Sep 2027: Support Ending for Intel-based Macs
All good things...
Earlier in 2026, Apple announced that macOS 27 will only support Macs using Apple Silicon CPUs (M1, M2, etc), making macOS 26 the final version that supports Intel CPUs.
Therefore, Hunchly support for Intel-based Macs will end in September 2027
Will my Mac continue to run Hunchly?
If you purchased your Mac new in the last 6 years, this likely does not affect you.
To check if Hunchly will continue to support your Mac:
- Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your desktop, then click "About this Mac"
- In the little popup that opens, check what's listed next to "Chip"
- if it starts with "Apple", you are not affected; Hunchly will continue to support your computer
- if it starts with "Intel", support is ending for your computer and you should continue reading
What does this mean for me and my Intel Mac?
Hunchly versions released after September 2027 will not include Mac installers that support Intel CPUs.
The Hunchly support desk offers support for the 3 most recent releases of Hunchly. Eventually, the last version supporting Intel Macs will be ineligible for support; to continue receiving support, you will need to upgrade.
That doesn't mean your Intel Mac is doomed to be e-waste, however! Hunchly is continuing to support other system software on Intel hardware, including Linux and Windows.
Options:
-
Upgrade to a new Mac
Simple, right? If only! We know computers aren't as cheap as they used to be — if buying a new laptop isn't possible for you right now and you need to keep using Hunchly, keep reading.
-
Run Hunchly in a Virtual Machine (VM)
If you're one of the many online researchers who already work in VMs for the security benefits, good news — this will barely impact you. Hunchly will continue to support Windows and Linux on Intel and AMD CPUs, so you can keep using Hunchly within your Windows and Linux VMs. If you're new to VMs, VirtualBox (free) and Parallels Desktop (paid) are popular options with plenty of community support.
-
Install Linux on your Intel Mac
This is not for the faint of heart! Installing Linux on a Mac tends to be trickier than for other PCs. However, if you plan to keep using your Intel Mac past the end of Apple's software support, you may want to consider switching to an OS that will continue receiving security updates. Linux has a proud history of breathing new life into older hardware, and there are many guides and communities to help you get started.
Why is Hunchly ending support for Intel Macs?
We want to make sure Hunchly is great to use no matter what OS you use it on, or what type of CPU you have. This requires testing Hunchly on many different combinations, and fixing platform-specific issues.
We believe this work is important, but there's a necessary trade-off — supporting more platforms means we aren't working on as much other stuff!
Apple released the first Apple Silicon Mac in 2020, and Intel-based Macs have not been sold for a while now. We want to make sure we're focusing our efforts where we can make the biggest difference to Hunchly users.
We're here to help
As always, the Hunchly team are here to help with any questions or concerns you may have. Please reach out to us anytime at support@hunch.ly; we'd love to hear from you.
Author's note: This ain't slop, I just love em dashes. -Phil