TL;DR: Clean up your iPhone in minutes with Cleaner Kit for iOS, an AI-powered tool that removes duplicates, compresses media, and organizes storage for a lifetime price of $29.99 (MSRP $104.97).

A packed iPhone has a way of slowing everything down at the worst possible moment — whether it’s trying to snap a photo or finding that one screenshot you swore you saved. Scrolling endlessly through duplicates, blurry shots, and forgotten videos is not exactly a vibe.

Cleaner Kit for iOS steps in as a smart cleanup tool that handles the heavy lifting for you, on sale for $29.99 for a limited time. Instead of manually sorting your camera roll, it uses AI to flag clutter and streamline your storage.

Use Cleaner Kit to free up your iPhone storage

• Detect and remove duplicate or low-quality photos
• Compress large videos without wrecking quality
• Merge and organize messy contact lists
• Group and clean email clutter by sender
• Store sensitive files in a protected vault

Everything runs directly on your device for privacy, and the interface is designed to keep things simple and fast, even if your storage situation is chaotic.

It’s built for iPhone users on iOS 15 or later who want a faster, cleaner setup without spending hours digging through files.

A cleaner phone is a happier phone. Pay $29.99 (MSRP $104.97) just once for lifetime access to Cleaner Kit for iOS.

Cleaner Kit for iOS Premium Plan: Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Skip the office scanner—iScanner lets you scan, edit, sign, and organize documents from your phone for $39.99.

In reality, most office scanners are either collecting dust or taking up way too much space for how little they’re used.

The iScanner App is the modern replacement. Instead of relying on hardware, it turns your phone into a full document scanner, editor, and file manager—all for a one-time $39.99 (reg. $199.90).

Point your camera at a document, and it scans, detects edges, straightens the image, and cleans it up automatically. You can export files as PDFs, images, or even editable formats like Word and Excel.

It handles everything from receipts and contracts to handwritten notes and IDs.

But it goes beyond scanning. There’s built-in OCR that recognizes text in 20+ languages, so you can search or edit what you’ve scanned. You can also sign documents, fill forms, merge files, add annotations, or lock sensitive files with a PIN.

It even includes some extra tools—like QR scanning, object measuring, and simple counting features—that make it more than just a document app.

For everyday use—remote work, school, small business tasks—it’s faster, more flexible, and already in your pocket.

Get lifetime access to the iScanner App for a one-time $39.99 (reg. $199.90) while you can.

iScanner App: Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple and Intel have reached a preliminary deal to manufacture some of Apple’s chips. The WSJ and Bloomberg reported earlier this week that Apple had been in talks with both Intel and Samsung to diversify its suppliers for advanced chips, which currently rest almost entirely with TSMC.

Now, it would appear that there is a deal in place—at least in principle. Intel was a leading chip manufacturer for decades, but only for chips of its own design. More recently, Intel’s manufacturing prowess has fallen behind the state of the art, where TSMC is the go-to company to manufacture the most advanced chips in the world. Its bleeding-edge processes are used by Apple, AMD, Nvidia, and others.

Intel’s new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, has promised to revitalize Intel’s chip foundry business until its manufacturing processes are no longer second-best, while opening up the company’s chip manufacturing to make other companies’ products. It’s not clear which chips would be first in line for Intel’s plants.

It’s not clear what chips Intel would manufacture for Apple, nor when production would begin. Intel’s most advanced new production process, called “18A” (for “18 angstrom”), is generally considered to be a competitor for TSMC’s most advanced 2nm process (18 angstroms is 1.8 nanometers). At the big Computex conference next month, Intel will be showing off its Nova Lake desktop processors, Panther Lake mobile/handheld chips, and Clearwater Forest server processors, all made on the 18A process.

If this process is as good as it appears to be, Apple could theoretically produce its latest M-series and A-series chips with Intel. However, chip designs are largely fab-specific, and it’s not trivial to simply take an existing design and have it made with another company’s exclusive foundry process. It seems more likely that Apple would start by manufacturing chips that are a little further behind the bleeding edge, such as S-series chips for Apple Watch or the company’s N or C series networking chips.

The 26.4 updates brought with them a number of improvements across the various operating systems and Apple’s included apps. But they didn’t bring the expected, long overdue improvements to Siri: A new foundation model, on-screen awareness, personal context, and actions across apps. And we’re not getting those in iOS 26.5 either. Instead, this is a relatively minor release.

Updated May 8, 2026: Apple has released a second release candidate for iOS and iPadOS 26.5, along with watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and others. The wide release is expected within the next week.

iOS 26.5 release notes

This update brings ads and suggestions to Apple Maps, along with a beta of end-to-end encryption in RCS messages.

This update includes the following enhancements:

• End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (beta) in Messages is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time. For more information visit: https://support.apple.com/109526
• Pride Luminance wallpaper that dynamically refracts a spectrum of colors, is available for download
• Suggested Places in Maps displays recommendations based on what’s trending nearby and your recent searches

iOS 26.5 beta: How to install

If you want to test the iOS 26 beta releases but are not a registered developer, follow these steps:

1. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.
2. Log in to the Beta Software Program.
3. Click Enroll your iOS device.
4. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update.
5. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta.

It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update.

iOS 26.5: How to install the developer beta

You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer, but a free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app:

1. Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store.
2. Open the app.
3. Tap on Account.
4. Sign in using your usual Apple ID.

Find out everything you need to know about iOS 26 in our iOS 26 superguide.

Apple has updated its surprisingly lax requirements for buying its products with an educational discount. Students and teachers will now need to verify their educational status using UNiDAYS in order to buy products from the Apple Education Store. The change applies to the United States as well as Australia, Hong Kong, Turkey, Canada, and Chile.

Before this change, all you really needed was the name of an affiliated institution to access the Apple Education Store and, at most, an .edu email address to qualify for the discount. In some regions, including the UK, Apple already requires UNiDAYS verification to get an educational discount.

Apple’s educational discounts vary by product, but generally range from $20-50 for less expensive items and $100 on more expensive items such as the MacBook Neo. Apple’s educational pricing applies to Macs, iPads, and certain related accessories, including, for the first time, Apple Watch models.

In addition, shoppers are limited to how many items they can purchase with an educational discount each year: one desktop Mac, one Mac mini, one Mac laptop, two iPads, and two accessories that have education pricing.

Education pricing is available for college students, all teachers and faculty for K-12 or higher education, parents buying on behalf of a higher-education student, or homeschool parents. Homeschool parents are still eligible after the change to UNiDAYS verification, but will need to provide additional documentation to verify their legitimacy. For more information about using the Education store read: How to get an Apple student discount at Apple’s Education Store and how much you can save.

Back in January 2022, Apple added the UNiDAYS requirement to the U.S. educational store, only to remove it a week later.

Find the Best MacBook for students and the Best iPad for Students with our guides.

Gaming subscription services are all the rage now, but Apple Arcade isn’t a little different from the likes of PlayStation Plus, EA Play, or Xbox Game Pass. If you’ve got questions about it, we’ve got plenty of answers.

Updated May 8, 2026: There are four new games on the service this month: Good Pizza, Great Pizza+, Nick Jr. Replay!, Perchang World, and Ultimate 8 Ball Pool+.

What is Apple Arcade?

Apple Arcade is a gaming subscription service for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and AppleTV that features several hundred games. The games are a mix of genres and styles, and include original games you’ll only find on the service and others that can be found on the regular App Store or even other platforms. Apple Arcade isn’t a streaming service like Xbox Live Cloud Gaming or GeForce NOW. Games must be downloaded onto your device in order to be played.

What do I need to run it?

