Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 13, 2026

BridgeOS

bridgeOS is an embedded operating system created and developed by Apple for use exclusively with its hardware. bridgeOS runs on the T series Apple silicon processors and operates devices such as the OLED touchscreen strip called the "Touch Bar", Touch ID fingerprint sensor, SSD encryption, and cooling fans.

Last revised
Jul 13, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
271 w
Citations
8
Source
Wikipedia ↗
bridgeOS
A MacBook Pro Touch Bar powered by bridgeOS
DeveloperApple
Written in
OS family
Unix-like, iOS
Working stateCurrent
Source modelClosed, with open-source components
Initial releaseOctober 27, 2016 (2016-10-27)
Update methodFOTA (via Mac running macOS)
Supported platforms
LicenseProprietary software except for open-source components
Support status
Supported

bridgeOS is an embedded operating system created and developed by Apple for use exclusively with its hardware. bridgeOS runs on the T series Apple silicon processors1234 and operates devices such as the OLED touchscreen strip called the "Touch Bar",5 Touch ID fingerprint sensor, SSD encryption, and cooling fans.6

At boot time, the bootloader executes the bridgeOS kernel, then the bridgeOS kernel passes off to the UEFI firmware.7

bridgeOS is based on Apple's watchOS.8

References

References

  1. "10.15.4 Supplemental Update Bricking Small Number of T2 Macs". Mr. Macintosh. April 17, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  2. Davidov, Misha; Erickson, Jeremy (2019). "Inside The Apple T2" (PDF). blackhat.com.
  3. Misha Davidov (November 20, 2018). "Secure Boot in the Era of the T2". duo.com.
  4. Lianying Zhao; He Shuang; Shengjie Xu; Wei Huang; Rongzhen Cui; Pushkar Bettadpur; David Lie (2024). "A Survey of Hardware Improvements to Secure Program Execution" (PDF). ACM Computing Surveys. 56 (12): 1–37. doi:10.1145/3672392.
  5. Snell, Jason; Macworld | (July 8, 2020). "The switch to Apple silicon: Will the Touch Bar survive?". Macworld. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  6. "TinkerTool System 7, Reference Manual" (PDF). Marcel Bresink Software-Systeme (MBS). August 22, 2023.
  7. Frazelle, Jessie (February 4, 2020). "Securing the Boot Process: The hardware root of trust". ACM Queue. 17 (6): –60:5–Pages 60:21. doi:10.1145/3380774.3382016. ISSN 1542-7730. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  8. Pepijn Bruienne (May 2, 2018). "Apple iMac Pro and Secure Storage". duo.com.