Updated
Updated · Tech Times · May 30
macOS 28 Ends Rosetta 2 for 18,800 Intel Apps on Apple Silicon Macs
Updated
Updated · Tech Times · May 30

macOS 28 Ends Rosetta 2 for 18,800 Intel Apps on Apple Silicon Macs

1 articles · Updated · Tech Times · May 30

Summary

  • Fall 2027 is the cutoff Apple has now signaled: macOS 28 will stop running virtually all Intel-only apps on Apple Silicon Macs, with only a narrow exception for some older unmaintained games.
  • macOS 26.5, released May 11, already warns users when they open Intel-only software, reflecting Apple’s WWDC 2025 plan to keep Rosetta 2 only through macOS 27.
  • More than 18,800 apps in a community-tracked database remain Intel-only, with the biggest risk concentrated in enterprise tools, audio and creative plugins, CAD software, and abandoned utilities.
  • IT teams and users are being told to audit apps now—via Activity Monitor, Finder, System Information or fleet tools such as Jamf Pro—and replace anything still labeled Intel.
  • The deadline also caps Apple’s broader transition: macOS 26 Tahoe is the last release for Intel Macs, leaving hardware refreshes and software migration on parallel tracks.

Insights

With 18,800+ Mac apps set to break, is this progress or a planned crisis for software preservation and user choice?
How will Apple’s unified silicon and on-device AI strategy challenge the dominance of cloud-first rivals like Google and NVIDIA?