Orka 3.5.0: Building a More Resilient Future for macOS Virtualization
September 23, 2025
Executive overview
- Orka 3.5.0 delivers day-one support for macOS 26 “Tahoe” so enterprises and iOS development teams can immediately validate apps on Apple’s newest OS.
- Enterprise teams gain stronger resiliency and networking with smarter node recovery, background VM processes, and bridged networking for on-prem environments that also prepare for VDI use cases.
- MacStadium introduces modern macOS VM image management with Harbor OCI registry and a pre-configured Packer iOS build template to streamline DevOps and iOS workflows.
- Orka 3.5.0 lays the foundation for future macOS virtualization, including full macOS 26 host support in Orka 3.6.0 and the expansion of enterprise VDI capabilities.
Introduction
For iOS app teams and enterprise CI/CD, the development pipeline is often the lifeline of the business. Any slowdown or disruption impacts developer productivity, time-to-market, and ultimately the customer experience. That’s why Orka 3.5.0 emphasizes stability, resiliency, and future readiness.
With this update, we’ve focused on new features that enable Orka customers to move faster, with less friction and more confidence. Orka 3.5.0 ensures workloads keep running when issues arise and introduces capabilities that make enterprise-scale macOS virtualization more flexible than ever. This new release streamlines operational efficiency, enabling teams to pivot when the next wave of macOS innovation arrives.
What’s new in Orka 3.5.0
Day-one guest support for the latest OS, including Tahoe
Has your team started building and testing on macOS Tahoe? Keeping up with Apple’s annual macOS releases is a non-negotiable for many teams and can be a challenge to stay up to date. With Orka 3.5.0, DevOps teams can validate apps against macOS 26 immediately, ensuring compatibility, reducing last-minute surprises, and keeping release schedules intact.
Introducing bridged networking on-prem
Networking complexity often slows down CI/CD. Orka now supports bridged networking for Orka on-prem environments, enabling direct VM connectivity from a virtual environment to a physical network environment.
Bridged networking allows Orka VMs to connect directly to a physical network as a native device, receiving their own IP address from the network’s Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. This simplifies workflows, accelerates builds, and creates a stronger foundation for upcoming VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) use cases.
Enhancing Support and Test Team Workflows
Orka Desktop provides a robust platform for support and test teams, focusing on consistency and reproducibility:
- Creation of standardized base images for test case validation
- Simplified sharing of VM images for bug reproduction and verification
- Rapid iteration and verification of fixes across various configurations
By using Orka Desktop's OCI-compliant image-sharing capabilities, teams can reduce environment setup time and allocate more resources to testing and problem-solving.
Harbor OCI storage for VM images

Packer iOS build template
New VM lifecycle metrics
Improved uptime and resiliency
Building toward the next stage of macOS virtualization
Orka 3.5.0 lays the groundwork for the next stage of macOS virtualization, including:
• Full host support for macOS 26 “Tahoe” in Orka 3.6.0, giving enterprises trust that their infrastructure will be ready for the newest Apple operating system as soon as it’s released.
• The expansion of VDI use cases, where bridged networking and resilient infrastructure unlock new possibilities for secure, scalable macOS virtual desktop environments.
By strengthening resiliency, enhancing workflows, and anticipating enterprise needs, Orka 3.5.0 ensures organizations can innovate faster and stay aligned with Apple’s rapid release cycles.
Get started with Orka 3.5.0 today
Orka 3.5.0 is available today for MacStadium customers.
👉 Read the full release notes to explore every update in detail
👉 Ready to modernize your macOS CI/CD pipelines? Contact a MacStadium expert to get started with Orka.
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