Apple pushed out the fourth developer beta of macOS Golden Gate on Monday, two weeks after the previous build, continuing the pre-release testing cycle for what will be the most visually and functionally altered version of macOS in years.
Siri Gets a Fundamental Overhaul
The version of Siri shipping with macOS Golden Gate bears little resemblance to what Mac users have tolerated for the past decade.
Apple rebuilt it as a chatbot-style assistant called Siri AI, capable of pulling from general web knowledge, your personal files and calendar data, and whatever is currently visible on your screen.
It now lives inside Spotlight, where a new Search or Ask interface lets you type or speak questions the way you would to ChatGPT.
A dedicated Siri app also stores your past conversations, so you can scroll back through previous exchanges rather than starting from scratch each time.
What Changes for Everyday Mac Use
Newer Macs can assign a custom voice to Siri, with adjustable pace and expressivity. Visual Intelligence, a feature that lets Siri answer questions about what is currently on your screen, arrives on Mac for the first time.
A separate Write with Siri tool can draft text or review something you have already written and offer feedback. This gives Mac users who rely on third-party writing assistants a built-in option that works directly inside the operating system.
Passwords App Gets an AI Safety Net
One addition that many users will likely find useful without ever thinking much about it: the Passwords app can now detect weak passwords and update them automatically using AI.
Safari gains AI-assisted tab organization, which sorts open tabs without requiring any manual effort.
The Photos app picks up AI editing tools, and Image Playground, which previously generated only stylized illustrations, now produces photorealistic images.
The Interface Is Being Redesigned from the Ground Up
Apple adjusted the Liquid Glass visual effect that debuted earlier in the beta cycle, increasing its opacity so text and interface elements are easier to read.
A new transparency slider lets users dial back the effect if they find it distracting. Window shadows have been recalibrated to make it clearer at a glance which window is active.
Toolbars are now uniform across apps, sidebars extend edge to edge, corners are less rounded than in prior betas, and menu bar icons have been reduced in number to cut down on clutter.
Developers running a free Apple developer account can install the beta now by opening System Settings, selecting General, then Software Update, and enabling Beta Updates. The public release of macOS Golden Gate is scheduled for fall 2026.
