Apple transitioned its Mac lineup to Apple Silicon starting in 2020, completing the transition in 2023. Since the transition began, Apple has quickly begun to end support for Intel Macs on newer versions of macOS. That begs the question. How long will Intel Macs receive software support?
Current Sequoia support
Apple provides software updates for most of its devices for about five years, so you know how long your Intel Macs will be around. Apple’s latest release, macOS Sequoia, leaves only a few Intel-based machines left.
- 2018 Mac mini
- 2019-20 iMac models
- 2017 iMac Pro
- 2020 MacBook Air
- 2018-20 MacBook Pro models
- 2019 Mac Pro
Almost all of the remaining Intel machines were released just before or very close to the transition to Apple Silicon. The MacBook Pro series has the most generous support ever, and 2018 models continue to be supported.
However, this is likely because the 2018, 2019, and base model 2020 MacBook Pros all share the same (or very similar) versions of the same 8th generation ultra-low-power Intel Core i5 and i7 chipsets. This is because However, the high-end 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro has stepped up to 10th generation Intel chips.
One interesting exception to this is the iMac Pro, which Apple announced at WWDC17 and released in December of that year. Although the typical software support period of five to six years is certainly past, Apple seems to want to cater to professional customers who may still be using its computers.
What’s next?
The version of macOS released in 2025 (macOS 16) will likely continue to support the final wave of Intel Macs, giving all Macs at least five years of software support.
My guess is that the list of existing Intel Macs at this point is probably pretty similar to what will be supported in macOS 16. Some may be removed, including the 2019 iMac and 2018 Mac mini.
And we expect macOS 17 in 2026 to be the first Apple Silicon-only version of macOS. This marks six years since Apple began the transition and nearly six years since Apple released the last Intel Mac. It’s been more than three years since Apple last sold an Intel Mac.
summary
Intel users should be counting down the days, as their current machines will likely be running the latest macOS versions for another two years or so. Of course, Apple will provide security patches for about two years after feature updates for macOS are discontinued.
That said, there are plenty of great deals on Apple Silicon Macs, including the M2 MacBook Air hitting an all-time low of $699 on Amazon (with on-page coupons).
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