macOS Tahoe (version 26) comes with an all new design language called Liquid Glass, one of the most significant visual updates to macOS in years.
Users updating their Mac can rest assured that Kaleidoscope has been updated to embrace the new design and tested extensively during the beta phase. Those not immediately updating shouldn’t notice drastic changes in Kaleidoscope 6.3 and later.
App Icons
The app icon is the first thing you see and interact with when installing or starting an app. For Kaleidoscope 6.3, we both simplified and enhanced the icon to make use of the new capabilities offered my macOS Tahoe. The refreshed icons adapt seamlessly across all of Tahoe’s new visual variants, so Kaleidoscope feels at home no matter which theme you use. Big thanks to Alexander Käßner for his great work!
New Look
One of the most noticeable changes in macOS Tahoe is the redesigned sidebar. In earlier versions, sidebars blended into the background, making them feel less distinct. With Tahoe, sidebars now “float” above the window, allowing subtle wallpaper colors and visual depth to show through.
Kaleidoscope 6.3 adopts this style across the app. In both the Welcome window and the changeset window, the new sidebar design not only feels more modern but also gives you clearer separation between navigation and content—helping you focus on the task at hand.
As can be seen both in the previous and the following example, window toolbars have also changed considerably. They also float above the window, letting content scroll below them when applicable.
When looking more closely, you’ll spot a lot more changes, like the increased height of the bottom toolbar, giving controls more breathing room and making them easier to use.
Menu Icons
Icons in menu items are a big change in macOS. Previous versions of the Apple Human Interface Guidelines discouraged the use of icons in macOS menus, something we have been consciously ignoring for some context menus in Kaleidoscope, where we felt that icons helped to quicker understand the meaning of a menu command.
With macOS Tahoe, Apple has reversed their previous guidance, advising developers to use icons in menus, in the same way they had previously been embraced by iOS/iPadOS and visionOS. We are very happy about that change and went to great lengths (many thanks to our friend and great designer Peter Schlossnikel) to have a full set of meaningful icons ready of Kaleidoscope 6.3. This helps distinguish menu items more quickly.
What’s Next
When using Kaleidoscope 6.3 (and later) on macOS Tahoe, you’ll notice many more changes, and we hope you’ll enjoy them as much as we do. If something is bugging you, don’t hesitate to let us know. We’d also love to hear what you do like, or what other changes you’d love to see! If you have feedback or feature ideas, we’d love to hear from you—get in touch. We’re already working on bigger feature updates to come with Kaleidoscope 6.4 and later!
