How to Check if Your Intel Mac is Still Getting Any Updates

Since Apple switched to its own silicon, support for Intel Macs has been slowly phased out. With macOS 26 on the horizon, more and more Intel-powered Macs are being discontinued, so if you're still using one, it's time to consider upgrading.

Many Intel Macs are being phased out

AppleInsider reports that the latest version of macOS, now known as macOS 26, will drop support for the 2017 iMac Pro, 2018 Mac mini, 2018 MacBook Pro models, and 2020 MacBook Air. So if you're still using an older Intel-powered Mac, chances are you'll miss out on the next major macOS update.

Specifically, the pre-release version of macOS 26 supports the following devices:

1. MacBook Pro 2019 or later
2. MacBook Air M1 or later
3. iMac 2020 or later
4. Mac Pro 2019 or later
5. Mac mini M1 or later
6. All Mac Studio models

If you have an older Mac, you'll likely miss out on all the new visual changes and Apple Intelligence features that come with macOS 26 — a similar strategy to what Apple did with the iPhone, limiting the latest AI features and UI improvements to newer devices. It's possible the company will end support for remaining Intel Macs in 2026.

macOS 26 is set to be the biggest software update for Macs since at least Big Sur , with a key goal being to achieve more cohesion between Apple's various operating systems. Bloomberg reports that the iPhone maker plans to unify the interfaces of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS for a more streamlined experience.

All those new features and visuals will cost you some storage, though. The first developer beta of macOS 26 is expected to be over 17GB, nearly 2GB larger than its predecessor, macOS Sequoia . You can expect the final name for the upcoming macOS version and other details to be revealed at WWDC 2025 on June 9.

It's time to upgrade to Apple Silicon!

The move is clearly aimed at phasing out older Macs running Intel chips and moving to an environment where both software and hardware are entirely made by Apple.

The devices that are being dropped from macOS 26 aren't bad hardware-wise, and you'll likely be able to use them for at least a couple of years before feeling the need to upgrade. However, without new software updates, you'll be exposed to security vulnerabilities, meaning you'll have no choice but to upgrade to a newer M-series Mac if you want to stay in the Apple ecosystem.

Some macOS features might tempt you to ditch your Windows PC, but unless you buy an M-series Mac, it won't last long. There are also some macOS Sequoia features that Windows 11 already has , so if you want to stick with Intel, switching to Windows or Linux might be your best bet.

Samuel Daniel

Update 30 May 2025