macOS 26 Runners Now Generally Available

GitHub Actions users can now access the macOS 26 runner image in production environments. Previously available as a public preview, macOS 26 runners are now fully supported and recommended for CI/CD workflows that require the latest macOS development tools.

Runner Options and Labels

The macOS 26 image is available across four distinct runner configurations to suit different workload requirements:

• macos-26 – Standard macOS runner optimized for arm64 (Apple Silicon)
• macos-26-intel – Standard macOS runner for x64 (Intel) architecture
• macos-26-large – Large runner designed for resource-intensive x64 builds
• macos-26-xlarge – Extra-large runner for demanding arm64 workloads

What Developers Need to Know

Users can immediately adopt macOS 26 by updating the runs-on labels in their GitHub Actions workflow files. The image includes the latest macOS and Xcode tooling, making it suitable for modern app development and testing. For detailed information about included software and capabilities, the GitHub-hosted runners documentation provides comprehensive configuration guidance.

This release reinforces GitHub's commitment to supporting both Apple Silicon and Intel-based development workflows, allowing teams to choose the architecture that best fits their build requirements.