Should I wait to upgrade to Tahoe?

Things have finally gotten better with the release of macOS 26.2 a few weeks ago. A lot of memory & storage management issues seem to have improved for me.

Many people have discovered they needed to replace their display cables and perhaps even USB-C cables for storage devices with new higher quality cables....a side effect of Apple trying to improve the reliability of externally connected display and devices.

The Liquid Glass look of Tahoe will be a huge adjustment depending on personal taste. All of the app/document windows now have a more intrusive curve to them compared to the older versions of macOS. Plus there are still numerous visual glitches & defects which is crazy for an OS being touted for its visual appearance. Some of these visual issues may have been intentional. I have finally started getting used to the new look, but still don't like it. I'm still debating if I want to move ahead with a full upgrade to Tahoe since I installed a special test environment to try out Tahoe to see what it was like & whether I could live with the new look/style. Jury is still out for me, but unfortunately I may require Tahoe for one task to do my job.

As others have noted, you must do your own research into the problems people are reporting, compatibility with third party apps & hardware, and look at screenshots & videos of Tahoe to see if you can stand the new look.

FYI, it is always best to wait until at least a x.2 update patch before taking the plunge on any new major OS version so that most of the launch related issues are ironed out. Unless there is a dire need or requirement to use Tahoe, then there is no need to upgrade now if you don't like it. Wait until the end of the year to see what macOS 27 may bring. I'm still running macOS 13.x Ventura on my main laptop, but will need to decide on Sequoia or Tahoe before the end of the year due to requirements of my job (beyond my control).

It is up to you. I reviewed What's new in the updates for macOS Tahoe - Apple Support and found nothing enticing me to upgrade. I don't use many of the things touted as being new services. Some people in particular dislike the new Liquid Glass feature. Eventually one will be required to upgrade, particularly in terms of security features, but I have not seen the need to yet.

As for "returning to Sequoia" mentioned in a previous post, make sure you keep a copy of your Sequoia backup. If you upgrade to Tahoe and then decide to return to Sequoia after using Tahoe for a while, you may find some files will no longer open with older app versions.

If you want to get a feel for what Tahoe looks like, go into an Apple Store or an Apple products vendor and have a test run on their machines.

If you are not able or willing to set up a test installation to make sure you can still use everything the way you want, you should never upgrade.

Alternatively, For software only, you can just check with the developers of the software for compatibility. Then, expect some time to get used to the changes. If change ruins your life, you should never upgrade. All macOS upgrades come with some level of change. For instance, the LaunchPad was removed. I never used it so that change is completely irrelevant to me. For several people posting here, their entire lives are ruined, seemingly never to be whole again.

If you depend on external hardware that requires driver software to communicate with the device, you should definitely set up a test installation.

While some of Barney-15E's comments do lean towards hyperbole, they do raise a valid points about equipment and app compatibility. However, going from macOS 15 to 26 is not a substantial leap (unlike my jump from High Sierra to Sequoia in which I lost dozens and dozens of apps, plus iTunes). You may still wish to check if this will affect any apps or hardware you are using. This website may prove handy: https://roaringapps.com/apps

Check with vendors about app upgrades for any printers or other peripherals you may be using.

That's a very personal decision.

I have no issues with Tahoe, but other's may have and your own mileage may vary.

Only you can decide whether the new features, interface design and security enhancements are something you need and want to risk any issues you may have with it once installed or not.

Always, make backup before upgrading. You can always erase your hard drive and return to Sequoia if you really need to.

I would suggest don't upgrade. By doing that, you're telling them they can get away with this shoddy work.

In over 20 years of using Apple products, Tahoe was by far the worst UI experience I've ever had and my first OS downgrade.