Apple kicked off WWDC 2025 this week with some buzzy announcements, but the one that really has Mac fans talking is macOS 26 Tahoe. Beyond new apps and performance tweaks, Apple is introducing a sweeping design overhaul called Liquid Glass, plus a brand-new mouse pointer that breaks with a quarter-century of tradition.
If you’ve been using macOS for a while, you know the interface has stayed relatively stable over the years. With Tahoe, Apple is turning things up a notch, leaning into shiny translucency and more rounded shapes across the system. The changes are bold enough to feel fresh, yet subtle enough that old-school Mac users won’t feel totally lost.
What’s New with Liquid Glass in macOS 26 Tahoe?
The headline feature in Tahoe is definitely the Liquid Glass treatment. Imagine panes of frosted, colored glass with polished edges and gentle reflections—it’s like a modern take on the classic Aero look that Windows Vista dabbled in back in the day. Apple’s version is more refined, with cooler animations and a polished sheen that catches the light in all the right ways.
Under the hood, Liquid Glass isn’t just a visual gimmick. Apple says the new design language helps tie together different apps and system UI elements, giving everything a unified, fluid feeling. Menus, sidebars, dialog boxes, and even notifications get a transparent, layered effect that subtly shifts as you click around. It feels alive, and it definitely makes ordinary tasks feel more dynamic.
Transparent Aesthetics and Reflections
One of the cooler aspects of Liquid Glass is the way transparency is handled. Background windows now show hints of what’s behind them in a tasteful blur, so you get a sense of depth without sacrificing readability. Shadows and reflections adjust dynamically, based on your wallpaper and window position, creating a sense of continuity that’s surprisingly immersive.
Another neat trick is the subtle color bleeding that happens along window edges. If you have a super colorful background, you’ll notice hints of that hue softly radiating around your menu bar and app frames. It’s a small detail, but it adds a level of polish we haven’t seen on macOS before. It’s like each window has its own little aura of color.
Rounding Off the Edges: Finder and Dock Updates
The Finder gets a fresh look, too. All of the sidebar icons are slightly smoother and more rounded, and the sidebar itself has a softer, less boxy shape. You’ll also see updated toolbar buttons that glow and reflect more realistically—no more flat gray rectangles. It’s the same familiar Finder, but it feels like it just stepped into the future.
The Dock shines—literally. It now has a high-gloss finish, with sharper reflections and a more pronounced drop shadow. Some icons have been tweaked: the Trash can is sleeker, and the Finder icon has swapped its shades of blue for a more crystalline appearance. It’s a small revamp, but paired with the Liquid Glass panels, it makes the whole experience feel cohesive.
A Cursor Makeover: Bye-Bye Mickey’s Glove?
In what might be the most controversial change, Apple has quietly replaced the iconic Mickey Mouse–style cursor with a simpler, more symmetrical pointer. This is the first major cursor redesign in 24 years. Instead of the gloved hand graphic, you’ll see a minimalist hand, much closer to what Windows users have grown accustomed to.
Some longtime Mac fans may miss the nostalgic flair of the original cursor, especially since that little glove has been a part of macOS (and before that, Mac OS) lore since the classic system days. On the flip side, the new pointer is smoother to animate, scales better on high-resolution displays, and should feel more consistent with the overall Liquid Glass aesthetic.
From Mickey to Minimalist
Apple says the updated pointer is part of a broader initiative to modernize UI assets across all its platforms. The simpler shape allows for faster rendering, reduces aliasing on curved screens, and pairs nicely with the rounded corners that now dominate the system. It’s more functional, if less whimsical.
If you’re someone who loves Easter eggs and little personality quirks, it might sting a bit to see Mickey’s glove retire. But give the new hand a chance—its clean lines actually make precise clicking feel more natural, especially on smaller screens like the MacBook Air. Plus, you can still bring back the old cursor via Terminal hacks if you’re feeling nostalgic.
Beta Access and Rollout Timeline
For now, macOS 26 Tahoe is in a developer-only beta, so you’ll need an Apple Developer account to dive in. The public beta is slated for July, which means eager testers without a dev license can still get an early look before the final release. Just remember, as with any beta, expect rough edges and compatibility quirks with third-party apps.
As for the full launch, Apple plans to roll out the final version this fall. It’ll be a free update, like all recent macOS releases, and compatible hardware ranges from the latest M-series Macs back to select Intel-based models. If you’ve got a Mac that’s less than six years old, you should be in the clear.
Overall, macOS 26 Tahoe represents Apple’s boldest UI shift in two decades. The Liquid Glass design and fresh cursor are eye-catching changes, and they set the stage for more consistency across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Whether you end up loving the new look or missing the old one, there’s no denying Tahoe is aiming to shake things up in a big way.
