Like many here I’ve been using Apple’s products for decades but for the first time ever I’ve decided to skip the latest operating systems. This is mostly due to my personal dislike for the major design changes that iOS 26 and Tahoe have delivered. I’m hoping there’s a course correction later this year, but in the meantime I’ll hold off from updating as long as I can. I’m wondering if others are thinking similarly? Have you encountered any problems with this strategy? Do you think it’s silly or unwise to skip these versions? I’m open to (though not optimistic about!) a change of mind.
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Does seriously planning to back out Tahoe count?
;~}
Lots of folks (including me, several times) put off OS updates for valid reasons. These can be dislike of new changes, actual loss of features, etc. At some point security will become a consideration, but Apple seems to continue security updates a couple of major revs back.
This time around, I am finding the loss of Firewire just a little too inconvenient.
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I’m staying out of them for now. My 2019 MBP is a few versions behind already—I just brought it up to Monterey late last year—so the odds of me bringing that to Tahoe this year were pretty slim anyway. My iPhone and iPad are up-to-date on iOS/iPadOS 18, and are going to stay that way unless Apple makes some serious UI changes. At this point, security holes are not a significant enough concern for me to push me into an OS with such a low-contrast UI. I need to be able to look at the screen comfortably to use my devices, and Liquid Glass is very uncomfortable for me to look at.
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I’m not skipping them, but I’m definitely stamping my feet with displeasure.
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Another potential consideration on Device OS updates is if you are backing up/syncing iPhone/Pad/Pod to a Mac locally.
That is, if the Mac is some versions earlier, it could be possible it might not sync them and/or might not let you sync content you, ah, at some point paid Apple to, ah, download to your Mac with iPhone/Pad/Pod. Monterey to 18 or 26 might work fine. Last night I tried to fill an iPod Touch’s unused memory from a MBP on Sierra and it wouldn’t allow sync or transfer as somehow the MBP has lost its authorization. Same MBP I used to sync same Touch about a year ago.
Something to consider and be ready for, as I am not sure it is published anywhere when/how this happens.
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My beloved iMac Pro can’t be updated, so I’m not updating my M1 MacBook Air either. I’d rather have them on the same version for technical and cognitive reasons. And if Apple clocks this as a refused update, all the better, they need a wake-up call.
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Avoiding xOS 26 in all forms.
This is primarily due to x26 being Apple’s worst UI “upgrade” (in my opinion) and continued removal of tools and features. It is unfortunate as there are some desirable features contained within.
In past years I have spent a lot of time urging clients, friends, family, colleagues to update due to security and other bug fixes, but I am no longer doing so. I simply remind them that only the latest version has the current addressed fixes to security and other issues, and to be more mindful of phishing and other common malware/scam vectors.
Apple “supports” the current 3-ish years of macOS, yet refuses to do so with iOS. If a device is able to upgrade, they insist you do so and employ increasingly aggressive tactics to ensure compliance. Apple might help encourage greater adoption if they demonstrated at least some concern for customer priorities and pain points vs the company agenda.
Of course, I am repeating the same things others have said on this topic.
One more note… The last Intel macs (ie. 2020 iMac) will not be supported by the coming “clean up our mess” macOS 27. So, unless Apple changes course, the final Intel macs will be stuck with the unnecessary problems introduced with macOS 26 (for those who upgrade for the latest features/security).
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I am skipping 26 on my iPhone 15 and MacBook Air (Sonoma). I can’t update to it on my IPad Air 5 unless I delete 15 gigs. Not happening!
However, I have not been offered the latest 18 on my iPhone and iPad. How do I get them?
You cannot. Apple will not offer any more updates to iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 for devices that can run 26.
I have no reason to install them. Sticking with Sonoma on my M1 Studio and with iOS 18 on my iPad Mini 5 and iPad Pro. Sticking with Mojave and earlier on Macs that need to run Adobe CS versions.
iDevices: I always wait until July/August so it will be until then in 2026 before I downgrade to iOS 26.
Fortunately my Mid-2011 iMac is maxed out at MacOS 10.13.6 and my Mid-2015 MacBook Pro is maxed out at 12.7.6 so those won’t get MacOS 26
I have not moved our Macs to MacOS 26 Tahoe, even though it includes security fixes, because of the readability issues with Liquid Glass.
