GitHub adds Apple silicon runners to Actions beta
GitHub has opened a public beta for its new Apple silicon–based M1 macOS larger runner for GitHub Actions. The runner gives Apple developers access to the M1 chipset, including GPU-accelerated workloads that are offloaded from the CPU by default.
The M1 runner ships with a 6-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 14 GB of RAM, and 14 GB of storage. GitHub reports build times can drop by up to 80% compared with the existing 3-core Intel standard runner, and by up to 43% versus the 12-core Intel runner.
GitHub’s own iOS builds see major gains
The GitHub mobile iOS team has already put the M1 runner to work, using it for 10,000+ minutes per week to ship updates of the GitHub iOS app to the App Store.
Moving from the 12-core Intel runner to the M1 runner cut build times by 44%, from 42 minutes to 23 minutes. Code compilation improved by 51% and UI tests improved by 55% across the full mobile test suite, while single-target binary testing time stayed constant.
The migration itself was straightforward — only the YAML workflow label needed updating. However, because M1 Macs and Intel Macs render UI differently, the team had to re-record images for snapshot tests, which compare UI images pixel-by-pixel against reference recordings.
The team also notes that the runner’s access to the VM’s GPU and faster build times can help accelerate the App Store review process, since more frequent app submissions become practical.
How to get started
To use the new runner, set the runs-on: key in your GitHub Actions workflow YAML to either macos-latest-xlarge or macos-13-xlarge. No sign-up is required for the beta, and it is available immediately to all developers, teams, and enterprises.
Existing 12-core macOS larger runner users should note that the label is moving from xlarge to large. The runner is still available by using macos-latest-large, macos-12-large, or macos-13-large.
New pricing for macOS larger runners
Alongside the launch, GitHub is lowering prices for macOS larger runners. The new rates are $0.16/minute for XL runners and $0.12/minute for large runners. Details on per-minute billing are in the GitHub Actions billing docs, and the “About larger runners” documentation covers how macOS runners differ from their Linux and Windows counterparts.
Roadmap
General availability of macOS larger runners is being tracked in this roadmap item. macOS 14 support is also expected this year, with progress tracked in a separate roadmap issue. Further GitHub Actions announcements will appear on the GitHub blog.
