Introduction

Apple will release macOS 26 Tahoe later in 2025, introducing a fresh new “Liquid Glass” aesthetic, enhanced Spotlight search capabilities, a more powerful Apple Intelligence, and several new apps.

Add Clipboard History to Your Mac Right Now

If there’s one feature I use multiple times every day to save hours per month, it’s a clipboard manager. Instead of constantly switching between documents, webpages, and folders, a clipboard manager allows you to select previously copied items and reuse them effortlessly.

Apple is finally bringing native clipboard history to the Mac in macOS 26 via Spotlight. The next version of the desktop OS will include a dedicated button that appears when you hit the Command+Spacebar shortcut, beneath which you’ll find clips including text, files, and more.

The best thing about Maccy is its ease of use, thanks to the Command+Shift+C keyboard shortcut. Use the arrow keys to select an item, and copy it with Return or hit Option+Return to copy and paste right away. I frequently use this to copy URLs and text passages, effectively “loading up” my clipboard with things I know I’ll need and deploying them without taking my hands off the keyboard or breaking my focus by switching windows.

Shortcuts Automation

Shortcuts lets you build simple or complex workflows to automate various tasks. The app uses an approachable block-based workflow system and simple variables, and even supports syncing with the iOS and iPadOS versions over iCloud.

One feature that the Mac version of Shortcuts has always lacked is the “Automations” tab available on the mobile and tablet versions. This allows you to set up triggers based on the time of day, when a specific peripheral is connected, when you get in your car, or even when an app of your choosing is launched.

Get a Better Version of Spotlight with Alfred and Raycast

Spotlight is getting some much-needed attention in macOS 26. In addition to new views for folders, apps, and Shortcuts workflows (and the aforementioned clipboard history), Apple is adding system actions that let you get a head-start on tasks without taking your fingers off the keyboard.

For example, using what Apple is calling Quick Keys, you can start an email by specifying the recipient, subject, and an attachment, then move to the Mail app to compose. You can also create calendar events, send messages, play specific podcasts, and more. This sort of accelerated workflow has caused many users to turn to apps like Alfred and Raycast for years.

Export Apple Notes as Markdown with Exporter

Apple is adding the ability to export Apple Notes as Markdown files in macOS 26, a feature that feels long overdue but that further emphasizes why Apple Notes is one of the best note-taking apps on the market. For the unaware, Markdown is a simple markup language that uses easy syntax to create written content.

No Need to Wait for Native Journal

Apple introduced the Journal app to the iPhone with the iOS 17.2 update back in 2023 but hasn’t significantly developed it since. While Apple’s approach to journaling differs from apps like Day One, it always felt like a missed opportunity for the app to exist purely on a touchscreen device where typing out longer entries can be cumbersome (and not everyone wants to dictate their inner thoughts aloud).

macOS 26 and iPadOS 26 address this by bringing the Journal app to both platforms. Thanks to iCloud, anything you add on one device will sync to all devices. You can start an entry on your iPhone and then finish it on your Mac. But you don’t have to wait until the fall to start recording your long-form inner dialog.

Using Apple’s Journal app via iPhone Mirroring.

Once you’re connected, find the Journal app and start typing. Alternatively, you could draft your thoughts in any app and then use the Universal Clipboard feature to copy the text on your Mac and paste it on your iPhone.

iPhone mirroring on macOS Sequoia showing the App Library.

macOS 26 will introduce some changes to Apple Intelligence when it arrives in the fall, with Apple specifically mentioning Image Playground in its announcement. One example the company gave was adding ChatGPT image styles, many of which have taken the internet by storm (for better or worse). These include anime, oil painting, print, vector, and watercolor.

While Image Playground enjoys a bit more integration into the wider Apple ecosystem, you can easily get your hands on these styles using the free ChatGPT app for Mac. All you need to do is drag your image from the Photos app into the ChatGPT prompt box (or paste from elsewhere), and ask the service to recreate your image in a style of your choosing.

Install the Beta Right Now

For the full set of macOS 26 changes, including the brand new visual style, you can install Apple’s Developer Beta right now. To do this, you’ll need to enroll as an Apple Developer with your Apple Account, then head to System Settings > General > Software Update and switch “Beta Updates” from “Off” to “macOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta,” and then apply the update.

However, we recommend against doing this and suggest waiting for the more stable public beta or even the final release when it arrives if you value having a stable operating system. Alternatively, you can easily use an app like Parallels Desktop to install the new operating system in a virtual machine.