is rosetta going away on mac?

yes, except for certain older games. apple's support page on intel-based apps says rosetta works on any apple silicon mac running macos 27 golden gate or earlier. from macos 28, the next major release, apple says rosetta will remain only for some older, unmaintained games built on intel-based frameworks.

to get ready, find your intel-based apps and replace them with universal or apple silicon versions.

this guide follows apple's support pages and developer news as we read them in november 2026. for windows on a mac rather than intel apps, see what happened to boot camp on mac.

updated november 5, 2026: the page description now carries apple's qualifier about intel-based frameworks, and every source was rechecked that day.

download the remynd desktop app to search text you saw in a focused window, by app and date.

what is rosetta?

rosetta is apple's translation layer for intel-based apps. apple created it when it announced the move from intel processors to apple silicon in 2020. it works in the background, translating intel-based apps for apple silicon automatically, and it is not an app you open yourself.

apple's developer documentation adds that translation takes time, so a person might perceive that translated apps launch or run more slowly at times.

what did apple announce?

on september 1, 2026, apple's developer news told developers that apple is now concluding the transition. it set out this timeline:

apple's newsroom says its latest software updates, macos included, started rolling out on september 14, 2026, and its compatibility page calls golden gate the latest major version of the mac operating system.

how do you find intel-based apps on your mac?

apple gives two ways to find them, in the finder and in system settings. you might also see a notice that support is ending when you open an intel-based app.

in the finder:

1. find the app in the finder. most apps live in the applications folder.
2. click the app once to select it.
3. choose file > get info, or press command i.
4. read the kind line in the info window.

in system settings, on golden gate or later:

1. choose apple menu > system settings.
2. click general in the sidebar, then click about.
3. in the macos section, click details next to intel-based apps.

apple says this list shows apps you recently used or that are installed in common locations.

how do you update an intel-based app?

replace it with a universal or apple silicon version. apple lists these routes:

1. if you got the app from the app store, use the app store to find and install updates, if available.
2. or look on the developer's website for a universal or apple silicon version. the notification you received might link to it.
3. some apps have a built-in update option, such as check for updates, in their menus or settings.
4. if necessary, contact the developer to learn whether an apple silicon update is available or planned.

apple also says intel-based plug-ins, extensions and other add-ons from a different developer need to be updated separately.

how do you install rosetta for now?

apple describes two methods for golden gate or earlier:

1. make sure your mac is online, then open any intel-based app. if it opens, rosetta is already installed. if you're prompted to install rosetta, click install, then type your macos user name and password.
2. or, with your mac connected to the internet, open terminal from the utilities folder, run softwareupdate --install-rosetta, press return and follow the onscreen instructions.

if a universal app's info window shows an open using rosetta setting, its developer chose to include it. apple says it forces the app to open as an intel-based app so it can use intel-only plug-ins, and that you should deselect it once you update the add-on.

what can't rosetta translate?

apple's developer documentation says rosetta can translate most intel-based apps, but not kernel extensions or virtual machine apps that virtualize x86_64 computer platforms.

where does remynd fit?

in microsoft's work trend index, published may 9, 2023, which surveyed 31,000 full-time employed or self-employed workers in 31 markets, 62% of respondents said they struggle with spending too much of their workday searching for information. the same survey found 86% were looking for ai to help find the information and answers they need.

in our read, a platform change like this is when you most want to find the settings page or error message you saw last week. remynd records your screen, runs ocr locally with apple vision, and keeps a searchable index on your computer. text comes from the focused window only, and video covers windows you have not excluded.

you can exclude apps and sites, and private browser windows are excluded by default.

press control space to search in plain language, refine by app, date or source, and jump to an exact moment, provided remynd was running then, the window was not excluded and, for text, it was the focused window. it needs macos 14 or later on an apple silicon mac.

remynd also runs on windows 11 (x64 or arm64).

limits of this guide

• it follows apple's support pages, developer news and developer documentation as we read them on the date above. apple's pages can change after that date.
• we did not test intel-based apps on golden gate or on a beta of the next release.
• it covers macs with apple silicon only. it does not cover intel-based macs.

download the remynd desktop app and search what you saw in a focused window, by app and date.