Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reports that Apple plans to remove Rosetta support in macOS 28, ending Intel app compatibility on M-series Macs by fall 2027.
- This change affects users running older Intel-based apps that haven’t been updated for Apple’s silicon chips since the transition began.
- Users should check app compatibility through “Get Info” and look for updates or alternatives for Intel apps before the deadline.
Apple made a major announcement this week that could affect the software you use, especially if it’s an older app and you’re using an M-series Mac. In a support document, Apple wrote that it will begin phasing out Rosetta features with macOS 28. This means that in two years, apps that were written for Intel-based Macs will no longer run on M-series Macs, except for “certain older, unmaintained games.”
When Apple began the transition from Intel chips to its own M-series chips in 2020, it changed the architecture of how Macs fundamentally work. To help with the transition, Apple created Rosetta, which acts as a translator for Intel-based applications to run on M-series Macs. Rosetta will be included in macOS 27, which is expected to be released this fall. After that, Apple will limit the implementation of Rosetta in macOS 28.
More than five years have passed since the premiere of the first M1 Macs. It will be seven years before macOS 28 is released in the fall of 2027—Apple has a history of abandoning products after that amount of time.
Developers have had plenty of time to update their software to either exclusively support M-series Macs or run universally on both chips. You can check app compatibility by selecting the app icon and pressing Command+I on your keyboard. This will open a window with information about the software and v General section, see the listing species. You will see one of the following:
- Application (Apple Silicone): The application was written for Apple chips
- Application (universal): The application was written for both Apple and Intel chips
- Applications (Intel): The app was written for Intel chips and will stop working with macOS 28
Foundry
If the app is “Apple silicon” or “Universal”, it will continue to work when macOS 28 arrives. However, if the app is “Intel”, it will stop working (unless it’s one of those older games that Apple hasn’t identified yet). If the developer doesn’t update the app by then, you may have to find an Apple silicone or Universal alternative.
Here are your options: If you purchased the app from the Mac App Store, check the store for updates. If you downloaded the app from a third-party website, check the app’s settings or the developer’s website for an update. If none become available between now and 2027, your options get a little dramatic. You can look for a completely new app, or you can delay upgrading to macOS 28 (which we don’t recommend). Finally, if you have an older secondary Mac, you can use it to run any Intel applications when you need them.
If you’re still using an Intel Mac, don’t worry about macOS 28 because it’s not compatible. Apple has announced that macOS 26 Tahoe (the current version of macOS) is the latest version that runs on Intel Macs.