I decided to move our iPhones from iOS 18.73 to iOS 26.2 when I heard it included two fixes for serious Webkit vulnerabilities that can be used without any interaction from the user if you visit a (possibly hacked) web page. Although Apple reported this had been used in ‘targeted attacks’ Malwarebytes points out that, “Campaigns that start with diplomats, journalists, or executives often lead to tooling and exploits leaking or being repurposed, so ‘I’m not a target’ is not a viable safety strategy.”
For a long time I’ve had some of the Accessibility>Vision features enabled on my iPhone 15 Pro to improve readability due to my vision issues. With these still enabled, after installing iOS 26 I noticed some changes, but nothing I couldn’t handle. Apparently, my choices have significantly reduced the Liquid Glass effects.
This is what I have enabled:
- Display & Text Size>Bold Text; Larger Text>Larger Accessibility Sizes (my slider is at 5 out of 12 steps); Reduce Transparency; Increase Contrast
- Motion>Reduce Motion; Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions
A special Thank You goes to @ace for his excellent article ‘How to Turn Liquid Glass into a Solid Interface’.
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I agree and thanks for the voice of reason. While I’m not crazy about the way Liquid Glass has been implemented (rushed out as a distraction from Apple’s AI delays), I honestly notice very little issues/differences with Glass on iPhone or Mac. (To be fair, I run my Mac in Dark Mode and have most transparency stuff turned off.)
The whole “refuse to upgrade because of Liquid Glass” is overblown and unwarranted in my view.
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My 2024 m4 Mini came with Sequoia, and I’m still using it.
I always experiment with new OS releases, however – using an EXTERNAL SSD. So I have a copy of Tahoe (actually 26.3) which I can boot from for my own amusement. If I do that once or twice a week, that’s a lot.
Like Nalarider above, I’ve had some readabilty with the new OS design. I just prefer the look of Sequoia more.
So… for the future, I reckon I’ll just stick with Sequoia, may skip Tahoe altogether and see what the OS ‘27 release looks like.
I’m not concerned about having the latest updates, and couldn’t care less about security issues, etc. Heck, my 2018 Mini on the back table came with Mojave, and it STILL has Mojave on it… I wanted a platform that would keep running 32-bit software for as long as I could…
I upgraded to iOS 26 on my iPhone and iPad, primarily because I got my wife the new 17 and needed to understand the changes to be able to help her when she has issues.
I have kept my Macs on Sequoia. I don’t like the look and feel of Liquid Glass, and I don’t see any benefit for upgrading. Sequoia works great for me, and I have kept or changed the squircles back to the icons that look good and are more defining of what program is what. I’m sure I will upgrade at some point, but probably will skip over Tahoe completely.
I’ll be skipping the travesty that is Tahoe, lord.
I’m running Sequoia on an M1 Studio, and even with that I had to futz around to turn off a bunch of stuff I don’t like.
Because I can, I may even downgrade back to Ventura. Each successive system upgrade noticeably hogs more and more juice, and I like things lean and mean..
If I could I’d install Snow Leopard or High Sierra- back when the interface looked awesome..
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I upgraded to iOS 26 when it was released, and it’s fine. I recommend the Reduce Transparency option that I know has been mentioned in a million posts and articles about Liquid Glass.
In contrast, I upgraded a secondary Mac to Tahoe, and recoiled in horror. Really, it’s rightfully the target of the scorn it has been receiving. macOS deserves better. I’m definitely not upgrading until those fat rounded corners are history.
I’m using the System Profile approach to hiding the Tahoe upgrade. The technique is well described by Mr. Macintosh in How to BLOCK macOS Tahoe Upgrade! OCLP & Supported Macs on YouTube, and takes about 15 minutes. (Or five, if you’re familiar with the tool used.)
I agree, I have not upgraded to Tahoe. I am perfectly happy with Sequoia (15.7.3). t some point, I will have no choice to upgrade (e.g., replacing iPad). My Mac Mini is 10 months old, which replaced an older iMac (which I still have).
sticking with 18.7.2 on my main phone, 11.6 on my watch, and 15.7.3 on my mac.
installed os26 on my ipad. rendered it almost immediately less usable. it’s a device for which i’ve struggled to find any use for, anyway.
installed os26 on the secondary phone just to see what it looked like. that was the decider to keep it off my main phone.
i’ll take the possible security risks over the very definite usability loss. and no thanks to apple for making this necessary.
I usually postpone a major release until the next major release, so hopefully the bugs/incompatibilities have been worked out or worked around. It’s been many years since a new OS release had any new features I care about. And since my phone is complaining that it doesn’t have enough memory to download the latest iOS, I’m even more comfortable ignoring it.
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