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Apple Seeds Third macOS Tahoe Public Beta

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Apple today provided public beta testers with a third beta of macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's set to launch this fall. The third beta comes one week after the second macOS Tahoe public beta, and it corresponds to the sixth developer beta.

macOS-Tahoe-26-Thumb-2.jpg

Public beta testers can download macOS Tahoe from the Software Update section of the Settings app after signing up for the betas on Apple's website.

macOS Tahoe has the same Liquid Glass design as iOS 26, and it extends to app icons, folders, the Dock, in-app navigation, menus, the Control Center, and the Menu Bar. The Control Center and the Menu Bar are customizable, and you're also able to customize folders, app icons, and widgets.

macos-tahoe-design.jpg

Safari has an updated tab design and a redesigned sidebar, and Apple has brought the Phone app to the Mac for making phone calls through Wi-Fi Calling. The Phone app supports the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features.

Spotlight has been overhauled with improved search and the ability to execute hundreds of actions without opening up an app. There's a new Games app with a Game Overlay feature, and developers have access to Metal 4.

More on what's new can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Third macOS Tahoe Public Beta
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/14/apple-seeds-macos-tahoe-public-beta-3/
Has anyone noticed the cmd-tab pop up has bad alignment issues on laptops? For me, the app name on the first and last apps show up under the second and next to last icons. Looks like they increased the radius of the round corners to the point where it pushes the text in so much it doesn't align with the icon anymore.

And the highlight around the icon is nearly non-existent, like 1 or 2 pixels. This issue doesn't happen on a monitor. I'm guessing it's a scaling issue.
 
GeneticBloom said:
The functionality is still there. You just press Cmd+Space to open spotlight and click Apps, there they all are.
Click to expand...
That is not at all the same functionality. It’s a wholly different user experience and one that is measurably less efficient and just plain stupid. “Cmd space and click apps” is already too much effort compared to using launchpad.
 
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icwhatudidthere said:
Has anyone noticed the cmd-tab pop up has bad alignment issues on laptops? For me, the app name on the first and last apps show up under the second and next to last icons. Looks like they increased the radius of the round corners to the point where it pushes the text in so much it doesn't align with the icon anymore.

And the highlight around the icon is nearly non-existent, like 1 or 2 pixels. This issue doesn't happen on a monitor. I'm guessing it's a scaling issue.
Click to expand...
Yes. Especially with a long app name. It's not centered under the app. This is on Studio Display. Bug? Or the only thing they could do?
 

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anthony131 said:
That is not at all the same functionality. It’s a wholly different user experience and one that is measurably less efficient and just plain stupid. “Cmd space and click apps” is already too much effort compared to using launchpad.
Click to expand...

For me, who previously had Launchpad as one of their hotkeys, when I move the cursor to the space now, it launches Spotlight immediately to the Applications window. The functionality and user experience is virtually identical.
 
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tunnel under ocean blvd said:
For me, who previously had Launchpad as one of their hotkeys, when I move the cursor to the space now, it launches Spotlight immediately to the Applications window. The functionality and user experience is virtually identical.
Click to expand...
Could you share a screen of what this looks like? From what I’ve seen posted on MR, this entirely different. Specifically, the ability to organize launchpad apps and folders is my concern.
 
Selena Agna said:
Looking forward to see what text they've rendered unreadable this time because they're married to their Liquid Glass high concept instead of basic usability.
Click to expand...

Liquid Glass is getting more refined in its look. But... It still interferes with function and you need to choose backgrounds carefully.
 
Nik said:
I miss bug fixing releases like Snow Leopard back in the day.
Click to expand...
Snow Leopard was not a bug fix release. It was a huge rewrite of major parts of OS X, removing native PowerPC support, and transitioning to the new (at the time) OpenCL, Cocoa, and 64-bit frameworks. At launch it was actually MUCH buggier than Leopard (as expected for major rewrite) until patched to ~10.6.5 about a year later.

Don't get me wrong, once the bugs were ironed out, Snow Leopard was amazing and ran super fast and I loved it. But this meme of it being a "bug fix release" is just false and needs to die.
 
They fixed some of the more glaring UI defects in PB3. The Control Center no longer phases in weirdly and just appears instead. I still think it would fit their aesthetic better for elements like Control Center to surface through the screen, as if glass blocks were breaking the surface of a still pond. Things like Exposé are much smoother. It looks like they corrected the mega janky font on the Calendar dock icon. The Time Machine tray icon didn't go missing upon restart this time. No more errant Keyboards icon in the tray.

For those of you hoping the new Launchpad gets the ability to reorder and have folders... maybe? You can drag the icons in PB3. There's just no ability to change their order doing that, or to combine them into folders. Still, hope springs eternal, maybe 😁. I still think using LaunchPad is the least efficient way to launching apps, but that's just my opinion.

My main reason for even being on the Tahoe beta is still because I want to use Apple Container. It's working pretty well so far, and I'm looking forward to where it's headed.
 
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