MoltenVK 1.3 Released: Full Vulkan 1.3 Support for Apple Devices

 

MoltenVK 1.3 now supports Vulkan 1.3 on Apple devices, including macOS, iOS, and VisionOS. Discover new extensions, performance upgrades, and why developers should adopt this Metal-compatible translation layer. Download now!

The stable release of MoltenVK 1.3 is now available, delivering full Vulkan 1.3 API compatibility for Apple’s macOS, iOS, tvOS, and VisionOS platforms. 

Built atop Apple’s Metal graphics framework, this update enables seamless cross-platform Vulkan support while optimizing performance for Apple’s hardware.

What’s New in MoltenVK 1.3?

MoltenVK 1.3 introduces critical enhancements, including:

✔ Full Vulkan 1.3 compliance – Ensuring compatibility with the latest Vulkan features

✔ Extended extension support – Including:

• VK_KHR_index_type_uint8

• VK_KHR_load_store_op_none

• VK_KHR_maintenance4/6/7

• VK_KHR_shader_terminate_invocation

• VK_EXT_depth_clip_control

• VK_EXT_pipeline_robustness (and more)

• ✔ Bug fixes & performance optimizations – Enhancing stability across Apple devices

Why Does MoltenVK Matter for Developers?

MoltenVK serves as a translation layer, allowing Vulkan-based apps and games to run on Apple’s Metal API. This means:

• Cross-platform compatibility without rewriting code

• Optimized performance for M1/M2 Macs, iPhones, and iPads

• Future-proofing for next-gen Vulkan features

Performance & Compatibility Insights

Unlike the initial candidate build, MoltenVK 1.3 required minimal processing overhead, ensuring a smooth transition to stable release. Key improvements include:

• Better shader support (VK_KHR_shader_subgroup_rotate)

• Memory model enhancements (VK_KHR_vulkan_memory_model)

• Tooling & debugging upgrades (VK_EXT_tooling_info)

Who Should Upgrade?

• Game developers targeting Apple platforms

• 3D rendering & CAD software engineers

• AR/VR developers leveraging VisionOS

Download & Further Details

Get the latest MoltenVK 1.3 release on GitHub.