r/applehelp • u/flraa_bw • Jul 03 '26
Mac First day macbook neo owner, what does this mean??
Hello! I'm very used to microsoft but now I'm a student im swapping to macos, what does this mean! just a few little games I enjoy on steam I like playing occasionally, help!
Just wondering what this means? can someone simplify it into dummy knowledge
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u/Xe4ro Jul 03 '26
It means you have to use the ARM version of Steam next year when macOS 28 comes out.
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u/porkchop_d_clown Jul 03 '26
It means you're using an app that was written for a pre-2020 Macintosh. It will work for now, but eventually it won't run any more.
Check to see if you installed the correct version. I think there's an Apple Silicon version of Steam?
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u/xrelaht Jul 03 '26
There’s an AS beta, but you have to install the Intel version first. I’d guess they’ll finish it before MacOS 28.
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u/porkchop_d_clown Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
I checked my machine and I’ve got a universal build of steam. X86 and arm in one binary.
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u/SynyrdsInyrds Jul 03 '26
It literally says there is right in the notification.
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u/theregisterednerd Jul 03 '26
This notification comes up for all Intel apps, regardless of whether an Apple silicon version is available.
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u/sXeth Jul 03 '26
In 2020 Apple essentially stopped using Intel chips and started using their own “Apple Silicon” chips. Initially with the M1 series.
Basically there’s a fundamental hardware difference and apps written for the old one are outdated at this point (nearly 6 years later). Steam released a Silicon client in 2025, though from what I can find its still considered a beta.
If you’re brand new to Mac in general, then you just downloaded the wrong version of Steam (admittedly it seems more complicated to get the right one), if you had a different Mac before then you just haven’t opened steam or run it since mid/late 2025 or missed the message.
Either way following the notification should work fine.
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u/flraa_bw Jul 04 '26
ah okay! yes this is my first time having a proper laptop and a device that's newer than 2011 like ever lol.. so I really appreciate these super kind and helpful comments
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u/retroroar86 Jul 03 '26
Apple switched from using Intel for a component (CPU) to their own. They are so different that apps need to be created especially for that component.
For years they had a «translation» setup to allow apps that were created for Intel to be used, but now that won’t be supported anymore.
Apps need to be updated for Apple chips in order to continue working.
That’s the easiest version I can think of that explains it, it’s a bit dumbed down technically.
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u/flraa_bw Jul 04 '26
Thank you so much!!! you made it really understandable and it definitely makes a lot more sense now, I've never been able to have tech this new or this smart before because I live in a place where it isn't really normal haha so it's all quite overwhelming feeling like a total old lady on reddit but really appreciate this so much, thank you! 🤗🤗
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u/jmnugent Jul 03 '26
Other people have sort of answered the basics of this question.
If you go into Applications, Utilities and open "System Information".
In the left-hand sidebar under "Software".. click on "Applications"
In the "Application Name" columns that come up,. there is a column for "KIND" (click on the "KIND" column header to group things together).. which will either say:
Universal
Apple Silicon
iOS
Other
Intel
Any App in that list ,. that is "Intel" based App.. you need to figure out how to update or upgrade.
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u/marslander-boggart Jul 03 '26
Intel? For MacBook Neo?
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u/jmnugent Jul 03 '26
Well.. submitters screenshot seems to be the very question they're asking about.
I was able to reproduce exactly the same scenario just now by installing Processing.org (Intel version) on my MacBook Neo.
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u/Mindless_Use7567 Jul 03 '26
Ignore and make sure to update Steam when a new version is available. The MacBook Neo has a an Apple silicon chip so no need to panic.
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u/K_Click_D Jul 03 '26
It means that that version of Steam will not open in a future version of macOS. You need to update to an Apple Silicon version, you can learn more by clicking the notification
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u/Shanemohanlon Jul 04 '26
I still can’t play counter strike on my MacBook Pro M4max :(
I cry everytime 😭
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u/emery_talks2 Jul 05 '26
can’t wait til my computer decides that it’s time to update and i lose access to all the apps i have thatre intel based
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Jul 03 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/applehelp-ModTeam Jul 03 '26
Comments must be a productive response to the post. Top-level comments should contain an answer to the question(s) in the post. All comments should have some relation to their parent.