Apple Arcade was made available as part of iOS 13, iPad OS 13, tvOS 13, and macOS Catalina or later. Some of the more visually-intensive games may only run well on newer hardware, though, and some Mac games require macOS 11 (Big Sur).

How much does Apple Arcade cost?

Apple Arcade costs $6.99/£6.99 per month, and you’ll also get a one-month free trial or you can get three months free if you purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac. To claim your free trial click here.

You can get Apple Arcade for less than $6.99 a month if you subscribe for a year upfront. A year of Apple Arcade is $49.99/£49.99 (so $4.16 a month). If you’re currently on the $6.99 month-to-month plan and want to switch to the annual plan and save some money, you can do so on your iPhone or iPad. Open the App Store app, then tap your account icon in the upper right. Tap Subscriptions, then tap the entry for Apple Arcade. Here, you can switch to the annual plan.

Apple Arcade is also included in the Apple One subscription bundles, which range from $20 a month to $38 a month and include access to Apple Music and Apple TV and iCloud storage. There is also a month free trial of Apple One. To claim the trial, or sign up for Apple One, click here.

How do I sign up for Apple Arcade?

There isn’t an Apple Arcade app—it’s built into the App Store. On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac open the App Store and look for the Apple Arcade tab at the bottom of the screen (or in the left column on macOS). A sign-up screen with a Try It Free button will appear. After the trial you’ll be charged either the monthly or annual fee, depending on your selection. When subscribing, you’ll need to enter your Apple ID password or use Touch ID or Face ID to sign in, and you’ll have to confirm your subscription purchase a few times.

Once you’re done with the sign up, the Arcade section of the App Store shows what games are available to you. To access a game, tap on it in the App Store, then tap the Get button. When the game is done installing on your device, the Get button turns into a Play button, and you can tap it to launch the game. The game app icon will also appear on your device’s Home page.

On the Apple TV, there actually is an Arcade app. Open that to see the sign-up offer. You’ll also find an Arcade tab within the App Store.

Does my subscription include family sharing?

Yes. One $6.99 per month subscription can be shared between up to six people (including you).

How do I cancel Apple Arcade?

First off, keep in mind that if you cancel Apple Arcade (either before your free trial is up or after subscribing), you won’t be able to keep playing the games unless you re-subscribe. If you’re okay with that, you can use the same process you use to cancel any other subscription service. Here’s the easiest way to do it on the iPhone and iPad:

1. Open the App Store app and tap on your profile photo in the upper right.
2. In the screen that pops up, press Subscriptions near the top of the page.
3. You’ll then see a list of active subscriptions, and Apple Arcade should be listed there. Tap it.
4. You’ll either see Cancel Free Trial or Cancel Subscription toward the middle of the page that appears. Tap whatever option is available, then Confirm Cancellation.

And here’s how to cancel Apple Arcade on the Mac:

1. Open the App Store app and then press the icon with your profile photo in the lower left.
2. The Account window will appear, and you should then click View Information at the top of the window. Enter your password when/if prompted.
3. When your Account Information appears, scroll down to the Manage section and click the Manage link to the right of Subscriptions.
4. When the list of your active subscriptions appears, click Edit to the right of Apple Arcade.
5. Toward the middle of the page that appears, you’ll see a button that says either Cancel Free Trial or Cancel Subscription. Click it, then click Confirm Cancellation and Confirm.

Do Apple Arcade games have in-app purchases?

No. In Apple’s words, “since every game includes access to the full experience, including all game features, content, and future updates, no additional purchases will be required.” Even games that have in-app purchases on the App Store won’t have any in Apple Arcade.

Do Apple Arcade games have ads?

Also no. On a related note, Apple says Apple Arcade has no ad tracking.

Is Apple Arcade a game streaming service like GeForce NOW or Xbox Game Streaming?

No. All Apple Arcade are downloaded.

Are there demos for Apple Arcade games?

No, and they’re not really necessary. Like App Store apps, games download quickly and can easily be removed if you don’t want to keep it anymore.

Apple partly envisions Apple Arcade as a way of letting players try out games with more freedom than the App Store currently allows (which is basically none). In Apple’s words, “rather than pay upfront for each game, a subscription to Apple Arcade will give players the opportunity to try any game in the service without risk.”

The service has a free trial, though, as we’ve seen with other Apple subscription services.

Am I able to keep playing Apple Arcade games if I cancel my subscription?

No. As with most subscription services, you only have access while you’re a subscriber.

Can I use controllers with Apple Arcade games?

Yes. In additional to traditional MFi (Made for iOS) controllers, you can pair some specific Bluetooth controllers for either PlayStation or Xbox with either your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. Since many Apple Arcade games are playable on Mac and Apple TV (where controller support is more common), many games will support them. Some games, especially those that are also available in the broader App Store and only for iPhone or iPad, have no controller support.

How often are new games released?

Games are typically released on the first Friday of each month. There are some rare exceptions.

What games have been released so far?

There are over 200 games available for Apple Arcade, and the list grows all the time.

Anyone who has an iPhone can tell you that the Delete key is both one of the most common and one of the most annoying to use, with frustrating accuracy and inconsistent speed fluctuations. It shouldn’t be this way, and Eli Guerron agrees. As a designer (and one who once worked for Apple), Guerron took it upon himself to make the world a better backspace key, and he’s come up with a brilliant solution.

Guerron posted his concept on X, and it’s one I’d love to see become available in iOS. Guerron’s delete can work as usual by tapping, but it also has a speed controller that moves faster as you stretch the button. You can see how it works in the video he posted on X:

This is a great example of how out-of-the-box thinking is needed for certain features, especially those in devices that are analogous to actual hardware, like a keyboard. Often, the software version is made to mirror the hardware, but in reality, the interaction is different. The software version should be designed more to take advantage of the medium.

I’d love to see this Delete key come to iOS, even as a third-party touchscreen keyboard. Now, if only there were an easier way to precisely place a cursor within a word–maybe that could be Guerron’s next challenge.

What’s new on Apple TV? What are the best shows and movies? How do you sign up and what does it cost? This article will answer all of that, and you’ll also get a list of all the currently-available Apple TV content.

There’s also a ton of new content in the works for Apple’s service, too. If you want to know what’s on the way, check out our list of upcoming Apple TV shows and movies.

Updated May 8, 2026: Unconditional is now streaming.

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Latest Apple TV releases

How to get Apple TV

You can subscribe to Apple TV on Apple’s website here, or via the Apple TV app on your device. It costs $12.99/£9.99 a month, which you can cancel at any time (Read: How to cancel an Apple subscription). You can also opt for a one-year subscription for $99/£89, which essentially gives you two months free each year.

Apple also offers various trials so that you can try out Apple TV before you subscribe. Take a look at our article explaining all the ways you can watch Apple TV for free, and the best Apple TV deals you can get.

Students can get Apple TV for free with an already subsidized Apple Music subscription.

Best shows on Apple TV

There’s far too much content on Apple TV to sift through it all yourself. If you’re looking for something to watch and don’t know where to start, here are a few of the Macworld staff’s favorite shows, series, and movies.

Full list of Apple TV shows and series

These are all the episodic series you can currently watch on Apple TV, including both recurring and limited series. This list is in alphabetical order.

Full list of Apple TV movies and short films

Apple TV is home to a fair number of original movies, too. Some of the movies saw a limited theatrical release, all are listed here in alphabetical order.

As of May 2026, it’s an excellent time to buy a MacBook Air. Apple refreshed the lineup in March 2026 with the new M5 chip, meaning the current models are at the very start of their lifecycle.

Another update to the MacBook Air is not expected until 2027, so buyers can purchase now without worrying about an imminent refresh.

