Apple has released macOS Golden Gate to the public, opening the update to anyone with a compatible Mac. The software requires Apple silicon, meaning it runs on Macs with an M1 chip or later, plus the A18 Pro MacBook Neo. Intel-based Macs are not supported and will not receive the new features.

The headline addition is a dramatically upgraded Siri, alongside a wave of Apple Intelligence features spread across Photos, Calendar, Reminders, Home and Safari. Notably, the Mac is the only device where users in the European Union can currently try Siri AI.

Siri AI is the biggest change

Siri now behaves more like a chatbot. On the Mac, users can ask it anything through the Spotlight interface, launched with Command + Space, which has become a unified "Search or Ask" bar for finding files and apps or completing tasks. A dedicated Siri app stores past conversations that sync across devices and works cross-platform.

The assistant can see what is on screen and tap into personal data such as emails, messages and photos to answer questions. It can also search the web and carry out tasks inside apps, a substantial leap over the previous version.

Visual Intelligence and Write with Siri

Apple has brought the iPhone's Visual Intelligence to the Mac. Users can capture the whole screen or a portion using shortcuts like Command + Shift + Space, then ask Siri to summarize, translate, identify objects, or push details into Calendar and Reminders. It includes newer features such as nutritional information for food and bill splitting.

A system-wide Write with Siri tool goes beyond earlier Writing Tools, composing full emails or messages, editing text and matching a user's writing style based on past communications. Spell correction has also expanded to include grammar suggestions.

A refreshed Liquid Glass interface

Golden Gate adds a Liquid Glass transparency slider, letting users choose a clearer look that shows the background through the interface or a more opaque, legible setting. Apple also refined overall opacity, added darkened edges and brighter highlights, and made toolbars more uniform. Sidebars are now edge-to-edge rather than floating, and their icons use color again. Window shadows make it easier to tell which app is active.

Smarter Safari, Shortcuts and iPhone Mirroring

Safari gains AI-built extensions through a "Describe Extension" option, where users type what they want and get a working tool immediately. Examples include closing duplicate tabs, adding a reading-time badge, or setting a minimum font size. Safari can also automatically group related tabs and monitor webpages for changes with hourly, daily, weekly or monthly checks.

The Shortcuts app now lets users describe a shortcut in natural language and have AI build it, with the option to refine or edit manually. Meanwhile, iPhone Mirroring windows can be resized, and some apps support landscape or iPad layouts.

Performance improvements under the hood

Apple says it cleaned up underlying code to speed things up. Animations and scrolling feel smoother, AirDrop transfers finish faster, and window positioning on external displays is more stable. The company rebuilt the search foundation for Spotlight, Photos, Mail and Messages, with quicker indexing and a ranking system in Mail that surfaces the most relevant emails.

How to install and system requirements

The update can be installed via System Settings under General > Software Update. Every Mac running Golden Gate supports Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, but some on-device Siri features, including a natural voice option and upgraded dictation, require an M3 chip or later.