Apple has told developers that eligible Mac App Store apps can now drop Intel Mac support, allowing existing universal apps that require macOS 13 or later to ship as Apple silicon-only updates. PCMag and 9to5Mac report that Apple communicated the change to developers on 1 September.
Intel Mac support: what changes for users
Developers can change an app’s architecture setting to arm64, rebuild it and submit the new version to the Mac App Store. Apple says this can simplify development and reduce download and on-device size. The policy change is optional: developers can continue shipping universal builds with both arm64 and x86_64 support.
An Intel Mac will not run an arm64-only update. Users can keep using the last compatible Intel version, but they will not receive features, fixes or compatibility work added to later Apple silicon-only releases. Apple has not ended Intel app support in the store; it has removed a rule that made ending that support harder.
The change arrives as Apple completes its wider processor transition. macOS Tahoe 26 remains compatible with several Intel models, including the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 2020 27-inch iMac and the 2019 Mac Pro, according to Apple’s compatibility list. Apple has said macOS 27 will not run on Intel Macs.
Intel Mac support is moving in both directions
Apple’s developer notice on Rosetta says macOS 26.4 or later may notify users when they launch apps that rely on the translation layer. macOS 27 will be the final release with general-purpose Rosetta support, after which Intel-only apps will generally stop running on Apple silicon Macs. Apple will retain Rosetta functionality for some older, unmaintained games that depend on Intel-based frameworks.
That leaves developers with two choices during the transition: add arm64 support so Intel-only apps can run natively on Apple silicon, or remove x86_64 from universal apps when they no longer want to maintain the Intel slice. The two decisions point to the same arm64-only future, although Intel Macs and universal apps will not disappear overnight.
For Mac owners in the UAE, the policy is the same as elsewhere. An Intel Mac that still runs macOS Tahoe can remain useful, but its software support will increasingly depend on developers continuing to publish universal builds. There is no UAE-specific deadline or local pricing change attached to Apple’s announcement.
Apple’s previous macOS 27 coverage on tbreak covers the operating system cutoff, while our WWDC26 report covers the broader software transition.
Can developers still support Intel Macs?
Yes. Apple has made arm64-only releases optional, so developers can continue shipping universal apps with both arm64 and x86_64 support.
What happens when an Intel Mac app becomes arm64-only?
The Intel Mac cannot run the new update. The user can continue using the last compatible Intel version, but will miss later features, fixes and compatibility updates.
Will macOS 27 run on Intel Macs?
No. Apple has said macOS 27 will be limited to Apple silicon Macs. macOS Tahoe 26 is the final macOS release compatible with Intel models.