There are also broader market reasons not to delay. Rising component costs – particularly for RAM and storage driven by growing AI demand – could push prices higher on future Mac models. Buying sooner may help avoid those increases.

That said, whether you should buy now depends on your current device, budget, and what features matter most to you.

What’s the best MacBook Air deal right now?

Current third-party discounts are already unusually good for a recently launched MacBook Air. However, many retailers are aggressively clearing remaining inventory, and some 15-inch M4 configurations are currently cheaper than the newer 13-inch M5, just note that there is half as much storage in the older model.

Best deal on a new MacBook Air: 13-inch MacBook Air, M5

Best bargain: 15-inch MacBook Air, M4 (Clearance)

Best MacBook Air prices right now

Foundry

The M5 Air has already hit record-low pricing at major retailers including Amazon and Walmart, which is unusual this soon after launch. Retail discounts bringing the M5 MacBook Air down to around $949/£989 represent some of the best pricing we’ve seen so far.

Note that when the M5 MacBook Air launched in March 2026 it had a higher starting price than the previous generation, but Apple doubled the base storage to 512GB and increased RAM to 16GB. Compared to equivalent M4 configurations, the pricing is effectively better value because you are getting twice as much storage.

U.S. MacBook Air Deals

U.K. MacBook Air Deals 

See our round up of MacBook Air deals for more.

Should you wait for Prime Day or Black Friday to buy a MacBook Air?

Foundry

If you are looking for discounts on new hardware, third-party resellers frequently offer deals throughout the year. Retailers such as Best Buy, Walmart, B&H Photo, and Costco frequently discount current and previous-generation Apple products. You may also see clearance deals after Apple launches new products as resellers clear out old stock.

Historically, prices may drop slightly further during:

• Amazon Prime Day (July)
• Black Friday / Cyber Monday (November)
• October Prime Deal Days

Black Friday remains the strongest overall shopping period for MacBooks and Apple products do sell for less during major sales events, but:

• The biggest discounts often apply to older or clearance models
• Stock can be limited
• Popular configurations sell out quickly
• Savings may only be $50–$100 lower than today’s discounts.

If you need a laptop now, waiting probably isn’t necessary.

Is buying a refurbished MacBook Air smarter?

Buying a refurbished MacBook can be an excellent option – especially if you want to save money without sacrificing quality.

Apple Certified Refurbished Macs are usually around 15% cheaper than brand-new models and often visually indistinguishable from new products.

Apple refurbished products include:

• 1-year warranty
• Optional AppleCare
• Full testing and inspection
• New battery and outer shell when required

There are some risks of buying refurbished to consider, including: 

• Stock availability is inconsistent
• Desired colors/specs may not appear
• Third-party refurbishers vary significantly in quality
• Sometimes clearance sales on brand-new older models are actually cheaper

For most buyers, Apple Certified Refurbished is the safest refurbished option.

Best refurbished MacBook Air deal right now

Apple is selling a 15-inch MacBook Air with M3, on its Certified Refurbished store in the U.S. Note that this deal is for the M3 chip from March 2024.

Back in March, Apple announced its cheapest notebook ever, the MacBook Neo. Starting at as little as $599 ($499 for students), the laptop has been selling like hotcakes. Typically, high sales would make the corporate overlords happy. The MacBook Neo’s exceptional success, however, has apparently become a real problem.

Due to chip shortages and the MacBook Neo’s extraordinarily high demand, Apple is struggling to produce new units en masse. A recent report from analyst Tim Culpan suggests that the company could stop selling the base Neo model, pushing customers to the higher-end variant that costs $100 more and helping Apple preserve its margins. While this approach can potentially resolve one issue, it would introduce a bigger challenge.

The Neo problem

The MacBook Neo packs a binned version of the iPhone 16 Pro’s A18 Pro chip. In simpler terms, Apple is repurposing faulty iPhone processors that had one fewer GPU core that would have otherwise been discarded. This approach has enabled Apple to price the Neo competitively, as it had plenty of these flawed processors lying around. Once Apple runs out of those chips, making new ones won’t be a simple switch.

While Apple had to know the MacBook Neo would be a hit, its popularity has exceeded even the company’s expectations. Departing CEO Tim Cook stated during Apple’s most recent earnings report that the company hadn’t forecasted this level of enthusiasm, which helped attract a record number of first-time Mac buyers. Consequently, Apple has reportedly increased the production target from 5-6 million to a whopping 10 million.

So, between running out of binned A18 Pro chips and TSMC’s limited capacity to produce new units due to the memory crunch, keeping up with the MacBook Neo’s demand is becoming trickier.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Rumored remedies

To deal with the RAM crisis without introducing sudden price hikes, Apple has been silently discontinuing certain Mac models. The entry-level Mac mini, which started at $599 and offered 256GB of storage, was recently removed from the Apple Store. This pushes customers to the 512GB tier, which starts at $799 instead. The company similarly stopped selling the M3 Ultra Mac Studio with 256GB and 512GB of RAM. Perhaps unrelated, Apple also recently stopped selling the Mac Pro, which started at 64GB of RAM. 

Culpan’s recent report suggests that, as it did with the Mac mini, Apple may retire the $599 MacBook Neo with 256GB of storage. This would force customers to pay $100 more for the model with 512GB of storage and Touch ID. The same report also claims Apple may be exploring new color options to make the $699 configuration more enticing and “soften the impact of higher prices.”

The problem, however, is that, unlike the Mac mini, the MacBook Neo’s budget-friendly pricing is its key selling point and the main stimulus behind its high demand. If a product is unaffordable to a group of people, a new shiny color won’t fix that. Even at $699, many would-be Neo customers will likely explore cheaper Windows laptops or Chromebooks.

Eugen Wegmann

The RAM crisis has been ongoing for a while now, and Apple still chose to release the affordable MacBook Neo right in the middle of it for a reason. While its sales may have exceeded expectations, the company was aware of the industry challenges and associated impacts on its products.

Additionally, the MacBook Neo’s entire objective is to get students and kids used to the Apple ecosystem early on to win them as potential lifelong customers. It’s not meant to be a high-profit driver or a direct revenue generator. In a way, I see it as a free trial of sorts to get users hooked on Apple hardware. It would make more sense for Apple to absorb the costlier production fees than kill the Neo’s momentum.

Foundry

Possible outcomes

So, how does Apple deal with the situation? Just today, it was revealed that Apple will now require proper identification for students or teachers shopping in its discounted education store in the US and other countries. (Curiously, Apple’s education store has always operated on the honor system and never required buyers to use a dot-edu email or scan an ID card.) While a seemingly innocuous move, it could be hiding a solution for the Neo problem.

If Apple is really in a predicament as big as Culpan says, Apple’s most likely route is to eventually make the $599 MacBook Neo exclusive to the education store, as its primary target is students on a budget. This would enable Apple to keep its low pricing but alleviate some of the demand for the cheapest model without eliminating it from the lineup completely.

Alternatively, Apple could accelerate the production of the MacBook Neo 2 and release it sooner than planned, as Apple presumably has an ample supply of binned A19 Pro chips. Or maybe the $699 model gets the newer chip while the $599 model sticks with the A18 Pro. This would address the supply constraints in the short run until it figures out a sustainable, long-term solution that isn’t a price hike.

Whichever route Apple chooses, one thing is clear: The $599 MacBook Neo isn’t going anywhere. And you’d be crazy to believe it would even consider it.

If there’s one knock on the iPhone Air, it’s that the battery is a little small, and the last thing you need when you’re out about town with your skinny phone is to have its battery die on you. Thankfully, Apple has a solution that doesn’t add too much bulk to the phone, and today it’s cheaper than ever: Apple’s special iPhone Air MagSafe Battery is on sale for 39 percent off, bringing the price lower than ever down to just $60.

