diff --git a/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml b/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
index be11c3748..4ac28d3a5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
@@ -526,8 +526,8 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         include:
           - os: macOS
-            target: 14    # EOL 2026-??
-            runner: macos-26    # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/macos-26-arm64-Readme.md
+            target: 14    # EOL 2026-09-14
+            runner: xcode-27    # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/xcode-27-arm64-Readme.md
 
             ccache_eviction_age: 7d
             cmake_generator: Ninja
@@ -542,11 +542,10 @@ jobs:
             vcpkg_deployment_target: 14
             vcpkg_scope: 'vcpkg/macos14-arm64-xcode26.6/'
             vcpkg_upload: 1    # only one leg per vcpkg_scope hands its archives over
-            xcode: "26.6"
 
           - os: macOS
-            target: 15
-            runner: macos-26    # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/macos-26-arm64-Readme.md
+            target: 15    # EOL 2027-??
+            runner: xcode-27    # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/xcode-27-arm64-Readme.md
 
             ccache_eviction_age: 7d
             cmake_generator: Ninja
@@ -560,11 +559,10 @@ jobs:
             use_ccache: 1
             vcpkg_deployment_target: 14
             vcpkg_scope: 'vcpkg/macos14-arm64-xcode26.6/'
-            xcode: "26.6"
 
           - os: macOS
-            target: 26
-            runner: macos-26    # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/macos-26-arm64-Readme.md
+            target: 27
+            runner: xcode-27    # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/xcode-27-arm64-Readme.md
 
             ccache_eviction_age: 7d
             cmake_generator: Ninja
@@ -575,7 +573,6 @@ jobs:
             use_ccache: 1
             vcpkg_deployment_target: 14
             vcpkg_scope: 'vcpkg/macos14-arm64-xcode26.6/'
-            xcode: "26.6"
 
           - os: Windows
             target: 10
@@ -636,7 +633,7 @@ jobs:
         id: restore_ccache
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v6
         with:
-          key: ccache-${{ matrix.runner }}_${{ matrix.override_target }}-Xcode${{ matrix.xcode }}
+          key: ccache-${{ matrix.os }}${{ matrix.override_target }}-${{ matrix.runner }}
           path: ${{ env.CCACHE_DIR }}
 
       - name: "[macOS] Install aqtinstall"
@@ -751,7 +748,6 @@ jobs:
           # configure.outputs.tag is set for ANY tag, so beta (Development) tags get the DSN
           # and the symbol upload below just like full releases.
           COCKATRICE_SENTRY_DSN: ${{ needs.configure.outputs.tag != null && secrets.SENTRY_DSN || '' }}
-          DEVELOPER_DIR: '/Applications/Xcode_${{ matrix.xcode }}.app/Contents/Developer'
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}    # needed for vcpkg dependency graph updates, see VCPKG_FEATURE_FLAGS
           MACOS_CERTIFICATE: ${{ secrets.PROD_MACOS_CERTIFICATE }}
           MACOS_CERTIFICATE_NAME: ${{ secrets.PROD_MACOS_CERTIFICATE_NAME }}
@@ -1112,7 +1108,6 @@ jobs:
             use_ccache: 1
             vcpkg_scope: 'vcpkg/macos13-x64-xcode26.3/'
             vcpkg_upload: 1    # only one leg per vcpkg_scope hands its archives over
-            xcode: "26.3"
 
     name: ${{ matrix.os }} ${{ matrix.target }}${{ matrix.soc == 'Intel' && ' Intel' || '' }}${{ matrix.type == 'Debug' && ' Debug' || '' }}
     needs: configure
@@ -1166,7 +1161,7 @@ jobs:
           # (PERSIST_CCACHE in build-linux and build-vcpkg), or a live entry is deleted.
           # The nightly legs keep none, so their leftover entries are reclaimed here
           # instead of waiting out the age rule.
-          LIVE_CCACHE_KEYS: 'ccache-Arch ccache-Servatrice_Debian12 ccache-Debian13 ccache-Fedora44 ccache-Ubuntu26.04 ccache-Ubuntu26.04sanitize ccache-macos-26_14-Xcode26.6 ccache-macos-26_15-Xcode26.6 ccache-macos-26_-Xcode26.6'
+          LIVE_CCACHE_KEYS: 'ccache-Arch ccache-Servatrice_Debian12 ccache-Debian13 ccache-Fedora44 ccache-Ubuntu26.04 ccache-Ubuntu26.04sanitize ccache-macOS14-xcode-27 ccache-macOS15-xcode-27 ccache-macOS-xcode-27'
         run: |
           gh api --paginate "repos/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY/actions/caches?per_page=100" \
             --jq '.actions_caches[] | [.id, .ref, .key, .last_accessed_at] | @tsv' >"$RUNNER_TEMP/caches.tsv"