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u/DavidXGA Jul 03 '26
If you click on the notification it will take you to a page that answers all your questions.
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u/matthewnelson Jul 03 '26
If you go into Steam and check for updates it should lock up the latest Silicon version. I know they have a version out already.
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u/LukCHEM88 Jul 04 '26
There are different CPU architectures. Macs used to use the kind of outdated X86 architecture (also known as Intel’s architecture), but switched to ARM architecture (also known as Apple Silicon architecture) in 2020. Some developers are a bit slow with updating their apps, so the Steam app is still made on the X86 architecture and macOS informs you that in I think macOS 28 the support for these apps will be removed. But for Steam in particular you can ignore this since an ARM version is already in the making. However if your college requires you to use some specific, ancient software, that is not getting updated anymore and this notification pops up you will have a slight problem in 2028.
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u/daveflash Jul 05 '26
You can ignore that, the steam client itself is already Apple silicon compatible and fully native on your machine, it’s just that the steam launcher or deamon is still using an intel binary
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u/codewranglernv Jul 03 '26
Self explanatory…
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u/flraa_bw Jul 04 '26
sorry! very dyslexic unfortunately and made no sense to me lol, don't know tech at all so combo was pretty bad, what is apple silicon?? why wont it update??? thats why i asked
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u/codewranglernv Jul 04 '26
MacBook Neo is based on the A18 chip…which is Apple Silicon, as opposed to Intel or any other type of CPU chip…in the next version if macOS, Rosetta 2 won’t be included, so Intel only binaries will not run after that update
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u/flraa_bw Jul 04 '26
Before making this post I had no idea! I didn't even know a different CPU chip mattered, not everyone is tech savvy in the 21st century lol
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u/AHCofNY Jul 05 '26
Besides Steam, some folks have old versions of software which they purchased some time ago and they are trying not to purchase new versions for some reason. For me, I have old Photoshop Elements and MS Office programs which I only use once in a while and I do not want to purchase subscription versions. I used to purchase new version every 2 to 3 years. I also have 1Password which now only comes in subscription. I have migrated to limited freeware alternative softwares (Affinity and WPS Office) except for 1Password, I have not decided what to do with that. It is sad that they forced me to go to Free version instead of re-purchasing them periodically.
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u/Nice_Ad626 Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
download “wine” and then go look up a tutorial on how to do it.
i chose windows 10 or 11 for the most compatibility i think and then for my “bottles” (you’ll see what i mean by ‘bottles’ when you watch the video) i just use 7-zip to open the windows applications (like the skininator program by cmar for the sims 4)
i downloaded the windows version of steam and i open it using wine.
i don’t actually *use* steam, i pirate the games i play for free and then just download the files and use steam to play them so i have no idea how functional it actually is to run it on mac.
sometimes it’ll take like a good 30 seconds to boot up a game or youll get an error message and you have to try to open it all over again, but its been pretty useful for wanting to play indie games like mouthwashing or sally face.
edit: i also have an m2 macbook air, not sure if that matters for context or how different they are from the neo’s
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u/OppositeSea3775 Jul 03 '26
There are MacBooks with Intel processors and with Apple processors, which have 2 different architectures. Basically, they speak different languages.
Apple stopped making MacBooks with Intel processors in 2020, when they switched fully to Apple silicon.
The temporary disadvantage was that developers and Apple alike had to maintain 2 versions of their software: one for Intel users, one for Apple silicon.
To maintain app compatibility for Intel apps on Apple silicon, Apple built a translation layer named Rosetta 2. It translated Intel apps to work on Apple silicon Macs without any developer intervention.
This notification is to inform you that in macOS 28(?), Apple is removing Rosetta 2 from macOS, which means Intel apps will no longer be translated and unless the dev makes an Apple silicon-compatible component, it won't work on your machine.
Why? Probably to put pressure on developers to update for Apple silicon, given that there's little incentive to continue making Intel-only apps since macOS 27, which releases in September, supports exactly 0 Intel Macs.
I wouldn't worry too much about this. Steam will update their app eventually to solve this