Built specifically for the iPhone Air, this compact power bank will slip right into your pocket without adding too much weight. In fact, it’s slim enough that it won’t even bother you if it’s already magnetized to the back of your phone. As always, Apple brought in the sleek design that will perfectly match your device. As a matter of fact, Apple advises users to just snap this thing onto the back of the iPhone Air even when you have a full battery, simply allowing it to slowly charge the phone over the day as needed.

The battery pack has a 3,149mAh capacity, so it’ll provide roughly 65 percent additional battery charge, more than enough to get you through a heavy day of use. And with 12W fast wireless charging when connected, it’ll keep up with everything you do. So upgrade your traveling upgrade strategy and get Apple’s iPhone Air MagSafe Battery for $60 while Amazon still has it on sale.

One of the advantages of using macOS is that it offers a more secure platform than Windows. Part of the reason is that it’s not targeted as often (though it has been subject to more attacks over the years), but the main reason is that Apple acts more as a gatekeeper, with security implementations within the chipset, app notarization, and many other features.

In an effort to create awareness, Apple recently met with the media to spotlight three security features introduced with macOS Tahoe. And whether you’re new to MacBook Neo or a veteran MacBook Pro user, they’ll keep you safe while you work:

FileVault recovery key in Passwords

With macOS Tahoe, Apple decided to turn on FileVault by default. FileVault is Apple technology for encrypting a Mac’s internal storage. If your Mac is lost or stolen, FileVault protects your data from unauthorized access. FileVault can be turned off in System Settings > Privacy & Security > FileVault, but you’ll be removing a significant layer of security.

To access a Mac’s internal storage when FileVault is on, you need to enter the user password for the account being used–you do that whenever you log into your Mac to use it. But what if you have an instance where you can’t remember your password? You can use a FileVault recovery key (which is generated when FileVault is turned on) when booting the Mac in recovery mode.

Foundry

That FileVault recovery key used to be stored in iCloud, but with macOS Tahoe, it is now stored in the Passwords app. That means you can quickly access it in the Passwords app on you iPhone, iPad, or another Mac, provided that you sign into the same Apple Account and your devices are syncing data via iCloud.

To see your FileVault recovery key in the Passwords macOS app, click All in the left column (on the iPhone/iPad, go to the Passwords screen and tap All). Then do a search for the name of your Mac. If you can’t remember the name you gave it, you can search for “FileVault” or “Recovery” and look for your Mac in the results that appear.

Paste protections in Terminal

One way an attacker may try to access your Mac is through scripts and commands that are processed through the Terminal. The Terminal is the Mac’s command line interface, and you might now know it’s actually an app in the Applications’ Utilities folder. Terminal commands seem like a foreign language to most users, which is why attackers are able to use them to lure unsuspecting users to make their system vulnerable. They find some sort of social engineering opportunity or send an email posing as an authority, and then they give the user a command to copy and paste into a Terminal window.

As a safety measure, the Terminal will now post a warning when you attempt to paste something into the command line interface. You do have the option to bypass the warning and perform the paste if you want. This new protection was implemented in macOS Tahoe 26.4.

Foundry

Fortunately, for those who use the Terminal often, macOS can determine if you need to see the warning or not. For example, software developers who have Xcode and other tools may not see the warning because they use the Terminal frequently, and posting the warning isn’t necessary.

Background security fixes

With macOS 26.1, Apple implemented Background Security Fixes, which is the ability of macOS to install “lightweight security releases.” There are times when Apple wants to issue a security fix but doesn’t want to wait and include it in the next point-release update. Instead, they’ll release a Background Security Fix.

If your Mac’s OS is up to date, then the first Background Security Fix was installed and you may not have noticed it. Back in March, Apple released a fix for a WebKit vulnerability. Apple maintains a list of released fixes you can check.

The MacBook Neo, by almost all accounts, is a wildly successful product, so much so that Apple quickly started to run short of the “free” binned A18 Pro chips it used in the laptop. This is great news for Apple, which has a blockbuster on its hands and a new source of revenue in the budget space. But it could be bad news for consumers who haven’t yet managed to snag a Neo.

According to the Taipei-based tech columnist Tim Culpan, writing in his Culpium newsletter this week, Apple has decided to respond to the higher-than-expected demand by doubling its Neo production plans… which might seem like a no-brainer, except that the ongoing components crisis means the new batch could be a lot more expensive for Apple than the original one. The company faces, Culpan claims, “a severe cut in gross margins amid escalating DRAM prices and a higher cost-base for the core processor.”

At the heart of the issue is that the Neo’s binned A18 Pro, a mildly defective version of the chip produced randomly as a natural byproduct of the imperfect manufacturing process, are running low, and cannot be created to order. Most of the new processors Apple will receive, Culpan explains, won’t be binned at all: rather, they’ll be fully functional A18 Pros with six operational GPUs instead of the five in the Neo’s spec.

Apple may disable one GPU chip via software, as bizarre as that sounds, in order to maintain consistency. But that won’t change the fact that these non-binned chips will cost more than the binned ones. And that’s on top of the fact that other components have also gone up in price as a result of ballooning demand for AI server hardware. Each second-batch Neo will cost significantly more to make than its first-batch equivalent, and profit margins tend to be tighter at the budget end of the market anyway. How can Apple preserve its profits?

We’ve speculated earlier that Apple may introduce the A19 Pro Neo earlier than anticipated to absorb some of the blow, but Culpan suggests a bolder option. While he’s already floated the possibility that Apple drops the $599 256GB model from sale and pushes customers to the higher-margin $699 512GB configuration, in this latest article, he goes further, arguing that this now looks more likely than ever, after Apple pulled exactly the same move with the Mac mini. The 256GB model of that device is no longer available, effectively increasing the baseline price from $599 to $799 (although at least you get twice as much storage).

It’s important to note that Culpan does not present this as something Apple is definitely planning to do, nor even that he has firm evidence that the company has discussed it. This is merely an analyst predicting what is likely, based on supply-chain pressures and recent activity with another budget Mac product. But sure, it could happen, so if you have your eye on a $599 MacBook Neo, you should grab it. Our MacBook Neo deals page is a good place to start.

With iOS 26, Apple introduced one of the most significant changes to its operating system interface, arguably the most radical since iOS 7. However, this change has also led to many users experiencing annoying bugs and performance issues.

Not only that, but Apple still hasn’t delivered on many of the Apple Intelligence features it promised two years ago at WWDC 2024. That’s why, when Apple unveils iOS 27 at WWDC in June, my only wish is that it focuses on fixing iOS instead of changing it even more. 

iOS 26 has been a troubled release

Every time Apple releases a new version of iOS, some bugs are to be expected. That’s why Apple is always releasing updates to refine its software. No platform is immune to bugs, especially when it has just undergone major changes.

But if you ask many iPhone, iPad, or Mac users, they’ll likely tell you that iOS 26 was one of the most buggy releases of recent times. It’s not hard to find reports online about broken features, interface glitches, or slow performance (especially on older devices). 

Since September, Apple has released 10 software updates for iOS 26, including major updates and smaller security and bug fixes. We’ve gotten three in just the last month, with iOS 26.4 adding new features, followed by minor updates iOS 26.4.1 and iOS 26.4.2 that focused on bugs and security updates. Still, iOS 26 doesn’t feel as polished as iOS 18 did.

For me, one of the most annoying things about iOS 26 has been how hot my iPhone 17 Pro Max with the new vapor cooling chamber gets even when running basic apps like Messages. As a result, the battery has also been draining very quickly.

