macOS Sonoma running on desktop and laptop Macs
macOS Sonoma running on desktop and laptop Macs.

Apple Inc

Making Sense of Those macOS 16 Rumors

The future software running your Mac could be heavy on AI

By
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Writer
  • Ithaca College
Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others.
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Updated on March 13, 2025

Apple releases a new version of the macOS every year. We expect the company to release macOS 16, the next generation of the operating system that powers its desktop and laptop Macs, in 2025.

When Could macOS 16 Be Released? 

Apple hasn't said anything publicly about macOS 16 yet. However, the company has a solid track record when it comes to new versions of macOS, so it doesn't take much imagination to think that macOS 16 could arrive in September or October 2025.

Here’s why the rumors are growing:

  • The current version, macOS 15, debuted in 2024. Apple has stuck to an annual release schedule for many years now.
  • Serial Apple reporter Mark Gurman says the next version of macOS is coming later this year.
  • An unveiling is expected at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. A beta version of the operating system is typically released then, ahead of the full public release.

Is Apple Even Considering the Release of Any Kind of macOS?

There's no reason to doubt that a new version is on the way. Apple has consistently released a major macOS update every year since 2011, and there's nothing to suggest that trend will change now.

In fact, macOS 16 already has a codename: "Cheer." The existence of a codename is a strong sign that development is well underway. Industry expert Mark Gurman has also reported that this release will be the biggest upgrade since macOS Big Sur in 2020.

All signs point to Apple gearing up for a major update, and macOS 16 seems to be it.

Our Thoughts on Potential macOS 16 Features

Every new major version of macOS delivers new features. Nobody knows for sure what those are yet, but we've got some ideas.

  • Major Redesign: macOS 16 will deliver a major redesign of the operating system, according to leading Apple reporter Mark Gurman (via his Power On newsletter). We're let in the dark on what that means, exactly, but the report says we could see refreshed apps, menus, icons, and more, plus simplifying navigation and control.
  • More AI: There are bound to be artificial intelligence features arriving in macOS 16 considering that the company is pushing hard to implement Apple Intelligence features across its product line.
  • New Emojis: Apple tends to refresh the emoji gallery with every new version of macOS. This is expected again this year, although they might not arrive until a smaller update in the months following the first release.
  • Apple Vision Pro features: Apple's Vision Pro spatial computing headset is the company's biggest and splashiest new launch in years. With so many cool new features and concepts in its visionOS, it's only reasonable to assume that some Apple Vision Pro features will show up in macOS 16.

We'll update this article as the rumor mill heats up and macOS 16 comes more clearly into focus.

Which Devices Might Support macOS 16?

New versions of macOS generally support desktop and laptop Macs released in the 5-6 years before the upgrade. For instance, macOS 14 was released in 2023 and supported hardware as old as the 2017 iMac Pro, while macOS 13 supported the 2017 iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook, and MacBook Pro.

If that pattern holds with macOS 16, expect that you'll need a Mac released in 2019 or 2020 (or newer) to use macOS 16.

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