What Apple announced
Rosetta 2 is the translation layer that has let Apple silicon Macs run apps built for Intel processors since 2020. On 1 September 2026 Apple published the end date in its developer news:
“macOS 27: Final release to support Rosetta — Intel-only apps will no longer run on Mac computers with Apple silicon after this update.” — Apple Developer News, “Upcoming changes to Rosetta support for Intel-based macOS apps”, 1 September 2026
The same announcement includes two further details:
- From macOS 26.4, people may see a system notification when they open an app that relies on Rosetta, asking them to update it.
- Some games keep Rosetta: “Rosetta functionality for older, unmaintained gaming titles that rely on Intel-based frameworks will continue to be supported.”
A week later, an Apple developer note about macOS 27 added that macOS 27 itself runs only on Macs with Apple silicon.
The timeline
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Apple silicon Macs arrive; Rosetta 2 runs Intel apps on them. |
| macOS 26.4 | macOS may warn you when you open an app that relies on Rosetta. |
| macOS 27 (autumn 2026) | The last release that supports Rosetta for apps. |
| macOS 28 | Intel-only apps no longer open on Apple silicon Macs. Apple hasn’t announced a date; it usually releases a new version of macOS every autumn, so autumn 2027 is likely. |
What stops working
- Intel-only apps. In Finder, select the app and choose File › Get Info: “Kind: Application (Intel)” means it depends on Rosetta. Our guide How to find Intel-only apps on your Mac shows four ways to check every app at once.
- Intel-only plug-ins (very likely). Apple’s announcement refers to apps. A plug-in (an audio unit, a Photoshop filter, a printer utility component) that exists only for Intel can be loaded only by an app running under Rosetta. When Rosetta is removed, those plug-ins stop working too, even inside a native app.
- Intel-only command-line tools and installers (very likely), for the same reason: they need Rosetta to run.
What keeps working
- Apps built for Apple silicon and Universal apps (which contain both kinds of code). Most actively maintained apps are already one or the other.
- Some older games, as Apple states above.
- Your files. Documents don’t depend on Rosetta; only the apps that open them do.
What this means for you
- Find out which of your apps are Intel-only now, while they still run.
- Update the apps that have a native version. This is often a free update, sometimes a paid upgrade.
- Decide what to do with the rest: an alternative app, staying on macOS 27 on the Mac you have, or running macOS 27 in a virtual machine. We compare the options in How to run Intel apps on Apple silicon after macOS 28.
Keep in mind when planning: Mac models introduced after macOS 28 is released will ship with macOS 28 or later, and an Apple silicon Mac can’t be downgraded to a macOS version older than the one it shipped with. Not upgrading is therefore an option only on the Mac you already have, and only for as long as Apple continues to release security fixes for macOS 27.
Common questions
Will my Intel apps work on macOS 28? No, not on their own. Apple says that from macOS 28 Rosetta will only be available for certain older games, so Intel-only apps stop opening on Macs with Apple silicon.
Is macOS 27 the last version with Rosetta? Yes. Apple announced that macOS 27 Golden Gate is the final release to support Rosetta for apps.
Which apps keep working on macOS 28? Apps with a native or Universal version, and some older games Apple will keep Rosetta for. Check yours in the compatibility database.
Can I keep using an Intel-only app after macOS 28? Yes, by staying on macOS 27 or by running the app in a macOS 27 virtual machine. Keep86 is being built for that.
Sources
- Apple Developer News, “Upcoming changes to Rosetta support for Intel-based macOS apps”, 1 September 2026 — https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=w5ngl9k2
- Apple Developer News, note on submitting apps for macOS 27, 9 September 2026 — https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=k1mtkt1k