iPadOS 26 makes Apple’s tablets more like Macs

iPadOS 26 is coming to supercharge your tablet’s productivity. At WWDC 2025, Apple previewed what may be the iPad’s biggest software update yet. You can finally resize app windows dynamically. Meanwhile, the menu bar brings drop-downs for more organized controls. It’s all wrapped in Apple’s new Liquid Glass redesign. All in all, iPad users craving a more Mac-like experience have plenty to chew on here.

The rumors about a Mac-like multitasking overhaul came to fruition. The new windowing system lets you “seamlessly close, minimize, resize, or tile [your] windows.” The resizing options aren’t limited like in the previous version of Stage Manager. You can resize them by dragging a handle on the lower right. Or, flick to tile all your windows toward the screen edges. Long-pressing reveals more tiling options. And when you reopen the app, your windows will return to their last position.

Exposé also makes its way over from Apple’s desktop. It shows your open windows in a tiled array, making it easier to jump between them.

The menu bar, a Mac mainstay from the get-go, arrives on the iPad. When using touch controls, you can use it by swiping down. Or, click with your cursor when using a trackpad or mouse. As on the Mac, the active app includes familiar menu entries like File, Edit, View, Window, Format, Arrange and Help.

The Files app gets an update to keep pace with the iPad’s new productivity chops. The app has an updated List view that displays more information about your documents. It includes resizable columns and collapsible folders. You can also choose default apps for specific file types. (For example, edit photos with Photoshop, Darkroom, or Pixelmator.) You can even drag folders to the dock, like on macOS.

The Preview app also arrives in iPadOS 26, allowing you to view and edit PDFs. Using Apple Pencil Markup or touch, you can mark up documents. It also has AutoFill, allowing users fill out PDF forms without using third-party software.

The big productivity overhaul follows years of subtler nudges in that direction. When it arrived 15 years ago, the iPad worked with physical keyboards, but only for typing. Trackpad support didn’t come until 10 years later. Later, iPadOS 15 added a context menu for window management. And the first Stage Manager brought a more mature multitasking environment. But each of those moves was only incremental. Power users begging Apple something more “Pro” were left wanting. The new iPadOS 19 features look like a giant leap by comparison.

The productivity updates won’t be limited to iPad Pro and Air. The entry-level model and iPad mini get them, too.

iPadOS 26 is wrapped in Liquid Glass redesign coming to all of Apple’s new software at WWDC 2025. You’ll see translucent effects and rounder icons to match device corners. It’s all inspired by the software for Apple’s mixed reality headset.

Of course, the software’s naming scheme is also new. Apple unified its upcoming software by giving them all the “26” number. Before, the version ticked up once each year. But since the company’s platforms were on different numbers, it could confuse some. So, from now on, all Apple software will carry the name of the upcoming year. (Although the update arrives this fall, it will be the de facto software for the bulk of 2026.) Pour one out for the “iPadOS 19” that will never be.

There are also plenty of smaller updates. iPadOS 26 also includes Apple’s new dedicated Games app. The Phone app arrives, letting you make and receive calls from your tablet.

Expect the first iPadOS 26 developer beta to arrive soon after the keynote ends. Public betas will follow in July. The software’s final version will land this fall, likely in or around September.

Developing…

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