When Apple announces a new version of iPadOS, expectations tend to split in two. On one hand, there are power users hoping for more Mac-like control. On the other, casual users—people who sketch, stream, browse—want polish. This year, Apple seems to have tried to satisfy both. The result? iPadOS 26 is a little bit of everything.
Unveiled at WWDC 2025, iPadOS 26 (along with iOS 26) doesn’t try to shock you. It doesn’t scream “radical shift.” But dig in, and there’s something deeper here. Especially with its new visual identity—something Apple is calling Liquid Glass—and a more capable multitasking setup that, finally, begins to resemble the kind of fluid desktop experience iPad users have asked for since… well, forever.
Liquid Glass Isn’t Just a Skin
Apple’s OS design language has always walked a fine line between function and flair. Sometimes it leans too far into abstraction (remember skeuomorphism?), but iPadOS 26 feels balanced. The new Liquid Glass interface brings a transparent, layered look that’s reminiscent of visionOS—the software that powers Apple’s spatial computing platform.
You’ll notice it immediately: translucent toolbars, menus that shimmer subtly as your hand moves, and UI elements that catch light like they have depth. It sounds gimmicky, perhaps. And sure, in screenshots it might look like a fancy skin. But in use, it’s surprisingly dynamic. The system reacts to motion, shifting shadows and highlights depending on how you interact. It’s not essential, strictly speaking, but it feels alive.
It’s also consistent. The design flows across apps and menus without clashing. That’s something iPadOS has struggled with in the past. Now, the experience feels… whole.
Windowing Grows Up
Here’s where things get more exciting for those chasing a Mac-like feel: Stage Manager 2 is here.
The new multitasking model builds on last year’s foundation, but this time it’s more flexible. You can resize windows freely, place them wherever you like, and group them into “stages” that can be recalled later. There’s a new menu bar that appears when the iPad is connected to a keyboard, echoing macOS. The windowing behavior also remembers your app layout—so, say you resized Safari and tucked it into the right corner? It’ll reopen just like that next time.
On an M4 iPad Pro, this finally feels natural. Almost overdue.
Some quirks remain. Not every app plays nice with Stage Manager, and managing multiple layers of windows on a smaller screen can still get awkward. But paired with an external display? It clicks.
Files, Finally Taken Seriously
Apple’s Files app has long been the sore thumb of iPadOS—powerful in theory, but clunky in practice. In version 26, it’s finally growing up.
There’s now a List View that shows expanded metadata—file size, modification date, and so on—with resizable columns. It’s a small thing, but it adds serious utility for users juggling big projects or media folders.
Another win: folder customization. You can now assign colors, icons, and even emojis to folders, and yes, those changes sync across your Apple ecosystem. You can also drag folders straight into the Dock for quicker access, a move that feels long overdue.
Oh, and one more niche-but-huge addition: You can now set default apps for file types. That’s right—no more forcing PDFs through Preview if you’d rather open them in Notability or a third-party app. It’s a quiet nod to user control.
Preview Comes to iPad
Speaking of Preview—yes, it’s officially on iPad now.
macOS users will know Preview as the lightweight but surprisingly powerful viewer/editor for PDFs and images. On iPad, it gains extra power thanks to the Apple Pencil. You can now annotate, sign, sketch, and fill out PDFs with ease. AutoFill is supported too, so forms no longer feel like a hassle.
It’s not a headline feature, but it could become a quietly essential one.
Apple Intelligence (with a Little Help from ChatGPT)
iPadOS 26 doesn’t shy away from generative AI—but it doesn’t lean into it aggressively either. Apple’s approach feels… measured.
The system now offers Genmoji, which lets you create custom emoji based on prompts, and new creative tools within Image Playground, now subtly infused with ChatGPT’s capabilities. You can generate stylized images, play with filters, or let Shortcuts suggest routines based on your behavior.
Apple is clearly threading a needle here: giving users access to generative tools without overwhelming them. And by keeping most AI processing on-device—or close to it—it stays (mostly) in line with its privacy pitch.
Better Audio Control and Recording
Audio gets a nice boost too. For creators or those who record often, the new background task handling with Live Activities is helpful—you can now monitor long-running processes (like exports or uploads) from anywhere.
There’s finer control over input sources per app or website, plus voice isolation that filters out ambient noise. When paired with AirPods Pro 2, recordings sound impressively clean. And if you’re using video conferencing apps like Zoom or Webex, local capture ensures you get a high-quality feed, not just what’s streamed out.
New Apps, and Familiar Ones Made Better
A few newcomers make their way to iPadOS this year.
The long-awaited Journal app arrives, and yes, it works well with Apple Pencil. You can maintain multiple journals—say, one for work, one personal—and entries are tagged with time, date, and location. There’s a map view that’s surprisingly fun, almost like retracing your steps through memory.
There’s also a new Games app—Apple’s attempt to centralize its gaming offerings. It combines Apple Arcade, App Store titles, and your personal library into one hub. There’s a tab for multiplayer games called Play Together, plus editorial picks and reviews. For casual players, this is useful. For serious gamers? Maybe less so. But it’s a start.
Messages also gets smarter. Automatic translation is built in, and you can now create polls within group chats. Plus, you can customize chat backgrounds—nice, but not game-changing. The Phone app (yes, the actual Phone app) is now on iPad, complete with Call Screening and Hold Assist.
More to Explore: Notes, Calculator, Accessibility
Smaller updates worth noting:
- Notes can now import/export Markdown files.
- The Calculator app (finally!) includes 3D graphing via Math Notes.
- A new Accessibility Reader brings reading mode to the system level.
- The tool palette adds a reed pen, which calligraphy fans will appreciate.
None of these features will dominate headlines, but they collectively make iPadOS 26 feel thoughtful. Iterative? Yes. But meaningful.
Supported Devices and Release
iPadOS 26 will roll out this fall to a wide range of models:
- iPad Pro (M4 and 3rd gen+)
- iPad Air (M2 and 3rd gen+)
- iPad (A16 and 8th gen+)
- iPad mini (A17 Pro and 5th gen+)
It’s in developer beta now, with public beta coming soon. As always, if you rely on your iPad daily, maybe wait for the stable build.
