Apple’s macOS 27 “Golden Gate” went live on 14 September 2026, and it’s the biggest shake-up to macOS printing and printer software compatibility in years. It’s the first version of macOS that won’t install on an Intel Mac at all, and it removes Rosetta 2 from your Mac by default during the upgrade. If printing matters to your business, it’s worth knowing what’s actually changing before you click update, including which macOS 27 compatible printers you can still rely on.
What’s Actually Changed In macOS 27 “Golden Gate”
Two changes matter here. First, Golden Gate only runs on Apple Silicon, meaning an M1 chip or newer, any Apple device made after August 2020 uses Apple Silicon. The last Intel Macs Apple ever sold, the 2019 Mac Pro and the 2020 27-inch iMac, are both locked out, along with every older Intel model. Most of those machines were still running macOS Monterey, so this isn’t a surprise upgrade path forced on anyone, but it does mean an old Intel iMac in a back office won’t be offered Golden Gate at all.
Second, and this is the one catching people out, Golden Gate uninstalls Rosetta 2 as part of the update. Rosetta 2 is the translation layer that lets older Intel-built software run on Apple Silicon Macs. You can still reinstall it manually if you need to, but it’s gone by default, and Apple has said it disappears for good when macOS 28 arrives in 2027. Any printer utility, scanner tool or label design app that was never rebuilt as a native Apple Silicon app is what’s actually at risk here, not the printer itself.
Will Your macOS 27 Compatible Printers Still Work After Updating
For most people, yes. AirPrint-compatible printers should continue printing normally, because AirPrint doesn’t rely on a driver installed on your Mac at all. Nothing in Apple’s release notes points to changes in CUPS, AirPrint itself, print queues or printer management, and manufacturers haven’t flagged any core printing problems either.
The risk sits one level up, in the software you install alongside the printer: scanner drivers, printer utilities, label design tools and vendor management software. Going by past macOS releases, most manufacturers will get updated, native drivers out within a few weeks to a few months. Basing it on previous years, don’t expect day-one support across the board, particularly for older or discontinued printer models.
Manufacturer Driver And Software Statements For macOS 27 Compatible Printers
Brother is the only major manufacturer with a published Golden Gate compatibility statement at the time of writing. Its macOS Golden Gate support page confirms driver availability by product category, inkjet, laser, P-touch and label machines, document scanners and its Creative Printer range, so check whether your model is on the list of macOS 27 compatible printers rather than assuming blanket support.
Epson, Canon and HP haven’t issued a Golden Gate-specific statement yet, but all three keep running compatibility pages that get updated as new macOS versions roll out: Epson’s Apple compatibility hub, Canon’s operating system compatibility page, and HP’s macOS compatibility document. Brother laser printers category page if you’re shopping for a printer with confirmed Golden Gate support already in place.
One useful third-party resource: PaperCut’s guide to getting a Mac print environment ready for Apple Silicon is aimed at IT teams managing print fleets, and it’s a good checklist even if you’re not running PaperCut.
| Typically Works | May Require Vendor Updates |
|---|---|
| Standard printing | Scanner software |
| AirPrint | OCR software |
| PDF printing | Printer management tools |
| Network printing | Firmware utilities |
| Basic label printing | Label design software |
| Simple USB printing | Configuration utilities |
Zebra, Brother And DYMO Label Printers
This is the area worth paying closest attention to, because label and barcode printing leans much more heavily on desktop software than standard document printing does.
Zebra
A Zebra printer will carry on printing labels correctly on Golden Gate. What needs checking is everything around it: Zebra Setup Utilities, printer configuration tools, SDKs and Zebra’s own Browser Print software all need to be running native Apple Silicon builds, not Intel builds propped up by Rosetta 2. If you print from a browser using Browser Print, that’s the first thing to confirm is up to date. We’ve also covered setting up a Zebra label printer on a Mac in detail if you need a refresher on the basics.
DYMO
These printers themselves should be fine. DYMO Connect and the older DYMO Label Software are a different story: as things stand, DYMO hasn’t shipped a native Apple Silicon build of DYMO Connect, so it’s still running on Rosetta 2 under the hood. That’s not a problem the moment you update to Golden Gate, since Rosetta 2 can be reinstalled manually, but it becomes one once Rosetta 2 is removed for good in 2027. If you rely on DYMO Connect daily, it’s worth asking DYMO directly about their Apple Silicon plans rather than waiting to find out the hard way.
