Apple For example, by going to "Family" in the "Settings" menu, parents can now set a screen-time schedule. And to help make informed decisions, parents can also access a quick view of their kids’ average device usage and the top apps they use. Parents can also get automatic messages when their kids want to access a new website via a new tool called Ask to Browse.Learn more at Apple's parent safety website.Group tabs in Safari Credit: Apple Are you the type of person who always has about 30 different tabs going at once? Now, there's a better way to organize all those tabs.You can now organize your tabs into groups such as "Vacation planning" or "Work stuff."Describe a ShortcutShortcuts is probably one of the most underappreciated Apple software tools. Using a Shortcut, you can automate certain workflows and actions. For example, you can set up a shortcut that automatically edits and resizes photos once they're added to a specific folder. The reason Shortcuts are underutilized? They're tricky to set up if you're not a tech person. However, now you can let Siri AI and macOS set up the shortcut for you with Describe a Shortcut. Simply describe the kind of Shortcut you have in mind, and let the OS do the rest.An improved Maps experienceAccording to Apple, you'll be able to see even more details and information in Maps. For example, "Flyover now uses aerial imagery combined with Visual Intelligence models to render everything from architectural fixtures to the shapes of individual trees in stunning, sharp detail."General system improvements Visual Intelligence with Siri AI in macOS 27 Golden Gate Credit: Apple This one's a bit tricky to appreciate right away, but all new operating systems bring little refinements and improvements to the overall user experience — at least, in theory. Apple promises that macOS 27 Golden Gate will provide users with faster AirDrop transfers, faster file browsing, and faster loading times for apps and websites.Refinements to Liquid Glass should also fix some of the visibility problems that sometimes occurred in iOS 26 and macOS 26.Future updates coming to macOS 27Apple has also announced some features that will be released in later versions of the OS, such as:Suggestions: Messages and Mail will soon offer suggestions to take quick actions based on context clues, such as attaching a photo or pulling in flight information.Fix passwords with a click: "The Passwords app alerts you to weak or compromised passwords and can update them on your behalf without the hassle."What devices support macOS 27?Apple says macOS 27 Golden Gate is available for the following devices:MacBook Neo (2026)MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)iMac with Apple silicon (2021 and later)Mac mini with Apple silicon (2020 and later)Mac Studio (2022 and later)Mac Pro with Apple silicon (2023)Preorder the new Apple productsAlong with iOS 27, Apple also released new AirPods, Apple Watches, and iPhones. Except for the iPhone Duo, all of these devices are available for preorder now. Save up to $1,200 at T-Mobile Save up to $1,200 at T-Mobile Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book. 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