If you’re still using a first-gen iPod or, like me, clinging to an old FireWire external drive, this news may hit home: the initial developer beta of macOS 26 Tahoe seems to have dropped support for FireWire 400 and 800 standards.
Users on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) have reported that after upgrading to macOS Tahoe 26 developer beta 1, FireWire 400 and 800 devices are no longer recognized. This affects anything from vintage iPods to MiniDV camcorders and even that reliable LaCie drive you’ve depended on for backups since the days of Steve Jobs.
“macOS 26 Tahoe dev. beta 1 is no longer compatible with the iPod 1st generation due to the removal of FireWire support,” stated @NekoMichiUBC on X.
On Reddit, user mowd8574 confirmed that their FireWire 800 external drive vanished after the update. “I went to System Info, and it should show FireWire, but it’s gone,” they remarked. Others also reported that FireWire 400 accessories and DV capture functions are now non-functional.
It’s important to remember that we are still in the early beta stages. As we’ve seen in similar cases before, FireWire support could potentially be reinstated in a future update before the final release later this fall. We’ve contacted Apple for further information and will update this article if we receive a response.
Do you still rely on FireWire? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