There are also a few minor but very unpleasant bugs, such as icons disappearing or showing up in a different style than the one I chose (like a light icon when dark mode is on), Face ID taking longer to authenticate, and extremely sluggish animations when Low Power Mode is enabled.

I could also mention how unreliable the virtual keyboard has become, even with all the fixes in iOS 26.4, and how the Liquid Glass interface has made some text unreadable.

Foundry

Liquid Glass might be to blame

The problems all seem to come down to Liquid Glass. Apple’s new shiny interface demands a lot of hardware resources, especially graphics resources, since we see translucency and distortion happening in real time.

When Craig Federighi introduced Liquid Glass at WWDC 2025, he made sure to mention how the chips inside Apple devices have evolved in terms of performance in recent years, enabling the company to run a more demanding and complex interface. And that’s true, but it seems that Apple didn’t take the time to fine-tune the performance of this interface on devices that rely heavily on battery power.

To test just how resource-intensive the Liquid Glass interface is, I used my MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro chip since it’s easier to measure GPU and power usage on macOS than it is on iOS. Here, my Mac usually runs at around 3W when idle. It’s pretty impressive. Apple Silicon chips really shine here. And even when I’m doing simple things like scrolling through a webpage in Safari or opening a Finder window, power consumption rarely exceeds 5W.

But this is where things start to get interesting. When I open the Messages app in a chat with an animated background, power consumption spikes to 10W. At the same time, GPU usage, which typically ranges from 0% to 5% when idle, reaches 40 percent when the Mac is rendering animations in the Messages app.

Foundry

Since not everyone uses animated backgrounds in their chats, I ran another test with something that most people use: Control Center and Notification Center. And I set my widgets and icons to the “Clear” option. Here, the results were even more shocking.

When I opened both Control Center and Notification Center on my Mac, it recorded a peak power consumption of 15W, with GPU usage reaching up to 40 percent to render the animations.

I ran the same test with transparency turned off, and this time the peak power consumption was only 8W, with no more than 20 percent GPU usage.

For comparison, I also measured power consumption and GPU usage while running the popular game Asphalt 8 on my MacBook. To my surprise, the game (which is 3D rendered) averaged 15W of power consumption with peaks of 26 percent GPU usage.

In other words, doing something as simple as opening the Notification Center on your device can use just as many hardware resources as playing a 3D game, thanks to Liquid Glass. When you do this multiple times throughout the day, you make the GPU work harder, resulting in more heat and faster battery drain.

Broken promises

In addition to the bugs and performance issues, it’s impossible not to mention all of Apple’s broken promises in recent times. When the company announced Apple Intelligence at WWDC in 2024, it promised a brand-new version of Siri that would be capable of controlling the entire device.

Foundry

Almost two years later, the new Siri still isn’t here. All we got was a new animation for the old version of the assistant.

Apple also promised that it would integrate Apple Intelligence throughout the entire system. But in reality, we’ve only seen a few features, such as Genmoji, Writing Tools, and notification summaries.

While competitors are making rapid strides with AI features, Apple is still struggling to deliver the basics. Features that already exist in iOS, such as “Clean Up” in the Photos app, don’t work as well as alternatives available in third-party apps.

The focus should be on fixing things

At this point, Apple doesn’t need to come up with ambitious ideas for its operating systems. It needs to fix what’s broken.

iOS 26 shows what happens when big ideas ship without enough time to mature. Liquid Glass may represent the future of Apple’s interface design, and Apple Intelligence may still become something truly meaningful. But right now, both feel incomplete. The problem isn’t a lack of innovation. It’s that the experience doesn’t feel as reliable as the hardware it runs on.

Foundry

Apple is currently undergoing a major transition, with Tim Cook stepping down as CEO and John Ternus taking over the role. If there’s one thing he can do to get off on the right foot, it’s to deliver on what was promised years ago and show that Apple remains committed to creating not only great hardware but also excellent software.

I don’t need my iPhone to do more this year. I just need it to do the basics well again. And if Apple gets that right, WWDC might not be the most exciting keynote, but it could end up being one of the most important.

TL;DR: A one-time $129.97 (reg. $249.99) gets you Microsoft Office 2024 for life—no subscription fees, just the apps you’ll actually use.

There’s a point where monthly subscriptions stop feeling convenient and start feeling like a rip-off. If you’re still paying for Microsoft 365 just to use Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, this deal is worth a look.

Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business is down to $129.97 (reg. $249.99) through May 17—and it’s a lifetime license. No recurring fees, no renewal reminders, no “oops, your subscription expired” moments.

You’re getting the essentials: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. The difference this time around is how polished and modern everything feels. Performance is noticeably smoother (especially in Excel with large datasets), and the updated interface keeps things clean and consistent across apps.

There are also plenty of genuinely useful upgrades. PowerPoint now lets you record presentations with voice and video. Outlook has better accessibility tools, and Excel leans into smarter data insights.

You can still collaborate in real time, use AI-assisted suggestions, and work offline when needed—so you’re not giving up functionality, just the ongoing cost.

If you’re going to use Office anyway, you might as well own it.

Get lifetime access to Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for just $129.97 (reg. $249.99) through May 17.

Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime LicenseSee Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

If you’re a creator, marketer, or active social media user, you’ve probably felt the pressure to produce polished visuals quickly. It’s not just a creativity challenge, it’s about time, tools, and technical skill. That’s exactly where Adobe Firefly stands out. It offers a suite of free, AI-powered tools that let you upload your images and walk through edits step by step—delivering fast, precise, and professional-quality results without requiring advanced design experience.

What makes Firefly particularly powerful is its “quick action” approach. Instead of digging through complex menus, users are guided through pre-built prompts tailored to specific tasks. Even better, Firefly allows experimentation with variations using models from partners such as Google and OpenAI—all without switching platforms. The result is a streamlined editing experience that feels intuitive and efficient.

Here are five of the most useful free image editing tools inside Adobe Firefly:

1. Remove objects instantly with Generative Remove

Adobe

Unwanted elements can ruin an otherwise perfect image—think stray tourists, messy signage, or distracting wires. Firefly’s Generative Remove tool makes cleanup effortless. Simply brush over the object you want gone, click “Generate,” and the AI replaces it with a natural-looking background.

The real advantage here is precision. Instead of awkward patches or visible edits, Firefly intelligently fills in textures, lighting, and context so the final image looks untouched. Whether you’re refining a product shot or cleaning up a travel photo, the process takes seconds rather than hours.

2. Expand your image beyond its borders

Adobe

Sometimes the biggest limitation of a photo is its framing. With Generative Expand, Firefly allows you to extend your image outward while maintaining visual consistency.

This tool is especially valuable for marketers and social media users who need multiple aspect ratios. A square image can quickly become a widescreen banner or vertical story format. Firefly automatically generates new content that matches the original image’s lighting, perspective, and style.

It’s more than resizing, it’s about reimagining. You can even guide the expansion with text prompts, turning a simple background into a forest scene, a cityscape, or something more imaginative. 

3. Upscale images without losing quality

Adobe

Low-resolution images are a common frustration, especially when working with older assets or user-generated content. Firefly’s AI-powered upscaling tool solves this by increasing image size while preserving sharpness and detail.

Instead of stretching pixels, the AI reconstructs missing detail, making images look crisp even at 2x or 4x enlargement. This is particularly useful for marketers who need to repurpose customer photos or improve outdated brand assets without reshooting or redesigning.

It also breathes new life into scanned or archival images, making them suitable for modern use across digital and print platforms.  

4. Remove people with precision

Adobe

Crowded backgrounds can distract from your subject. Firefly’s people removal feature—also powered by Generative Remove—lets you eliminate unwanted individuals just as easily as objects.

