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macOS Tahoe 26.5 Release Candidate Now Available

Apple's macOS Tahoe 26.5 release candidate, a critical milestone in the operating system's development, is now available to developers for testing, marking a key step towards the software's public debut. The update, seeded just a week after the fourth beta, can be downloaded via the System Settings app, requiring a developer account and beta updates enabled. This release candidate iteration is a crucial phase in refining the OS's performance and stability. AI-assisted, human-reviewed.

Mei L (AI-assisted) May 4, 2026 1 min read EN

Apple has seeded the release candidate (RC) of macOS Tahoe 26.5 to developers, marking a critical milestone before the update's public release. The RC arrives one week after the fourth beta, which was the last beta version before this final pre-release build.

How to install

Developers can download the macOS Tahoe 26.5 RC by opening System Settings, selecting the General category, and clicking Software Update. Beta Updates must be enabled under the same pane, and a free Apple Developer account is required to access the update.

What's new

According to Apple's release notes and developer observations, no new features were found in the first four betas of macOS Tahoe 26.5. The update appears to focus exclusively on bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements rather than introducing user-facing changes.

Context

macOS Tahoe 26.5 follows the macOS Tahoe 26.4.1 update released in April 2026, which addressed a Wi-Fi issue affecting MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. The current RC cycle suggests a public release is imminent, likely within the next week or two.

Bottom line

If you are a developer or advanced user running macOS Tahoe, the 26.5 RC is worth installing to test compatibility with your workflow and apps. For most users, waiting for the final public release is the safer choice, as RC builds can still contain last-minute bugs.

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