MacOS Tahoe 26 Full Installer & IPSW Download Links
macOS Tahoe 26 debuts a redesigned user interface that Apple calls Liquid Glass, which adds more transparency and general shininess to interface elements. You’ll also find major additions to Spotlight like being able to search your iPhone apps from the Mac, and enhancements to using Spotlight as a launcher with support for actions. There’s also a clipboard history feature, which should be a popular addition to many power users, and MacOS Tahoe brings the Phone app to the Mac complete with voicemail access. Even more features and changes are part of MacOS Tahoe, so it’s understandable why there is high user interest in downloading the MacOS Tahoe installer files, or even an IPSW.
If you’re wondering where to download MacOS Tahoe full installer or the IPSW firwmare file from, you will find they’re available directly from Apple using the links below.
Download Links for MacOS Tahoe 26 Full Installer & IPSW Firmware File
The following download links point directly to files on Apple CDN servers, final stable builds issued to the general public are shown here first:
- MacOS Tahoe 26.0.1 InstallAssistant.pkg
- MacOS Tahoe 26.0.1 IPSW – UniversalMac_26.0.1_25A362_Restore.ipsw
- MacOS Tahoe 26 InstallAssistant.pkg (build #25A354, final release)
- UniversalMac_26.0_25A354_Restore.ipsw – MacOS Tahoe 26 IPSW (final release)
Download Links for MacOS Tahoe beta versions
Beta versions of Tahoe are linked below for downloading and archival purposes. Users should use the final stable public builds whenever possible.
- MacOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 9 (matches public beta 6)
- UniversalMac_26.0_25A5351b_Restore.ipsw – MacOS Tahoe 26 beta 9 IPSW
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 8 /public beta 5 InstallAssistant.pkg
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 8 IPSW – UniversalMac_26.0_25A5349a_Restore.ipsw
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 7 / public beta 4 – InstallAssistant.pkg
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 7 IPSW / Public Beta 4 IPSW – UniversalMac_26.0_25A5346a_Restore.ipsw
- MacOS Tahoe 26 dev beta 6 / public beta 3 – InstallAssistant.pkg
- MacOS Tahoe 26 dev beta 6 / public beta 3 IPSW – UniversalMac_26.0_25A5338b_Restore.ipsw
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 6 IPSW – UniversalMac_26.0_25A5338b_Restore.ipsw
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 5 / Public Beta 2 InstallAssistant.pkg
- IPSW for MacOS Tahoe 26 Dev Beta 5 / Public Beta 2 – UniversalMac_26.0_25A5327h_Restore.ipsw
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 4 InstallAssistant.pkg
- MacOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 4 IPSW (UniversalMac_26.0_25A5316i_Restore.ipsw)
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 3 InstallAssistant.pkg
- MacOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 3 IPSW (UniversalMac_26.0_25A5306g_Restore.ipsw)
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 2 InstallAssistant.pkg
- MacOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 2 IPSW
- MacOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta 1 InstallAssistant.pkg
- MacOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 1 IPSW
MacOS Tahoe Package Installer
If you’re looking to update your Mac or several Macs, or create a USB bootable installer, you’ll want to download the MacOS Tahoe package installer.
InstallAssistant.pkg will extract the “Install MacOS Tahoe.app” or “Install MacOS 26.app” installer application.
MacOS Tahoe IPSW Firmware
If you’re looking to restore an Apple Silicon Mac, or to easily setup a virtual machine, you’ll probably want to download the MacOS Tahoe IPSW file instead.
Why is Tahoe versioned as MacOS 26? I thought this wouldbe versioned as MacOS 16?
Some of you might be confused by MacOS Tahoe being versioned as MacOS 26, but remember that Apple changed the versioning system they use to follow the year, thus MacOS 2026, or MacOS 26, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26. Using a year to version system software may be new to Apple but it isn’t completely unheard of though, as many of you will remember that Microsoft used to do this with Windows in the 1990s. So yes, technically MacOS Tahoe 26 would be MacOS 16 if Apple hadn’t abandoned the standard numerical convention, but they did so now they’re calling it MacOS Tahoe 26.