Brother Label Printers
Printing the labels is rarely the issue with Brother’s range. It’s P-touch Editor, Printer Setting Tool and Transfer Manager that need to be working correctly, and Brother’s own Golden Gate support page linked above is the place to check driver and software status for your specific P-touch model.
Scanner Software And Document Management Tools
Several compatibility guides single out scanning as the area most likely to break, more so than printing itself. Ricoh’s ScanSnap software is specifically called out as still being evaluated for Golden Gate, and the same caution applies to other document management and OCR tools, plus any vendor-specific accounting or workflow integrations built around your scanner. If scanning is central to how you work, test it on a Golden Gate Mac, or wait for your vendor to confirm support, before updating a machine you rely on day to day.
What This Means For macOS 27 Compatible Printers
None of this is an official Apple statement, it’s our reading of the compatibility guides and manufacturer pages available at launch. With that caveat:
- Modern AirPrint-compatible models are usually the safest macOS 27 compatible printers you can buy right now, since AirPrint doesn’t depend on a driver at all.
- Older printers that need manufacturer-specific drivers may need an updated driver or utility once manufacturers finish their Golden Gate testing.
- Scanner software and document management utilities have historically been more likely to hit snags than basic printing.
- If you run print management software, label printer utilities, accounting integrations or specialised driver packages, particularly for Zebra, Brother or DYMO label printers, or Epson receipt printers, check with the vendor before updating a production Mac.
Apple AirPrint: The Safest macOS 27 Compatible Printers
AirPrint remains the most reliable route through a macOS update, because it uses drivers built into the operating system rather than ones you install yourself. It covers the basics well: choosing paper size, picking paper type and adjusting print scaling straight from the print dialogue, no software download required.
What it doesn’t give you is the extra functionality a manufacturer’s own app or driver usually adds, things like advanced finishing options, ink level monitoring or scanning integration. For most home and small office printing, that trade-off is worth it during any macOS transition. For businesses that depend on those extra features, it’s still worth waiting for your manufacturer’s native driver rather than switching everything over to AirPrint permanently.
Should You Update To macOS 27 Golden Gate Now
If printing isn’t business-critical, updating on day one is unlikely to cause problems for the vast majority of setups; macOS 27 compatible printers using AirPrint and standard document printing are the safest bets. If your business depends on label printing, scanning or any printer utility running every single day, hold off for a few weeks. Let Zebra, DYMO, Brother and your other vendors confirm native Apple Silicon support first, and check the manufacturer links above before you update a Mac you can’t afford to have down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will My AirPrint Printer Work With macOS 27 Golden Gate?
Yes. AirPrint doesn’t rely on a driver installed on your Mac, so AirPrint-compatible printers should continue to work exactly as before on Golden Gate.
Does macOS 27 Drop Support For Intel Macs?
Yes. Golden Gate only installs on Apple Silicon Macs, meaning M1 or newer. The last Intel Macs Apple sold, the 2019 Mac Pro and the 2020 27-inch iMac, can’t run it.
What Happens To Rosetta 2 In macOS 27?
Golden Gate uninstalls Rosetta 2 by default during the update. You can reinstall it manually if an app still needs it, but Apple has confirmed it will be removed for good when macOS 28 arrives in 2027.
Will Zebra, Brother Or DYMO Label Printer Software Still Work?
The printers themselves should carry on printing labels normally. It’s the desktop software, Zebra Setup Utilities, DYMO Connect and Brother’s P-touch Editor among them, that needs a native Apple Silicon build to keep working once Rosetta 2 is gone.
Should I Update To macOS 27 Straight Away?
If you only use AirPrint or standard document printing, updating should be low risk. If your business depends on label printing, scanning or a specific printer utility, it’s worth waiting until your manufacturer confirms native Apple Silicon support.
My Mac Can’t Run macOS 27, What Does That Mean For Printing?
Nothing changes for your printing setup. Your Mac will keep running its current version of macOS, and any drivers or software already working will carry on working exactly as before.
Where Can I Find macOS 27 Driver Updates For My Printer?
Check your printer manufacturer’s support site directly. Brother has already published a dedicated list of macOS 27 compatible printers, and Epson, Canon and HP maintain compatibility pages that get updated as new macOS versions are released.
Need Help or More Information ?
If you’re not sure whether your printer or its software will work with macOS 27 Golden Gate, our team can help you check before you update. Call us on 0161 308 5800, use Live Chat, or get in touch via our Contact Us page.
