macOS Golden Gate

If you’re curious to try macOS Golden Gate while it’s still in beta, I highly recommend installing it on a separate APFS volume instead of your main volume. Installing macOS 27 on your main volume would replace macOS Tahoe, leaving you at the mercy of any bugs or compatibility issues that arise with the software and hardware you use.

Unlike iOS and iPadOS betas, macOS betas can pose a greater risk due to the complexity of macOS, which includes support for legacy software and hardware. I’ve been burned too many times in the past with hardware and software that didn’t work properly for months until the inevitable updates came after the public version was released later that fall. In my opinion, it’s just not worth it.

The good news is, thanks to APFS, you can easily create a separate volume and silo the macOS Golden Gate beta installation away from your production Tahoe volume. This allows you to test the macOS beta in full while retaining the stability and reliability of the current public release. Watch our full hands-on video walkthrough for a complete step-by-step guide, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more macOS tutorials.

In this hands-on guide, I’ll show you how to transform a USB drive into a macOS Golden Gate USB installer. Having access to a macOS Golden Gate USB installer is useful for upgrading from macOS Tahoe or earlier versions of macOS across multiple Macs, among other use cases. Have a look at my full hands-on video walkthrough, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Mac guides and tutorials.

iOS 27 is compatible with all the same iPhones as last year’s iOS 26, but almost every other software platform drops multiple devices this year. Here’s the full list of 16 products no longer supported in macOS Golden Gate, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, and tvOS 27.