MacPaw’s Mac Admins Survey 2026

We surveyed nearly 400 IT leaders across the US. Discover the data behind device lifecycles, the real adoption rates of AI, and why software compatibility has become the #1 time-sink for admins.

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Based on data collected in October 2025 from 400 verified Mac Administrators

Plan Your 2026 Strategy with Industry Insights

In this second edition of MacPaw's Mac Admins Survey, we uncover what companies prioritize, the biggest struggles emerging for IT teams, and current AI adoption trends.

From Heads of IT to Systems Administrators, we asked your peers about their daily friction points, their security postures, and where they are actually spending their budget.

Are Macs Actually Lasting Longer?

Almost half of admins report Macs now last 3–5 years. However, hardware failure isn't the main reason for upgrades anymore. Find out what contributes to 81% of replacements.

Complex Issues Are Getting Harder to Solve

A growing number (37%) report that public resources are no longer sufficient for advanced troubleshooting. See where your peers are turning for help when Google fails.

The State of AI in IT Workflows

We found that 27% of admins have already implemented AI across most major administrative workflows and 20% more see AI integral to their operations. See how they rank the importance of "Security" vs. "Cost-efficiency" when choosing these tools.

Software Compatibility Races to the Top

The new #1 time-sink for IT teams. While hardware failures have dropped by 12%, software compatibility issues spiked by 14% this year. It is now the most time-consuming challenge to solve for 36% of all Mac admins.

Read the Full 2026 Report

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