macOS 27.3 Brings Live Activities to Macs Without Dynamic Island

Apple has released the first developer beta of macOS 27.3, bringing important updates to the Mac operating system. The new update ensures that Macs without the Dynamic Island hardware will still be able to use Live Activities. The official release is expected in December.

• macOS 27.3 enables Live Activities in the macOS menu bar.
• The feature supports built-in apps like Apple Music, Clock, and Voice Memos.
• Third-party Mac developers can now implement Live Activities support as well.
• Previous versions only supported mirrored Live Activities from an iPhone.

Menu Bar Integration for Apple Silicon Macs

While the new MacBook Pro models featuring touch-enabled OLED displays come with the Dynamic Island and built-in Live Activities support, other Apple silicon Macs will also benefit from the feature. The macOS 27.3 update brings Live Activities directly to the Mac menu bar for select built-in applications.

In the developer beta released this week, features like screen recording, timers, and media playback show up clearly in the menu bar. Apple notes that users can quickly view timely updates, accept an AirDrop request, or pause a song with a simple tap.

Third-Party App Support and Background

In addition to Apple's native utilities, third-party Mac app developers are now able to implement Live Activities support in their software. This opens up new possibilities for desktop applications to deliver glanceable, real-time updates directly to the user.

Prior to this update, macOS 26 and later versions only supported Live Activities mirrored from a connected iPhone. The new macOS 27.3 update transitions this functionality into a native desktop experience for Apple silicon users.