While macOS Tahoe 26 shares redesign polish with iOS and iPadOS, its best new features double down on what makes the Mac the Mac. Terminal upgrades, automation triggers, and power-user tweaks are the kind of Mac updates that you won’t find on the iPhone and iPad. Apple aims its focus on the Mac with these features.
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Terminal gets a visual upgrade with more customization
Nothing says Mac more than the Terminal. macOS Tahoe 26 brings a visual update to Terminal. With support for 24-bit color and new themes, users can personalize the command line interface to better reflect their style or workspace. Built-in support for Powerline glyphs adds the ability to include status bars or rich prompts directly in the shell. These updates enhance usability while preserving the raw flexibility that Terminal users expect.
Shortcuts can respond to real-world context
macOS 26 expands Shortcuts automation with new conditions. Automations can now trigger based on file activity, battery level, and time of day. Other triggers include specific wifi networks, external displays, calendar events, and even email senders. For example, connecting a monitor can trigger your Work Focus. Another example: a file added to the desktop can be automatically sorted into the appropriate folder. These additions bring meaningful automation to everyday Mac use.
Notes adds Markdown support and call transcription
Notes now includes support for importing and exporting Markdown-formatted files. This gives users more flexibility when working across platforms or using plain text formatting. More notably on the Mac, if you use the new Phone app any call, you can generate transcripts of those conversations in Notes. These transcripts can be saved and referenced later. This makes it easier to keep track of the conversation without needing to take notes manually.
Safari enhances Picture in Picture
The Safari browser gains new Picture in Picture controls. Users can now move videos into PiP from the Page Menu and control playback from the floating window. Supported videos can be skipped forward or backward, and ads can be skipped where available. It’s a convenient improvement for multitaskers who watch while working or gaming.
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