macOS 27 Golden Gate is now available to public beta testers, offering an early look at the Siri AI overhaul and a host of design and performance improvements. As with any beta software, it is best to install on a secondary device and create a full Time Machine backup before proceeding. This article highlights the ten most notable features you should test first.

Liquid Glass

The Liquid Glass effect introduced in macOS 26 gets a significant upgrade in macOS 27. A new slider lets users adjust the transparency level to suit their preferences. You can choose a clearer version that shows more of the background, or a more opaque setting for improved legibility. The overall opacity of Liquid Glass has been refined, and it now better diffuses complex content behind navigation bars and buttons. Darkened edges and brighter specular highlights add greater depth and separation between different UI elements, making the interface feel more polished and readable.

Toolbars, Sidebars, and Windows

Apple has standardized toolbars across apps, making text headings and groups of controls more legible. The number of icons in menu interfaces has been reduced, and windows now feature uniform corner radii for more consistency. Shadow and Liquid Glass improvements make it easier to identify the active window when multiple apps are open. Sidebars no longer float and are edge-to-edge, producing a less distracting design, and they once again use color for their icons.

Siri AI

Siri AI is the headline feature of macOS 27. It transforms Siri into a full-fledged chatbot capable of handling complex queries and tasks. On the Mac, you can invoke Siri via the Spotlight interface (Command+Space), which now works as a unified ‘Search or Ask’ bar. Beyond searching for files and apps, you can ask Siri to complete tasks, answer questions, or access personal information from emails, messages, and photos. Conversations sync across all devices, and a dedicated Siri app lets you view past conversations. Siri can also search the web and take actions inside apps, marking a dramatic shift from previous versions.

Visual Intelligence

Visual Intelligence, previously available on iPhone, comes to the Mac. You can ask Siri about anything displayed on your screen by pressing Command+Shift+Space or Command+Shift+6 to capture a specific area. Alternatively, press Command+Shift+5 and click the Visual Intelligence icon to select a region. Siri can then search for images, summarize text, translate, identify objects, add information to Calendar or Reminders, answer questions, and more. Features like extracting nutritional information from food images or splitting a bill are also supported.

Write with Siri

The system-wide Write with Siri feature extends beyond previous Apple Intelligence writing tools. Siri can compose entire emails or messages, offer feedback on your writing, suggest word replacements, and perform other editing tasks. To use it, right-click in an app and choose the Ask Siri option. If you select text first, Siri can help edit it; if the document is blank, Siri can generate content. When composing emails, Siri analyzes your past communications to match your personal style. Additionally, macOS 27 expands spell correction to include grammar suggestions and fixes.

iPhone Mirroring

iPhone Mirroring gains resizing capabilities in macOS 27. You can drag the corner of the window to make it larger or smaller. While many apps remain limited to a portrait iPhone aspect ratio, some now support iPad or landscape layouts, providing more flexibility for multitasking.

Shortcuts

The Shortcuts app is now more accessible to beginners. It opens to an interface that lets you describe the desired shortcut in natural language, and AI automatically generates the automation. You can refine the shortcut with further natural language prompts or edit it manually. Created shortcuts can be activated from the app or via Siri commands.

Safari Extensions

Safari introduces a customizable extension feature. Click the settings icon in the URL bar and choose ‘Describe Extension’ to type what you need. AI then builds the extension on the fly, ready for immediate use. Examples include displaying a reading time badge, closing duplicate tabs, highlighting a specific word, creating a focus timer, setting a minimum font size, drawing a flower on new tabs, showing element dimensions, enabling design mode for webpages, or saving a recipe.

Safari Tab Grouping and Notifications

Safari now intelligently groups related tabs in the tab view, automatically categorizing them for easier navigation. You can also monitor a webpage for changes by setting hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly checks. When the content updates, you receive a notification, making it simple to track dynamic pages without manual revisits.

Performance Improvements

Beyond new features, macOS 27 includes underlying code refinements that improve overall speed and responsiveness. Animations and interactions are smoother, especially in Safari, Mission Control, and Spaces. AirDrop transfers complete faster, browsing network-attached devices is quicker, and window positioning on external displays is more stable. Messages sync more reliably across devices. The search foundation for Spotlight, Photos, Mail, and Messages has been rebuilt for faster indexing, so recent results appear instantly. Mail search now uses a ranking system to surface the most relevant emails, and Spotlight suggestions are more accurate.

How to Install

To install the public beta, sign up on Apple’s beta testing website, then open System Settings > General > Software Update. Under the Beta Updates section, click the ‘i’ icon and choose ‘macOS 27 Golden Gate Public Beta’. After selection, the update will appear like any other software update—just follow the on-screen prompts.

System Requirements

macOS 27 Golden Gate requires a Mac with an M1 chip or later, along with the A18 Pro MacBook Neo. Intel-based Macs are not supported. All supported Macs can run Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, but some on-device processing features—such as natural voice selection and upgraded dictation—require an M3 or later chip. Siri AI will not be available in the European Union or China at launch, and this restriction applies now as well.

Source:MacRumors News