John Voorhees

5429 posts on MacStories since November 2015

John is MacStories' Managing Editor, has been writing about Apple and apps since joining the team in 2015, and today, runs the site alongside Federico. John also co-hosts four MacStories podcasts: AppStories, which covers the world of apps, MacStories Unwind, which explores the fun differences between American and Italian culture and recommends media to listeners, Ruminate, a show about the weird web and unusual snacks, and NPC: Next Portable Console, a show about the games we take with us.
@johnvoorhees@macstories.net
@johnvoorhees.macstories.net
voorhees@macstories.net

Mystery Solved: Why Third-Party Apps Vanished From the Mac’s Control Center

Just look at all those great third-party controls.

Just look at all those great third-party controls.

As I explained in my macOS Tahoe review, one of the biggest disappointments was how few third-party Control Center controls I had access to at launch. That was surprising to me given how many developers support Control Center on the iPhone and iPad.

So, I spent a lot of time investigating the issue without reaching a satisfactory answer until yesterday. The short story is it’s a bug, and there’s a workaround until it can be fixed by Apple, but here’s the rest of the back-story that didn’t make it into my macOS Tahoe review and how to sidestep it.

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AppStories - Ep. 452 - 53 minutes

iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 26: The MacStories Reviews

FedericoJohn

This week, Federico and John discuss their annual OS reviews. Federico digs into the details of iOS and iPadOS 26, while John considers what macOS 26 Tahoe means for users.

On AppStories+, John updates listeners on what he bought after last week’s Apple event and why.

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AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps

AppStories Episode 452 - iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 26: The MacStories Reviews

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AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps

This episode is sponsored by:

  • Widgetsmith: Make your phone your own with custom widgets and wallpapers. Ready for Liquid Glass in iOS 26. Use our link for a free month of Widgetsmith Premium.
  • Steamclock: We make great apps. Design and development, from demos to details.

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macOS 26 Tahoe: The MacStories Review

I’m going to cut to the chase – I like macOS 26 Tahoe a lot. No, it’s not perfect, and yes, I wish Apple had done even more, but that’s the case every year.

What I love about Tahoe is its balance. It’s not the sort of thing you can draw up a set of specs or a table of pros and cons for. It just feels right.

The heart of why Tahoe works is that it meets users where they are better than the typical annual release. If you’ve been using macOS for years and prefer to follow a beaten path through its features, you can. You may stumble across a new feature now and then, and you’ll notice visual differences thanks to Liquid Glass, but I’ve been moving between macOS Sequoia and Tahoe all summer long, and when I’m not seeking out what’s new, everything simply feels familiar and comfortable. That’s a good thing for an OS that’s relied upon by millions of people to get their work done.

But you’re probably wondering how I can say that given the Liquid Glass design and online drama surrounding it over the summer. The thing is, whether you’re a Liquid Glass fan or foe, it’s just not as big of a deal on the Mac as it is elsewhere. I’ll explain what I like about Liquid Glass and what I don’t, but it hasn’t moved the needle at all when it comes to my daily work.

What has moved the needle are the new features available in Tahoe. They won’t get in the way of your existing workflows, but if you’re interested iprn exploring new and better ways of getting things done, there’s a lot to like about this update. That’s why I’m such a big fan of macOS 26: it’s a release that walks a careful line between the familiar and the new. There’s no adjustment period, but there are plenty of new features to explore that I think will make a big difference in the way MacStories readers use their Macs.

So join me for a tour off the beaten path to explore what you can expect to discover in macOS 26 Tahoe.

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