macOS Tahoe Now Available

macOS Tahoe is now available for Emerson-owned computers. After thorough testing, Emerson IT has made this release accessible to all faculty and staff through Emerson IT Self Service+. Emerson IT currently supports macOS Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe.

Back up before you upgrade. As with all major OS updates, there is a risk of data loss. Please back up your computer before proceeding. See our guide on Backing Up Data at Emerson College.

Apple Intelligence

Tahoe includes Apple Intelligence, Apple's suite of on-device AI features. You can choose to enable it during the upgrade via the Setup Assistant, or skip it entirely — it is optional. For more detail, see Apple's guide: Intro to Apple Intelligence on Mac.

Apple Intelligence includes features such as:

  • Writing Tools — Proofread, rewrite, or summarize text across Mail, Notes, Pages, and other apps
  • Priority Notifications & Mail Summaries — Surfaces what's most urgent and summarizes long email threads
  • Image Playground & Genmoji — Generate custom images and emoji from text descriptions
  • Enhanced Siri — A more capable Siri with deeper app integration and on-screen awareness
  • Smart Reply suggestions — Quick response options drawn from the context of a conversation

Processing happens on-device for most features, though some requests are routed to Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers for more complex tasks. Apple states that cloud-processed requests are not stored or used to train models.

✓  Reasons you might want to enable Apple Intelligence
  • Useful writing assistance built directly into everyday apps, without a third-party account or subscription
  • Mail and notification summaries can help reduce inbox overload
  • Most processing stays on-device
  • Can be turned off in System Settings at any time
✗  Reasons you might want to skip it
  • Some features route data to Apple's cloud servers
  • AI-generated summaries can occasionally be inaccurate
  • Requires an M-series or A17 Pro chip — it will not be available on older Mac hardware regardless
  • May not align with your preferences around AI-assisted work

 

How to Upgrade

Make sure your Mac is plugged into power before starting. The upgrade requires AC power and takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

  1. Open Emerson IT Self Service+ on your Mac.

  2. In the search bar, type tah or Tahoe. The result Upgrade to macOS Tahoe (Latest) will appear under Catalog.

    Screenshot — Searching in Self Service+

    Self Service+ showing search results for 'tah' with the Upgrade to macOS Tahoe option

  3. Click Upgrade. You will be prompted to enter your Emerson computer username and password — this is your local Mac account credentials, not your Emerson email password.

    Screenshot — Authentication prompt

    macOS upgrade dialog requesting local account username and password

  4. A download dialog will appear while the macOS installer is located and downloaded. This may take several minutes depending on your internet connection.

    Screenshot — Downloading macOS

    Downloading macOS dialog showing installer search progress

  5. Once downloaded, the installer will begin preparing. This step can take up to 30 minutes. Your Mac will automatically reboot to begin the upgrade once preparation is complete.

    Screenshot — Preparing the installer

    Upgrading macOS dialog showing installer preparation progress

  6. When the installer is ready, a prompt will appear reminding you to save any open work. Your computer will restart automatically within a few minutes. Do not close your Mac or disconnect from power.

    Screenshot — Ready to install

    Upgrading macOS dialog stating the upgrade is ready for installation with countdown to restart

Your Mac will restart one or more times during installation. When complete, the Setup Assistant will launch, where you can choose whether to enable Apple Intelligence.

Troubleshooting

Tahoe doesn't appear in Self Service+.
Contact the IT Help Desk. Your device may not yet be enrolled in the Tahoe upgrade policy.

You're prompted to connect to power before the upgrade continues.
Plug your Mac into a power outlet, then click Upgrade again.

The progress bar appears stalled.
Leave your Mac connected to power and do not force a restart. The installer can appear frozen for extended periods while performing background tasks. Wait at least 60 minutes before contacting the IT Help Desk.

Still stuck? Contact the IT Help Desk at (617) 824-8080 or helpdesk@emerson.edu.

Tahoe in Labs

Emerson IT will be testing macOS Tahoe in Boston campus computer labs and classrooms throughout Spring 2026 in preparation for a full rollout at the start of the Fall 2026 semester. Lab and classroom computers will continue to run the current supported macOS version until that rollout is complete.

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