macOS 26 Tahoe with OpenCore 1.0.5 (Z390 + i9-9900 + RX 6600 XT)

[miliuco]

Apple has released the beta version of macOS 26 Tahoe. This will be the last version compatible with Intel processors. It's possible to install Tahoe on my computer, but there are some considerations for this macOS. The main ones relate to updating OpenCore and kexts, USB port mapping, sound (AppleHDA.kext) and the Fenvi T919 Wi-Fi (all Broadcom Wi-Fi that could be used on Sonoma and Sequoia with the OCLP root patch). Some of these issues have already been solved. Others are still pending. My machine specifications are: Z390 Aorus Elite + i9-9900K + RX 6600 XT.

 

Supported Intel SMBIOS

• iMac 20,1 / iMac 20,2
• MacPro 7,1
• MacBookPro 16,1 / MacBookPro 16,2 / MacBookPro 16,4

As you can see, only a few models can update to Tahoe. It's possible to use unsupported SMBIOS with a patch that bypasses this check (skip board-id patch). All supported models have T2 chip, which is important for update notifications from System Settings (OTA: Over The Air updates).

 

Hardware

• Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Elite Motherboard
• Intel i9-9900K Processor
• Graphics: Intel UHD 630 iGPU / AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT
• Realtek ALC1220 Sound
• Intel I219V7 Ethernet
• Wi-Fi + BT Fenvi FV-T919 (BCM94360CD).

BIOS Setup (F11 Version)

• CSM: Disabled (required)
• VT-d: Disabled
• Platform Power Management: Disabled
• XHCI Hand-Off: Enabled
• Network Stack: Disabled
• Wake on LAN: Disabled
• Initial Display Output: PCIe 1 Slot
• Integrated Graphics: Enabled
• DVMT Pre-allocated: 256M or higher
• Above 4G Decoding: Enabled
• CFG Lock: Disabled (required)
• Fast Boot: Disabled
• OS Type: Windows 8/10
• Secure Boot: Disabled.

What works well?

• AMD graphics card as primary (iMac 20,2) or single (MacPro 7,1)
• Integrated graphics card in headless mode (iMac 20,2)
• Shutdown and restart
• Ethernet
• Audio through HDMI or DisplayPort ports on the AMD card
• Fenvi T919 Bluetooth.

What's not working properly?

• USB ports map (adaptation required due to changes in the internal format in Tahoe). It has a solution.
• Audio from the motherboard chip (due to the absence of AppleHDA.kext). It has a solution.
• Fenvi Wi-Fi: There is no solution yet, although OCLP developers are working on it. An Intel Wi-Fi can be used successfully instead (I've tested the AX210) but AirportItlwm.kext doesn't work in Tahoe and you must use itlwm.kext + Heliport app (latest versions of both).

OpenCore 1.0.5

 

Most of the OpenCore tweaks that were valid for Sequoia are also valid for Tahoe. Main differences are in OpenCore and kexts updated versions:

• OpenCore 1.0.5
• Lilu 1.7.1
• VirtualSMC 1.3.7
• CPUFriend 1.3.0 (MacPro 7,1 only) (optional)
• RestrictEvents 1.1.6 (MacPro 7,1 only)
• WhateverGreen 1.7.0 (iMac 20,2 only)
• NVMeFix 1.1.3
• itlwm 2.3.0

config.plist

 

I can use two SMBIOS: MacPro 7,1 with the iGPU disabled in BIOS and iMac 20,2 with the iGPU enabled in BIOS as a secondary card. These are the main details when configuring config.plist:

• ACPI
  • SSDT-EC-USBX.aml, SSDT-PLUG.aml, and SSDT-PMC.aml. SSDT-AWAC.aml is not needed on my system but, when in doubt, add it because it won't cause any harm if it's present unnecessarily.
  • Quirks: All = False
• Booter
  • Quirks: AvoidRuntimeDefrag, DevirtualizeMMIO, EnableSafeModeSlide, ProtectUefiServices, ProvideCustomSlide, RebuildAppleMemoryMap, SetupVirtualMap, and SyncRuntimePermissions = True
  • ResizeAppleGpuBars = -1
• DevicePropertiesAdd
  • PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x2,0x0) (only iMac)
    • AAPL,ig-platform-id | Data | 0300913E
    • device-id | Data | 9B3E0000
    • enable-metal | Data | 01000000
    • rps-control | Data | 01000000
  • PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1.0x0)/Pci(0x0.0x0)/Pci(0x0.0x0)/Pci(0x0.0x0) (only iMac)
    • unfairgva | Number | 6
  • PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1F,0x3)
    • layout-id | Data | 07000000
  • PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x14,0x0)
    • acpi-wake-type | Dat
• Kernel
  • Add: recent versions of used extensions, Lilu.kext in the first place
  • Quirks: CustomSMBIOSGuid, DisableIoMapper, DisableIoMapperMapping, DisableLinkeditJettison, PanicNoKextDump and PowerTimeoutKernelPanic = True, SetApfsTrimTimeout = 0
• Misc
  • Boot: HibernateMode=None, PickerAttributes=144, PickerVariant=Default (can be Acidanthera/GoldenGate or whatever theme you use), HideAuxiliary=True, ShowPicker=True
  • Debug: AppleDebug, ApplePanic and DisableWatchDog = True, Target=3
  • Security: AllowSetDefault=True, BlacklistAppleUpdate=True, ExposeSensitiveData=6, SecureBootModel=Disabled
• NVRAM
  • WriteFlash=True
  • Add >> 7C436110-AB2A-4BBB-A880-FE41995C9F82:
    • boot-args >> agdpmod=pikera (only iMac)
    • csr-active-config >> 03080000
    • run-efi-updater >> No
  • Delete >> 7C436110-AB2A-4BBB-A880-FE41995C9F82:
    • boot-args and csr-active-config
• PlatformInfo
  • Generic >> iMac20,2 / MacPro7,1
  • UpdateDataHub, UpdateNVRAM and UpdateSMBIOS = True
  • UpdateSMBIOSMode >> Custom
• UEFI
  • Quirks:
    • RequestBootVarRouting = True, ResizeGpuBars=-1.

Update Notifications

 

All supported models have T2 chip, so by default Hacks don't receive notifications of new updates from System Settings. To receive these notifications, you must add:

• RestrictEvents.kext
• revpatch=sbvmm to boot args. revpatch=sbvmm makes macOS believe it's in a virtual machine and, in this case, SMBIOS model with a T2 chip doesn't matter.

 

Spoiler

 

Another option is to download the full installer package each time, bypassing this limitation, but these are large packages, over 17 GB in size.

 

USB Ports Map

 

Apple has changed the name of the USB port properties in USBMap.kext files in macOS Tahoe. Where previously there was:

 

Spoiler

 

it has now changed to:

 

Spoiler

 

You can have all four properties simultaneously so that the same ports map works in Tahoe and earlier macOS.

 

Spoiler

 

To make the change, you have the option of doing it manually or using corpnewt's USBMap tool, which has been updated to add the new properties to existing maps. Once downloaded, run USBMapInjectorEdit.command, drag a USBMap.kext or USBPorts.kext file and apply the change.

 

Note: Comment property is not part of Apple ports maps but it is useful information that Hackintool can show in the USB tab.

 

Integrated Audio

 

Although AppleHDA.kext was present in the first beta of macOS Tahoe, it has been removed by Apple from subsequent betas and does not appear to be reintroduced into the system. Without this extension it's impossible to manage audio from the motherboard chip and AppleALC.kext is useless, so the integrated audio source has been lost. Apple Silicon Macs manage audio via the T2 chip; they don't need AppleHDA.kext and Apple has decided not to maintain it.

 

Options without AppleHDA.kext:

• Audio via HDMI or DisplayPort from the AMD graphics card ports.
• USB sound devices (automatically recognized by macOS; plug and play). I've tried the Sound Blaster Play! 3 device, which costs less than €20, and I'm very satisfied with the sound quality but it has two drawbacks:
  • It only has two connectors: one input and one output.
  • Although its CPU usage is minimal, it's slightly higher than that of the integrated audio.
• VoodooHDA.kext: Audio driver less commonly used than AppleALC.kext. Available on the CloverHackyColor GitHub site (current developer: Sergey Slice). Chris1111 has a utility on his GitHub site that automates the VoodooHDA installation process on Tahoe (VoodooHDA-Tahoe). I haven't tried it but some users have solved audio issue with it.