Brush over the person, generate the edit, and the AI seamlessly fills the space. The result is a clean, distraction-free image that keeps focus exactly where you want it.

For social media users, this means no more photobombers. For brands, it ensures visuals stay aligned with messaging and aesthetics.

5. Generate and replace backgrounds effortlessly

Adobe

Backgrounds define mood, context, and brand identity. Firefly’s AI background generator makes it incredibly simple to swap or create entirely new environments.

The tool automatically detects your subject, separates it from the background, and replaces it with a new scene based on your prompt. Whether you want a minimalist studio look, a vibrant outdoor setting, or something more imaginative, Firefly delivers realistic results with matching light and shadows.

This is a game-changer for product photography and content creation. Instead of organizing expensive shoots, you can generate professional-grade visuals in minutes—perfectly tailored to your campaign or platform. 

Why Firefly stands out

The real strength of Adobe Firefly lies in its balance of simplicity and control. It doesn’t overwhelm users with technical complexity, yet it delivers highly precise edits that meet professional standards.

Speed is another major advantage. Tasks that once required hours of manual work—masking, cloning, resizing—are now completed in a few clicks. And because the platform guides you through each step, even beginners can achieve results that look expertly crafted.

For creators juggling deadlines, marketers scaling campaigns, or anyone looking to elevate their visuals, Firefly offers a practical, accessible solution. It turns image editing from a time-consuming chore into a fast, creative process—without sacrificing quality.

Start using Adobe Firefly for free.

In a world where visual content drives engagement, tools like Firefly aren’t just convenient—they’re essential.

Additional Firefly plans with more premium features and higher level of generative credits are also available.

Better still, there’s a special offer through May 20th that allows you unlimited generations in Firefly.

Special Offer

Get unlimited Firefly generations

The latest report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman describes that the oft-rumored “AirPods with cameras” are nearing completion. He says the product has reached a new milestone, and is now in the late stages of development, where the prototypes have the “near-final design and capabilities.” This is the point where they make a few final tweaks and adjustments and finalize the software before entering production. The next stage is Product Validation Testing, where a limited production run is made and used for internal testing before being announced and sold to customers.

Of course, the product hasn’t yet been announced and could still be cancelled or delayed. However, given the stage of development they’re at, they could be on shelves by the end of the year—assuming the new Siri launch goes according to plan. Apple has to be happy with the quality of the new Visual Intelligence features before bringing these AirPods to market.

The new Siri, now expected to be part of the OS 27 updates, is reportedly a central component of these AirPods, because that’s what the cameras are for. According to Gurman’s report, the cameras are located on each earbud stem, which will be slightly longer than the current AirPods Pro, and provide low-res information for Siri, rather than being designed to take photos or videos for users.

They would allow you to simply look at things and ask Siri about them, from looking at a bunch of ingredients and asking what meal you could make (a scenario AI companies seem obsessed with for some reason), using landmarks when giving directions, or adding information from a poster to your calendar. Essentially, it’s the same experience you would get invoking Visual Intelligence on your iPhone, without having to pull out your phone, hold it up to something, and take a picture.

These new AirPods will appear similar to AirPods Pro 3, but with longer stems to accommodate the cameras and a visible LED light that will illuminate when visual data is being uploaded to the cloud. We don’t know what these AirPods will cost or Apple will call them, but might we suggest AirPods Ultra? Gurman says they have been in development for around four years and are part of a wave of AI-centered products, which include a pin/pendant and smart glasses as well. The new AirPods are further along in development than those.

When your Mac starts acting up, you’ll probably run through some common troubleshooting procedures, such as restarting it, running Disk Utility, and perhaps performing a Safe Boot. Your repair repertoire should also include a couple of additional procedures that can occasionally eliminate otherwise inscrutable problems: zapping the NVRAM and resetting the SMC.

Can you reset NVRAM, PRAM, SMC on M-series Macs?

The procedures here apply to Intel-based Macs. M-Series Macs don’t have a procedure for zapping the NVRAM, and they don’t have an SMC.

On M-series Macs, the NVRAM is tested during the startup process, and if the system detects a need to reset, it will. There isn’t a key combination that you hold down while starting up the Mac. If you would like the system to inspect the NVRAM on an M-series Mac, shut it down completely, wait a few seconds, and then power up the Mac.

M-series Macs don’t have a System Management Controller (SMC). The functions the SMC handled are now handled by the M chip itself. Postings on Apple’s forums suggest shutting down an M-series Mac completely and leaving it off for 30 seconds to perform something like an SMC reset. After 30 seconds, power on the Mac.

If your problems persist, you can try reinstalling the M-series Mac’s firmware. It’s a procedure that’s a little more complicated than what you might be used to. You need another Mac with the Apple Configurator 2 app installed, a USB-C cable that supports both power and data (used to connect the two Macs), and an internet connection. Apple has the full details on how to revive or restore a Mac with Apple silicon with Apple Configurator 2.

How to reset PRAM, NVRAM, and SMC on Intel Macs

If you are here because you have an Intel Mac and you are trying to address a problem that resetting PRAM, NVRAM, or SMC will help with, read on.

What is PRAM?

Back in the day, the standard list of quick fixes for random Mac ailments always included clearing the PRAM. The “P” in PRAM stands for “parameter” (“RAM” is random access memory), and it refers to a small amount of special, battery-backed memory in every Mac that stores information the computer needs before it loads the operating system. If the values in this memory got out of whack for one reason or another, your Mac might not start up correctly or might exhibit any of numerous odd behaviors afterward. You could press a key sequence at startup to reset (or “zap”) the PRAM, returning it to default, factory values.

What is NVRAM?

Modern Macs no longer use PRAM; they instead use something called NVRAM (“NV” for non-volatile). NVRAM serves approximately the same purpose as PRAM, but instead of storing a dozen or more pieces of information, it now contains just a few: your selected startup disk, speaker volume, screen resolution, time zone, and—if your Mac has crashed recently—details of the last kernel panic.

NVRAM corruption is fairly uncommon, but if your Mac seems to take forever to figure out the correct boot disc, starts up with the wrong screen resolution, or suffers from weird audio problems (like there’s no sound whatsoever or the menu bar’s volume control is grayed out), a reset of the NVRAM might help—it’s quick and harmless.

When should you reset NVRAM?

If you notice that your Mac settings continuously get thrown out of whack, it might be time to reset the NVRAM. For example, if you notice that your screen resolution or sound volume never stays at the setting you want, or the date and time are always wrong. If you notice annoying problems that don’t get fixed by adjusting your settings, or your settings never seem to take, try resetting the NVRAM.

Is it safe to reset the NVRAM?

When you reset the NVRAM, your Mac will revert to factory default settings. It’s safe in the sense that it does not harm the Mac, but you might think of it as “unsafe” in that any customization you’ve done to the system settings may be lost. You may have to go back and reinstate some of those settings.

To reset your NVRAM, you use exactly the same procedure you once used to reset PRAM.

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press the power button, and as soon as you power up the laptop, hold down Command-Option-P-R.
3. Keep holding down those keys for about 20 seconds. Then let go and allow your Mac to continue starting normally. If you have an older Mac that chimes at boot, hold down the keys until you hear a second startup chime. 
4. Then check the Startup Disk, Display, and Date & Time panes of System Preferences to make sure they’re set the way you want them.

If you hold down Command-Option-P-R at startup and you see nothing but a gray screen that doesn’t change for several minutes—no Apple logo, no progress bar, no second startup chime—don’t panic. The most likely cause is that your Mac isn’t registering the key presses due to wonkiness with a USB device. Disconnect all USB devices (except your keyboard, if it’s a wired keyboard), hold the power button down until the Mac shuts off completely, and then press it again and immediately hold down Command-Option-P-R.

