The new macOS Tahoe 26 operating system upgrade will become available for Tahoe 26 upgrade supported, centrally managed University Mac computers from 23 September 2025 and gradually throughout September and October 2025.
You will receive a notification on your University Mac computer when the upgrade is available for installation. Some University Mac computers do not support macOS Tahoe. These devices will not receive an upgrade. If you have an older University Mac computer that is in your active use and does not support the upgrade, please see instructions for returning your old device and making a purchase request later in this bulletin.
Install the upgrade when you receive a notification of it on your computer. The upgrade will take approximately 30–90 minutes - please keep your computer connected to a power source and the internet throughout the upgrade.
- See if your Mac computer supports the macOS Tahoe 26 operating system upgrade on Apple's website in thhe section macOS 26 is compatible with these devices
- Also see Apple’s instructions for finding Mac model names
- MacOS Tahoe’s built-in Apple Intelligence features are currently blocked on Mac computers centrally managed by the University because they do not currently meet the requirements of the University of Helsinki's policy for cloud services
If you have an old Mac that does not support the macOS Tahoe 26 operating system
You will receive a notification about phasing out the older Mac computer on the computer’s screen along with instructions in September 2025. Please note that old Mac computers will be removed from use at the University on 31 January 2026 – see instructions and more detailed information in our previous bulletin. Support for Mac devices continues for 12 months after the end of the warranty period.
1. If the computer does not support the macOS Tahoe 26 upgrade, you can send your old phased-out Mac to IT recycling through the University’s internal mail or, if necessary, ask the IT Centre’s on-site support to pick up the old computer.
For instructions on how to return the device, see the IT recycling Flamma page. The hard drives of computers delivered to the recycling service are wiped securely.
2. If the Mac computer is in your active use and you need a replacement, please contact the person responsible for device purchases at your campus and read the instructions for purchasing computers
The IT Centre extends the useful life of the University’s IT equipment by approximately a third by recycling devices at a stage of their life cycle where they can be resold to the University’s IT recycling partner (3 Step IT).