Apple Allows Mac App Store Apps to Drop Intel Support

Developers building universal macOS apps for the Mac App Store can now eliminate Intel compatibility if their apps require macOS 13 or later, Apple confirmed in a direct communication issued today.

In the message, Apple stated: “We’re reaching out to let you know that universal macOS apps on the Mac App Store that require macOS 13 or later can now remove support for Intel-based Mac computers.”

The company added that removing Intel support enables developers to streamline development workflows and reduce both download sizes and on-device storage requirements.

To implement the change, developers must update their app’s build settings to target “arm64” exclusively, then rebuild and resubmit the updated binary to the Mac App Store.

What this means for existing Intel Mac users

Prior to this announcement, developers were obligated to maintain Intel compatibility for universal binaries distributed via the Mac App Store. Under the new policy, that requirement is lifted for apps targeting macOS 13 and newer versions.

Intel-based Mac users retain access to the most recent version of each app that remains compatible with their hardware — the last version submitted before Intel support was dropped.

Broader macOS architecture shift

The move coincides with the upcoming release of macOS 27 Golden Gate, which will fully discontinue support for Intel-powered Macs.

Last year, Apple also announced that Rosetta 2 — the translation layer enabling Intel app execution on Apple Silicon — will be phased out following macOS 27, with limited exceptions granted only for certain games.