If that doesn’t work and you’re using an external Bluetooth keyboard, try plugging in a USB keyboard instead. If you’re able to reset the NVRAM successfully with the wired keyboard, you can disconnect it and go back to your normal Bluetooth keyboard.

nvram ​-c

What is SMC?

Yet another component of an Intel Mac’s hardware that stores crucial settings is the System Management Controller (SMC). This circuit deals with power management, temperature monitoring and fan control, status lights, keyboard backlights, and a few other components.

What should you rest the SMC?

If your SMC becomes confused, you could experience problems like excessive fan noise, slow performance even though Activity Monitor doesn’t show the CPU being overtaxed, apps that take forever to launch, batteries that don’t charge correctly, problems with sleep or wake, and so on. (You can see a longer list on this Apple support page.) As with zapping the NVRAM, resetting the SMC to factory defaults may resolve these problems.

Is it safe to reset the SMC?

It is safe to reset the SMC. You should check your Battery system preferences afterward to see if your customizations have been maintained.

How to reset the SMC

Apple says you shouldn’t reset the SMC without first trying other troubleshooting tasks, such as force-quitting problematic apps and restarting your Mac. However, Apple doesn’t mention any negative consequences of resetting the SMC, nor any way to determine for sure if the SMC is glitchy without resetting it and noticing that the problem went away. We’ve reset my Macs’ SMCs many times with no apparent ill effects, and on one occasion that did turn out to be the solution to a problem.

Before you can reset your SMC, you must shut down your Mac. After that, the procedure varies depending on the type of Mac you have.

• Desktop Macs: Disconnect the power cord (either from the Mac or from the AC outlet). Wait 15 seconds and plug it back in. Then wait another 5 seconds and turn the Mac back on.
• Laptops with the T2 chip: Shut down. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release it. After a few seconds, press the power button to turn on your Mac.

If this doesn’t reset the SMC, shut down. On the laptop keyboard, press and hold Control-Option-Shift (your Mac might turn on). Hold these keys for 7 seconds, then press and hold the power button. If your Mac is on, it will turn off while you hold down the keys for another 7 seconds. Then release the keys, wait a few seconds and turn on the laptop.

• Laptops (no T2 chip) with non-removable batteries: Shut down and unplug your Mac. On the built-in keyboard, press and hold the Shift, Option, and Control keys on the left side and press the power button and hold all of these down for 10 seconds, then release the keys. Connect the power adapter and then turn the Mac on normally.
• Laptops (no T2 chip) with removable batteries: Shut down your Mac. Disconnect the power cord and remove the battery. Press the power button, hold it for 5 seconds, and then let go. Put the battery back in, reconnect the power cord, and turn the Mac on normally.

Although neither of these procedures is a guaranteed cure, both of them can solve a number of odd problems, and are worth a few minutes of your time before hauling your Mac in to see the local Apple Genius.

Terminal

There is no Terminal command for resetting the SMC.

The Mac Studio, originally released in 2022, has become Apple’s premier desktop for professional users, effectively replacing the now-discontinued Mac Pro for the vast majority of workflows.

Designed for high-end workloads, the Mac Studio has emerged as a popular choice for serious AI and machine learning tasks. This is largely due to its high unified memory capacity and specialised silicon architecture, which address one of the primary bottlenecks in AI workloads: memory capacity and memory bandwidth.

If you are considering buying a Mac Studio, you may be wondering whether an update is imminent. The current lineup features M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips, introduced in March 2025. A new generation with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips is widely expected in 2026. However, the launch timing remains uncertain. Some reports suggest a late-2026 release – possibly around October – although supply constraints affecting high-memory Apple silicon systems could influence availability and timing.

This article tracks the latest reports and rumours surrounding the next Mac Studio, including its potential release date, specifications, and pricing.

2026 Mac Studio: Release date

• Possible release in October 2026

Apple has not yet officially announced a launch date for the Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, but current indications suggest the new models are now more likely to arrive in October 2026 rather than earlier in the year.

The delay appears to be tied to ongoing supply constraints in the global DRAM market. Surging demand for AI infrastructure – particularly from hyperscalers operating large-scale data centres – has placed significant pressure on high-capacity memory supply.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, reporting in April, “supply chain snags” are affecting production of Apple’s next-generation professional Macs, potentially pushing the Mac Studio launch into October 2026.

These constraints are already affecting the current Mac Studio lineup. In March 2026, Apple removed the 512GB unified memory upgrade option for the M3 Ultra Mac Studio and increased the price of the 256GB option by $400, likely reflecting rising DRAM costs.

As of May 2026, the 2025 Mac Studio can only be configured with 36GB, 64GB or 96GB of unified memory, with the former 128GB and 256GB upgrade options no longer available. Availability has also been impacted, with delivery estimates ranging from six to 10 weeks depending on configuration.

Earlier reports had pointed to a significantly earlier launch window. In November 2025, Gurman reported that internal Apple release schedules targeted the first half of 2026 for the M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio models. Industry analysts also expected Apple to unveil the systems around WWDC in June 2026, following the precedent set by the M2 Max and M2 Ultra Mac Studio launch at WWDC 2023.

However, current supply-chain conditions now make a later 2026 launch appear more likely.

2026 Mac Studio: Processor

• Expected to feature M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips

Apple

The Mac Studio currently ships with Apple’s M-series Max and Ultra chips. The 2025 Mac Studio launched with the expected M4 Max chip, but the highest-end configuration surprisingly used an M3 Ultra instead of a newer M4 Ultra. While the M3 Ultra is technically faster than the M4 Max, it is based on an older generation of Apple silicon, and Apple has not explained why an M4 Ultra was never released.

That situation is unlikely to repeat with the next generation. Reports suggest Apple has canceled development of the M4 Ultra entirely, meaning the upcoming Mac Studio will skip that chip generation.

Instead, the next Mac Studio is expected to feature:

M5 Max: Likely built on Apple’s new Fusion Architecture, first introduced in the 2026 MacBook Pro lineup. This architecture combines two 3nm dies into a unified system-on-a-chip (SoC), allowing more flexible core configurations and improved performance scaling.

M5 Ultra: Expected to remain Apple’s most powerful desktop silicon, potentially continuing Apple’s apparent two-year release cadence for Ultra-tier chips.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that Apple plans to offer both the M5 Max and M5 Ultra in the next Mac Studio. MacRumors also reported in December 2025 that references to Mac Studio models powered by the M5 Max and M5 Ultra appeared in leaked Apple files.

As of March 2026, Apple has officially launched the M5 Max as part of its latest MacBook Pro lineup, while the M5 Ultra remains unreleased but widely expected to debut in a new Mac Studio later this year.

M5 Max specifications

• CPU: The chip features an 18-core CPU, including 6 “super cores” (a rebranded version of Apple’s performance cores optimized for leading single-thread speeds) and 12 additional performance cores designed for multithreaded professional workloads.
• GPU: The M5 Max is available with either a 32-core or 40-core GPU. Each GPU core now includes integrated Neural Accelerators, significantly improving AI and machine-learning workloads.

M5 Ultra specifications (projected)

Although Apple has not yet officially announced the specs for the M5 Ultra, it is expected to follow Apple’s established approach of combining two Max chips into a single processor.

Because an Ultra chip effectively links two Max dies together, the M5 Ultra could potentially deliver:

• CPU: Up to a 36-cores.
• GPU: Up to an 80-cores.

If those projections hold, the M5 Ultra would significantly outperform the current M3 Ultra, which still leads the M5 Max in graphics-heavy benchmarks due to its higher GPU core count.

