A used interface is only a bargain if your computer will talk to it. The good news is that most USB interfaces from the last decade still work on current Macs and PCs, and several of the oldest ones need no driver at all on a Mac. The bad news is concentrated in a few places. FireWire is finished, USB Apollos are Windows only, and Thunderbolt on Windows takes care. Here's where each maker stands as of October 2026.
Where macOS and Windows are now
Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate on September 14, 2026. It runs only on Apple silicon Macs, so macOS Tahoe 26 is the last version for Intel Macs. When we checked, Focusrite and Universal Audio were both still testing Golden Gate and asked customers to wait, while MOTU's newest Gen 5 installer already listed it. If your Mac runs Golden Gate, check the maker's compatibility page for the exact model before you buy, and if it runs Tahoe or earlier, you're on the version most makers have signed off.
On Windows, Windows 11 is the target for current drivers. One newer wrinkle is Windows on Arm laptops. Focusrite supports every Scarlett generation on Arm with the right driver, while UA says all of its software and hardware are incompatible with Windows on Arm.
Class compliance does a lot of the work
A class-compliant interface uses the audio driver built into the operating system, so it keeps working even after the maker stops writing software for it. On a Mac, that covers the 2nd Gen Scarletts, MOTU's M-series and its AVB interfaces, and PreSonus's USB interfaces, which PreSonus says all work class compliant. Focusrite's 1st Gen Scarletts are class compliant as well. That's why Focusrite still lists the bigger 1st Gen models (6i6, 18i8 and 18i20) as working on macOS Tahoe, even though their Mix Control app no longer runs. On Windows you'll still want the maker's ASIO driver for low latency.
Focusrite
Focusrite's macOS page lists every Scarlett from the 1st Gen to the 4th Gen as compatible with macOS Tahoe 26 on both Intel and Apple silicon, and its Windows page lists them all for Windows 11. The 1st and 2nd Gen Solo and 2i2, like the Scarlett 2i2 1st Gen, have no control app at all, since every control is on the front panel. The 3rd Gen used Focusrite Control, and Focusrite has since added the 3rd Gen to Focusrite Control 2, the app the 4th Gen uses. Older notes about 1st Gen units needing Rosetta or losing Apple silicon support don't match what Focusrite publishes today. See the Focusrite range for every model we cover.
Universal Audio
The current UAD software supports macOS Big Sur 11 through Tahoe 26, plus Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11, and UA says all its macOS software runs natively on Apple silicon. There's one extra step on Apple silicon Macs. UA's instructions have you start the Mac in Recovery and set the security policy to Reduced Security, with kernel extensions from identified developers allowed, before installing.
The Thunderbolt 2 models, including the Apollo Twin MkII, are still supported on Tahoe through Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter. The USB Apollos are a different story. The Apollo Twin USB and Apollo Solo USB are Windows only, need a USB 3 port and cable, and UA prefers an Intel USB host controller or one that meets the Intel xHCI 1.1 spec. Don't buy one for a Mac.
MOTU
MOTU keeps its drivers current. The M-series installer supports macOS 12 through 26 and Windows 11, and the Gen 5 installer for the UltraLite-mk5 added macOS 27 in October 2026. The 828es and 1248 share a Pro Audio installer that supports macOS 12 through 26, with a Windows 10 and 11 installer and a firmware update dated July 2026. MOTU's older interfaces are patchier. Its Apple silicon installer covers a short list of legacy models such as the 828mk3 Hybrid and UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid, and MOTU says FireWire-only versions aren't supported.
PreSonus
PreSonus's Universal Control 4.7.1 added macOS Tahoe support in September 2025, and the supported list includes the AudioBox USB 96, Studio 24c, 26c, 68c, 1810c and the Studio 192. Universal Control 3.6 brought Windows 11 support for the same Studio and AudioBox interfaces back in 2021. The Studio 192 connects over USB 3, so plug it into a USB 3 port.
FireWire-era interfaces
This is the hard stop. Apple removed FireWire 400 and 800 support in macOS Tahoe, and UA lists FireWire Apollos and the Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter as incompatible with Tahoe. On Apple silicon, FireWire drivers can't load at all. PreSonus explains that its FireWire kernel extensions won't run on M-series Macs, and UA says its FireWire devices are incompatible with Apple silicon. Apple's Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter is also gone from its online store.
The makers' own end dates tell you what an old FireWire box needs. Focusrite ended Saffire FireWire development in October 2019 and recommends staying on macOS Catalina or Windows 10 version 1809. PreSonus ended FireWire support with Universal Control 4.0, keeps FireStudio units to Intel Macs up to Mojave, and doesn't support them on Windows 11. A FireWire interface only makes sense if you also keep an older computer to run it.
Thunderbolt on Windows
Thunderbolt interfaces are straightforward on a Mac and fussier on Windows. UA's Apollo Thunderbolt models need a PC with a real Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5 port, and UA's setup guide covers power management, BIOS settings and updated Thunderbolt drivers. AMD systems are untested, and Thunderbolt 2 Apollos won't work with a Thunderbolt 4 PC at all, even with an adapter. On a Thunderbolt 3 PC they need a qualified StarTech adapter. MOTU's own 828es manual warns that some PCs aren't yet qualified for its Thunderbolt interfaces, but its AVB boxes also have USB, so they work on any PC. See every Thunderbolt interface we cover.
Firmware
Firmware updates come through the maker's own software. MOTU publishes firmware updaters on each product's download page, Focusrite Control 2 updates the 4th Gen Scarletts, and PreSonus updates its Studio interfaces through Universal Control. A unit on old firmware isn't a problem in itself, but it's worth updating it before you judge a fault.
What to ask a seller
- What computer and OS did you use it on? Recent use on a current macOS or Windows 11 is a good sign.
- Which exact model and generation is it? A photo of the underside label settles it, including the serial prefix on a Scarlett.
- Is it USB, Thunderbolt or FireWire? A photo of the back panel shows the port.
- Has the firmware been updated? It's not a deal breaker, just a useful note.
- Is it still registered to your account? For Apollos and bundled software, ask them to release it.
Start your search on the browse page, or read our first interface guide if you're new to all this.
