How to get macOS tahoe icon color back

Although some elements of the UI can be modified (light/dark theme, icon and widget style, etc.), you cannot change the elements of the UI that you mention.

For the battery percentage, you can choose to display the percentage or not, but if you do it will display inside the battery icon. This harmonizes the appearance with the iPhone and iPad. As an alternative, you can use 3rd party utilities instead.

Personally, I leave the Apple display off, and use iStat Menus to show the battery status and other system metrics in my Menu bar. You can see the menu bar icon as I've configured it, with a custom color for the charge state (green for full, orange for changing, yellow for discharging, red for low); where it shows Full now it would show a time to full charge or a time to empty estimate if charging or on battery. Clicking on the menu bar icon gives additional data about the battery.

As for the Mail icon, you cannot change the color of the default icon. The Golden Gate icon isn't 'bluer' but it lacks the gradient of the Tahoe icon, which is a lighter blue at the top but actually a darker blue at the bottom. Tahoe is on top here:

You can alter the overall icon appearance in System Settings > Appearance. The Dark setting makes the blue part of the Mail icon black.

More info: Change Appearance settings on Mac – Apple Support

Regardless, posts here will not be read by Apple. “We” are users like you and have no power to implement any suggestions. Apple employees are generally precluded from even reading these forums, with the exception of moderators who only monitor for compliance with the T&C.

To have Apple consider your feedback, submit it here:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

We own the MacBook Air and its storage, while Apple retains ownership of macOS and licenses it to us rather than selling the operating system. 

That means Apple can change macOS's design and functionality when it releases a new version.

macOS 26 Tahoe introduced Apple's Liquid Glass design and new ways to customize icons and widgets. 

macOS 27 Golden Gate builds on that design, with further visual changes to icons and a new Liquid Glass slider. (apple.com)

On macOS 27 Golden Gate, go to System Settings >> Appearance. 

Under Icon & widget style, you can choose Default, Dark, Clear, or Tinted. 

These settings change the colour, background, and behaviour of icons and widgets. 

The Liquid Glass slider separately lets you adjust the appearance of app icons, from clearer to more heavily tinted. (support.apple.com)

If the new Mail icon looks too blue or heavily tinted, try Clear or Default, then move the Liquid Glass slider toward the clearer end. 

This gives you some control over the new look, although there is no documented setting that restores the previous Mail icon exactly.

For the battery percentage, go to System Settings >> Menu Bar >> Battery >> Battery Options >> Show Percentage. 

If Golden Gate is displaying the percentage inside the battery icon, Apple's current Battery settings documentation does not identify a way to return specifically to the previous battery-icon presentation. (support.apple.com)

So, unfortunately, the Appearance settings do not provide a simple “use the old macOS look” option. 

They let you tone down or modify parts of Golden Gate's new design, but they do not provide a documented way to completely restore the previous appearance.

You can provide Apple with feedback:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

I agree the new battery icon design is absolutely terrible. I first saw it on my new iPhone 17 with iOS26. I cannot read it most of the time. Apple has definitely lost their way with visual design aspects of both macOS & iOS.

I don't know whether there are any configuration options for your issue with the Mail app as I don't use it. Do you mean the Mail app's application icon or an icon used within the Mail app itself?

macbookguy12 wrote:

Also, do you know what date does Siri AI app come out in French? That is the only reason I upgraded to 27.

Apple has indicated October for Siri Ai on the macOS. Beyond that, no one here would know.

macbookguy12 wrote:

Thank you. The mail app icon it self. Also, do you know what date does Siri AI app come out in French? That is the only reason I upgraded to 27.

While there seems to have been a change in the shade of blue used, I had not even noticed it.

Plus, other than the Dock (if you use it; I just don't!) and very ephemerally when using Command-tab, when do you ever look at the icon? If you use the Dock, at least keep it hidden, as it is a waste of space, anyway, and it won't be staring you in the face as much.

(FWIW, my Dock is always hidden on one side, and I have set a longer delay to avoid it coming up accidentally. I use my mac day in and day out, and haven't needed the Dock in years, except for answering questions about it in this forum)