The M5 Ultra is widely expected to reclaim Apple’s GPU performance lead while delivering substantial gains in CPU and AI performance, making it the centerpiece of the next Mac Studio.

2026 Mac Studio: Other specs

• Bigger SSD expected as standard

Thomas Bergbold

The introduction of the M5 Max chip with the 2026 MacBook Pro offers some insight into what we might expect from the same generation of Mac Studio.

Increased memory bandwidth: The base M5 chip already delivers a 28 percent improvement in memory bandwidth over the M4, reaching 153GB/s. It is expected that the M5 Max and M5 Ultra variants in the Mac Studio will see proportional increases in their respective bandwidths. The high-end configuration is likely to support up to 128GB of unified memory with 614GB/s of memory bandwidth, enabling demanding workflows such as 3D rendering, large-scale video editing, and AI development.

Increased SSD speeds: Testing of the M5 Max architecture in other devices has revealed impressive disk speed results, as noted in our 16-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Max) review. Faster read/write speeds and improved performance with large files should be expected.

Connectivity: The platform supports Thunderbolt 5 (80–120Gbps bandwidth), Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6, enabled by Apple’s new N1 networking chip.

Anticipated improvements include:

RAM allocation: Base memory is likely to remain at 36GB for the M5 Max and 96GB for the M5 Ultra. The maximum capacity for the Ultra will likely remain at 256GB, although supply constraints could influence configurations.

Storage capacities: The M5 Max is expected to start at 1TB, up from 512GB. The M5 Ultra may start at 2TB, up from 1TB. Maximum storage capacities will likely remain at 8TB for the Max and 16TB for the Ultra.

2026 Mac Studio: Design & Ports

• No changes expected

The Mac Studio was introduced in 2022. Apple is expected to stick with the same design, which is also reflected in the M4 Mac mini, as no reports have been made about the design.

Foundry

The Mac Studio’s compact yet thermally efficient design makes it particularly well suited to AI developers, creative professionals, and rack-based deployments.

By prioritising thermal efficiency, port accessibility, and a space-saving footprint, the Mac Studio addresses the practical demands of modern production environments, fitting easily into cramped studio spaces while delivering performance that rivals or exceeds much larger workstations.

Unlike many modern Apple devices that emphasise minimalism, the Mac Studio offers a plentiful selection of ports designed for complex professional workflows, reducing reliance on external dongles and adapters. Front-facing Thunderbolt and USB-C ports, alongside the SDXC card slot, provide convenient access for photographers, videographers, and developers who frequently swap storage media and peripherals.

The Mac Studio offers support for up to eight external displays enables extreme multitasking, while Thunderbolt 5 in newer models delivers up to 80Gbps bandwidth – or 120Gbps for video workloads – making the system particularly well suited to high-end production and AI workflows.

The chassis itself is built around a large cooling system, with a ring of air vents at the base allowing the machine to sustain demanding tasks such as AI inference, 3D rendering, and video production without the excessive fan noise common in traditional workstations, an advantage especially valued in sound-sensitive studio environments.

The port offerings are also expected to remain the same. The Mac Studio has:

• M-series Max model: 2 front USB-C ports (supporting USB 3 at 10Gbps)
• M-series Ultra model: 2 front Thunderbolt 5 ports
• front SDXC Card slot
• rear 3.5mm audio jack
• 4 rear Thunderbolt 5 ports
• 2 rear USB-A ports
• HDMI port
• 10Gb ethernet port

2026 Mac Studio: Price

The Mac Studio currently starts at $1,999 / £2,099, but there are strong indications that Apple could raise prices when it updates its desktop lineup later this year due to supply chain pressures and rising component costs.

One sign that the Mac Studio’s price could increase is Apple’s recent move to raise the entry cost of its high-end Macs. In March 2026, Apple removed lower-capacity storage tiers from the MacBook Pro lineup, pushing the starting price of the M5 Max model to $3,599 because it now ships with a 2TB SSD by default.

If Apple follows the same strategy with the Mac Studio, it may raise the base price while simultaneously increasing the starting RAM and storage configurations to soften the perception of the price increase.

For example, if Apple increases the entry-level SSD from 512GB to 1TB – a likely change – the base price could rise by roughly $200 / £200, although the U.K. increase may be smaller to keep regional pricing more closely aligned.

Several broader factors could also contribute to higher prices:

RAM shortage and component costs: A global surge in demand for AI hardware has created significant pressure on memory supply, leading to higher RAM prices across the industry.

Supply chain constraints: During a 2026 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is seeing “less flexibility in the supply chain than normal,” adding that wholesale memory pricing is “increasing significantly.”

For reference, the current 2025 Mac Studio base configurations are priced as follows on Apple’s website:

• $1,999/£2,099/CA$2,699/AU$3,499 M4 Max, 36GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD
• $3,999/£4,199/CA$5,499/AU$6,999 M3 Ultra, 96GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD

Historically, Apple has shown a willingness to raise starting prices when transitioning between generations. The Mac Pro, for example, increased from $5,999 to $6,999 when Apple Silicon replaced Intel processors.

However, Apple has also positioned the Mac Studio as a relatively affordable high-performance desktop for creative professionals. Since its introduction, the machine has started at $1,999, helping maintain a clear price gap below the $3,199-plus MacBook Pro lineup.

Should you buy a Mac Studio now or wait?

Whether you should buy a Mac Studio now depends on how urgently you need the performance versus whether you are willing to wait for the next generation of Apple silicon.

The Mac Studio was last updated in March 2025 with the introduction of the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips. Since then, Apple has released the MacBook Pro with the M5 Max. According to our testing, the M5 Max now surpasses the M3 Ultra in CPU performance, although the M3 Ultra still maintains an advantage in certain graphics-intensive workloads thanks to its significantly higher GPU core count.

If you need a high-end workstation immediately, the Mac Studio remains Apple’s most powerful desktop Mac. However, availability has become increasingly limited due to ongoing component shortages. As of May 2026, delivery estimates for some configurations stretch to as long as 10 weeks, meaning orders placed now may not arrive until July 2026.

At the same time, an M5 refresh now appears increasingly likely for October 2026. The next-generation Mac Studio is expected to deliver a substantial performance improvement, particularly with the anticipated M5 Ultra chip, which could represent a significant leap over the current M3 Ultra.

As a result, buyers who can wait a few more months may be better off holding off for the next generation.

For those who need a Mac Studio sooner rather than later, a refurbished model could be a good alternative and may also offer better value for money. Read: Best place to buy a refurbished MacBook or Mac for advice.

With escalating memory and storage costs pushing prices higher than ever, we’re always on the lookout for a deal on the MacBook Pro. And today we’ve found a great one: Instead of paying $1,899 for the M5 MacBook Pro with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, you can now get it for $1,699, the best we’ve yet to see for this configuration.

This laptop can do it all, from mundane things, such as sending emails and browsing, to everyday work tasks and complex image and video editing. The M5 chip is extremely powerful, and the 24GB of unified memory will be of great help to quickly complete anything on your to-do list. There’s also a 1TB SSD on board, which is plenty of space for photos, videos, files, and anything else you want to store.

The M5 MacBook Pro has a gorgeous 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display that delivers gorgeous images with vivid colors and perfect contrast. Just imagine how well that will serve you when you’re editing pics, for instance, or when you’re having some fun streaming movies. Overall, this is a laptop that we absolutely loved, giving it a near-perfect 4.5-star rating when we reviewed it, along with our Editors’ Choice award for its fantastic combination of price and performance.

And at $200 off, it’s even better. So snag the MacBook Pro M5 for $1,699 while this deal’s still live at Amazon.