Apple Is Officially Dropping Support for Intel-Based Macs — What You Need to Know
It’s the end of an era. Apple has officially completed its transition away from Intel-based Macs, and if you’re still running one of those older machines, you’ll want to pay close attention. At WWDC 2025, Apple confirmed that no Intel-powered Mac will receive macOS 27 Golden Gate, the next major version of macOS expected to arrive this fall.
This move has been a long time coming. Back in 2020, Apple announced its ambitious plan to ditch Intel chips in favor of its own in-house Apple silicon processors. Over the following two years, the entire Mac lineup was refreshed with M-series chips. Since then, Apple has been gradually winding down software support for older Intel machines — and now, that process is officially complete.
Which Intel Macs Are No Longer Supported?
If you own any of the following Intel-based Macs, your device will not receive macOS 27 Golden Gate:
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, with four Thunderbolt ports)
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020)
- Mac Pro (2019)
One interesting detail worth noting: the 2020 MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt ports was already dropped from support last year. However, the more powerful variant with four Thunderbolt ports managed to receive macOS 26 Tahoe. That grace period is now over — even that model has been left behind for macOS 27.
Every Mac running Apple silicon — including the entry-level MacBook Air (M1, 2020) — will be eligible for the macOS 27 Golden Gate update.
iPads Are Also Losing Support
It’s not just Macs feeling the cut. Apple is also trimming iPadOS 27 compatibility, dropping support for several older iPad models. While iOS 27 continues to support every iPhone that ran iOS 26 (all the way back to the iPhone 11 from 2019), iPads aren’t getting the same treatment.
The following iPads will not receive iPadOS 27:
- iPad mini (5th Generation)
- iPad (8th Generation)
- iPad Air (3rd Generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st Generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd Generation)
If your iPad appears on this list, it will stop receiving major software updates after iPadOS 26. You’ll still be able to use your device, but you won’t benefit from new features, performance improvements, or — more importantly — future security patches tied to major OS updates.
What Does This Mean for You?
Losing macOS or iPadOS support doesn’t mean your device stops working overnight. You can continue using your Intel Mac or older iPad just as you do today. However, over time, certain apps may stop supporting older OS versions, and you’ll miss out on new productivity features, UI improvements, and security enhancements.
If you rely on your Mac or iPad for work and productivity, this is a good moment to start planning an upgrade path. Apple silicon Macs — even the base-model MacBook Air — offer significantly better performance and battery life than their Intel predecessors, making the switch well worth considering.
For the full breakdown and additional context, you can read the original report over at Lifehacker.
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