Apple’s macOS 26 Tahoe exhibits the place Home windows has misplaced its manner

Apple has a fame for reimagining merchandise launched by different firms, sharpening them so completely that they’re typically seen as synonymous with Apple itself. With the macOS 26 “Tahoe” replace that Apple launched at WWCD 2025, the OS arguably has achieved what Home windows 11 has struggled to be: heat, polished, and good.

Apple’s new macOS Tahoe is first outlined by its “Liquid Glass” design aesthetic, a brand new common design language, that I believe hearkens again to Home windows 10 and earlier variations of Home windows working techniques. However past feel and appear, there are sensible components, just like the Highlight search bar that understands what’s in your Mac and faucets into native intelligence to search out what you need. There are additionally shortcuts or macros that can assist you full duties, and a telephone utility that appears as wealthy as what Microsoft provides. There’s even a rudimentary Recreation Bar.

I a lot want Home windows over macOS, and have used Home windows and Android merchandise for many years. Nonetheless, there have been a number of occasions that I’ve been impressed with what Apple has achieved—the Apple Watch integration with iOS, for instance. There’s a degree of polish and integration right here that I believe Microsoft ought to take note of.

If I needed to sum it up: What I take advantage of on a day-to-day foundation on Home windows seems like a tough draft. What Apple confirmed off at WWDC appears extra like the ultimate product.

Heat and wealthy

From day one in every of Home windows 11, I wrote that Home windows 11 felt like an pointless substitute for Home windows 10. I’ve since modified my thoughts about that, partly as a result of Microsoft has pivoted towards options like Home windows Highlight and including AI capabilities like Copilot. MacOS Tahoe seems to be and feels considerably like Home windows Vista’s Aero Glass design language, however you may’t maintain that towards them—a few of Microsoft’s early Home windows efforts had been fondly remembered for his or her UI.

Apple’s widgets look very very like the outdated Devices on Home windows Vista, too. They only seem like small widgets that float on the desktop, with massive icons that may present your calendar and the climate. Home windows has its personal Widgets Panel, after all, and there can be those that want that that info hides off display. Once more, nevertheless, for individuals who appreciated Home windows 10’s Dwell Tiles and the way they confirmed “dwell” info, Tahoe’s Dwell Actions look heat and interesting.

(I don’t like Tahoe’s new capacity to color-code or label folders, weirdly. It feels superficial, like one thing that Home windows would do. )

Apple seems to have extra than simply mild and darkish modes in thoughts. All of it seems to be very private. That’s one thing that Home windows 11 actually doesn’t provide. Home windows 11 is useful, however I all the time really feel like a cubicle employee somewhat than somebody extra artistic. Apple seems to be leaning more durable into the person.

YouTube / Apple

Productiveness, too

A few of what Apple confirmed off at WWDC appeared acquainted. Apple’s Management Heart is simply Home windows’ Motion Heart, offering fast shortcuts to apps and controls. Apple Continuity is Apple’s efforts to traverse its iPhone, iPad, and Imaginative and prescient OS platforms, by permitting you to share content material throughout platforms — one thing that Microsoft doesn’t do properly, however {hardware} makers like Samsung, do.

I used to be extra impressed with Dwell Actions, a extra dynamic kind of widget. In a single instance, Apple’s Craig Federighi confirmed an Uber supply app related the Mac by way of the iPhone, displaying a abstract of how far-off the motive force was.

YouTube / Apple

Curiously, one space the place it seems like Home windows has a bonus is within the Telephone utility. On Home windows, you may learn and write SMS messages, seize images out of your telephone, and even see the (Android) telephone’s desktop. On the Mac, Apple provides instruments which can be extra built-in into the telephone itself, reminiscent of Dwell Voicemail and the flexibility to carry out dwell translations. Microsoft provides the latter, however that’s constructed into Home windows itself.

However, Microsoft’s UI nonetheless feels somewhat chilly and useful, whereas the macOS interface bursts with life.

YouTube / Apple

Shortcuts and Highlight

Apple additionally confirmed off an up to date model of the Shortcuts utility, powered by Apple Intelligence. Shortcuts is a bit like IFTTT and even the Home windows Energy Automate utility: It’s designed to take actions in response to sure situations. Automations, in different phrases.

On Home windows, the Energy functions are apps that I’ve struggled with for a number of years, because it was primarily a coding language that you just needed to create a workflow for. Apple is making an attempt to cut back that complexity by asking these actions to be triggered routinely, with out quite a lot of setup. It’s not clear how profitable this utility can be. Once more, nevertheless, it seems to be crisp and clear.

YouTube / Apple

The twist that Apple is including is that macOS customers will have the ability to create shortcuts, primarily macros which can be triggered by a keyboard shortcut. A type of means that you can entry the built-in model of Apple Intelligence instantly, in order that your queries don’t must exit to the cloud. In a Home windows context, that might be like Microsoft including an area model of Copilot — one thing that it’s hinted at, however has but to implement. If you wish to use the cloud, Apple is seemingly partnering with OpenAI, giving direct entry to ChatGPT.

One instance that Apple confirmed off was recording lecture audio, then evaluating it to notes that the coed had taken, after which add to that.

Shortcuts has beforehand lived on iOS. Will probably be attention-grabbing to see how Shortcuts fares on macOS, because it’s an app that hasn’t obtained a lot fanfare.

YouTube / Apple

Shortcuts can be being built-in with Highlight, which is actually Apple’s search and utility interface. It’s receiving the “largest replace ever,” Apple stated, and can shortly will let you discover recordsdata which can be related to you.

Home windows customers will most likely examine Highlight to the built-in Home windows search operate and File Explorer. They’re comparable, however Apple’s Tahoe actually seems to be recent, inviting, and helpful.

Apple has even introduced in a function I keep in mind from Home windows 10 and Cortana: the flexibility to draft an e mail from the search field. It’s an integration that Microsoft pioneered, then dropped — and now Apple has picked up the baton and began operating.

YouTube / Apple

Apple even spent a number of minutes opening a doc in Pages, then including a graphic and transferring it across the web page. That’s one thing Phrase has struggled with, for years.

It’s time for Microsoft to concentrate

Apple’s rollout of macOS 26 Tahoe didn’t push “AI” each different sentence. As an alternative, Apple emphasised its personal “Apple Intelligence,” gently deflecting away from the acronym that divides its artistic clients. The whole lot felt very heat, colourful, energetic, and human — undoubtedly intentionally so.

Microsoft may take a lesson right here: Technologists are designing merchandise for folks. Home windows hasn’t forgotten this, however it’s undoubtedly downplayed it. For years, we’ve gently mocked Apple for following the place others have led. This time, I believe Microsoft may be taught a lesson from Apple as an alternative.