I have the latest beta installed on my Mac. I want to be able to get the official public release when Apple makes it available to everyone next week. How do I do that? Do I need to disable public betas, and then will the next software update I see be for the regular Tahoe upgrade all users will see?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
How do I upgrade to the official macOS 26 release if I currently have the beta installed?
- Thread starter KES3059A3
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Usually, yes, if you turn off beta access, once Apple release Tahoe to the general public, it will simply appear when you check for updates, and then once updated you'll be on the official release version.
However, I would recommend waiting until the conclusion of the Apple event today. Usually not too long after that — generally within an hour or two, but it can be longer, so certainly by Wednesday — Apple will release the final release version of Tahoe, through the beta channel. Absent any major last minute bugs or issues, this will be completely identical to the final public release.
It's released early to give developers a final window to test against, so as mentioned, unless there are any showstopping bugs, what you will be able to get access to will be exactly the same version the general public will get. The same goes for the iOS, iPadOS, tvOS and watchOS updates. New iPhones will for example be running whatever build of 26.0 fresh out of the box, as would new Macs (if any are released, which seems fairly unlikely, but you never know), so any tweaks Apple make would generally follow in a .0.1 update or similar.
It's been this way for quite a few years so the cycle is unlikely to change today. It's a good way to beat the activation server rush and things that can get busy when the general public is piling on, but Apple's servers are pretty solid these days. Still, nice to be ahead of the curve
However, I would recommend waiting until the conclusion of the Apple event today. Usually not too long after that — generally within an hour or two, but it can be longer, so certainly by Wednesday — Apple will release the final release version of Tahoe, through the beta channel. Absent any major last minute bugs or issues, this will be completely identical to the final public release.
It's released early to give developers a final window to test against, so as mentioned, unless there are any showstopping bugs, what you will be able to get access to will be exactly the same version the general public will get. The same goes for the iOS, iPadOS, tvOS and watchOS updates. New iPhones will for example be running whatever build of 26.0 fresh out of the box, as would new Macs (if any are released, which seems fairly unlikely, but you never know), so any tweaks Apple make would generally follow in a .0.1 update or similar.
It's been this way for quite a few years so the cycle is unlikely to change today. It's a good way to beat the activation server rush and things that can get busy when the general public is piling on, but Apple's servers are pretty solid these days. Still, nice to be ahead of the curve
