Apple has informed developers that apps requiring macOS 13 Ventura or later can now drop support for Intel-based Macs, signalling a significant step in its ongoing migration to Apple silicon and a potential future reduced support for older hardware.
Apple has told Mac App Store developers that universal apps requiring macOS 13 Ventura or later may now drop support for Intel-based Macs, according to MacRumors and 9to5Mac. The change marks a significant easing of a rule that had previously required such apps to remain compatible with older Intel hardware, even as Apple has steadily moved the Mac line to Apple silicon.
For developers, the practical effect is straightforward: new updates can stop being delivered to Intel machines, while users on those Macs will stay on the last version that still works. The policy shift should also make it easier to maintain code and reduce download and installed app sizes, which can matter for large or frequently updated software, MacRumors reported.
The timing fits Apple’s wider migration away from Intel processors. AppleInsider said the company has informed developers that Intel support is no longer compulsory, while also noting that the transition began in 2020 and is now entering its final stage. The same report said Intel-only apps will not run after macOS 27.
That broader endgame is already visible in Apple’s operating-system roadmap. MacRumors reported earlier this year that macOS Tahoe is the last release to support Intel Macs, while the next version, macOS Golden Gate, will be limited to machines with Apple M1 chips and newer. For users who still rely on Intel hardware, the result will be fewer new app updates and, eventually, a complete cutoff from future macOS releases.
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