AppleHDA.kext back:

 

The most desired solution is reinstalling AppleHDA.kext. This can already be done thanks to recently emerged projects: MyKextInstaller by @Mirone, SimpleLoader by @laobamac_yyds and Kext-Drop by @chris1111. Both projects are on GitHub. I've tested MKI and SL and they work fine. 

 

Intel Wi-Fi

• AirportItlwm doesn't work on Tahoe, but itlwm does; the latest version is 2.3.0.
• Heliport (used next to itlwm) is at version 1.5.0, although there is a 2.0.0-alpha version that works very well on Tahoe. 

Fenvi Wi-Fi

 

There is no fix for this issue yet. OCLP developers are working on it.

 

EFI folder with OpenCore 1.0.5

 

It has two config.plist files:

• config-macpro.plist
  • SMBIOS MacPro7,1
  • IMPORTANT: Fill in your personal numbers in PlatformInfo >> Generic
  • iGPU Disabled in BIOS
  • Does not use WhateverGreen
  • Don't forget to rename config-macpro.plist to config.plist.
• config-imac.plist
  • SMBIOS iMac20,2
  • IMPORTANT: Fill in your personal numbers in PlatformInfo >> Generic
  • iGPU wireless (headless mode), AMD as the primary card
  • iGPU Enabled in BIOS
  • unfairgva=6 in the dGPU properties to have DRM (partial)
  • Requires WhateverGreen, which has an issue with Tahoe (at least up to the current beta 5): it fails during clean install so you have to use config-macpro.plist for the installation. Afterwards, you can keep config-imac.plist for daily use. There is a bug report by @laobamac_yyds on Dortania.
  • Don't forget to rename config-imac.plist to config.plist.

Both config.plists work for different macOS thanks to the MinKernel and MaxKernel properties of the kexts:

• macOS Ventura: Fenvi Wi-Fi that works as is, no kexts are added
• macOS Sonoma and Sequoia: Fenvi Wi-Fi that requires the settings by OCLP (IOSkywalkFamily.kext, IO80211FamilyLegacy.kext, etc.). MinKernel = 23.0.0 and MaxKernel = 24.20.0
• macOS Tahoe: Intel Wi-Fi (AX210 with itlwm.kext) since Fenvi doesn't work for now. MinKernel = 25.0.0.

I use the Fenvi Bluetooth, which works as is on all four systems. AX210 card's Bluetooth is disconnected from the motherboard.

 

So the same EFI works for me to boot from Ventura to Tahoe. Modify it according to your hardware.

 

EFI-tahoe-beta.zip

 

 

Edited September 2, 2025 by miliuco
Fix typo

[naiclub]

The work is very detailed.

But I have one more question. I installed the VoodooHDA file instead of the original, but there's a very loud noise, especially high-frequency or shrill sounds. It's very ear-piercing. Is there a way to fix this? I've been foolish for a long time. I installed it on an older version of Mac.

Thank you very much.

Edited August 12, 2025 by naiclub

[miliuco]

@naiclub

VoodooHDA never used on my side. I can’t help you. But @Anto65 and others know about it. 

Edited May 28 by miliuco
Typo

[Vinicius P. Miranda]

@miliuco
Is your hack able to return from a black screen after display sleep? I have an RX 5700 XT, and the hack is unable to return from Display Sleep or System Sleep due to the lack of WhateverGreen. I need to press the restart button on the case.
If so, how did you get around this?

Stupid question, but when I set the Picker Mode to External and Picker Variant to Acidanthera\GoldenGate, my OpenCore is no longer automatically switching to the system installation or update drive. Is this normal behavior for you as well?

[miliuco]

@Vinicius P. Miranda
Yes, my hack sleeps and wakes as expected. It's so with MacPro7,1 without WEG or with iMac20,2 with WEG. 
Do you have Intel wifi + bluetooth with OpenIntelWireless kexts?

 

Upload your config.plist to check OC picker settings.

 

Edited September 21, 2025 by miliuco
Typo

[Vinicius P. Miranda]

@miliuco
I have only itlwm.kext.

My biggest problem now is this black screen that won't let the system work again. If you know what can fix this, please let me know.

I replaced the kexts with text to reduce the file size for uploading.

EFI Vinicius Miranda.zip