The third developer beta for macOS 27 "Golden Gate" is here, and it's a classic case of one step forward, two steps back. While it introduces a flashy new "Visual Intelligence" feature, early adopters are reporting a minefield of bugs that make it a risky install for daily use.

Key Updates in Beta 3

This release focuses on AI-driven features and thoughtful interface improvements, many of which address long-standing user feedback.

Visual Intelligence and AI Enhancements

Headlining this release is Visual Intelligence, a new system-wide feature that lets you ask Siri questions about anything on your screen. Using a simple keyboard shortcut (Shift+Cmd+Space), you can highlight content, and the assistant uses on-screen context to provide answers.

This push into AI continues in the Shortcuts app. The app now opens to a new view where you can simply describe an automation in plain language, and the AI will assemble the necessary actions. The move aims to make the powerful but often intimidating app more approachable.

Interface and Performance Tweaks

macOS 27 beta 3 further refines the "Liquid Glass" design language. A new slider in System Settings gives you granular control over transparency, letting you dial it back or push it to a fully frosted look.

In a practical tweak, Apple has added an overflow button for menu bar icons, finally solving the problem of icons disappearing behind the notch on newer MacBooks. The company also claims major performance gains—including up to 80% faster AirDrop—partly by dropping support for Intel chips.

Performance and Known Issues

Despite Apple's promises, this beta is far from smooth. Developers on the MacRumors forums are flagging stuttering, laggy windows in core apps like Weather, Stocks, and even the Finder, with the issues appearing on powerful M4 Pro machines.

Several significant bugs are also present. The microphone button in the Siri app is reportedly non-functional, and the assistant can be completely unresponsive. A visual glitch that breaks the "Save" dialog window in some apps, a holdover from the first two betas, remains unfixed.

Another long-standing issue where alarms fail to play when a Mac's display is asleep has also not been addressed. Apple has yet to announce a date for the public beta, typically expected this month, ahead of the final macOS 27 release anticipated this fall.