iPhone 17 Pro Max Running iPadOS 26 is the Latest Experiment of a Brave Enthusiast
AppleMonday, 01 December 2025 at 03:56
Anyone could assume that Apple devices live in a sacred bubble where nothing unusual ever happens. Jailbreaks are not as popular as they used to be, and Apple keeps closing every tiny door that once allowed deep system tweaks. Even so, a few enthusiasts are still out there trying things that probably make Apple’s engineers sigh out loud. The latest experiment is interesting. Someone managed to run iPadOS 26 on an iPhone 17 Pro Max.
iPhone 17 Pro Max Runs iPadOS 26 Surprisingly Well
The discovery comes from Reddit user TechExpert2910, who shared a photo showing iPadOS 26 with its new floating windows running on the phone. Apps appear in real, resizable windows, and the familiar macOS-style menu bar sits at the top as if it belongs on a phone. X user Duy Tran also posted a video demo. Surprisingly, it all runs far smoother than you would expect on such a small screen.
The aspect ratio of the iPhone is still not ideal for a tablet interface, but the setup gets more interesting when an external monitor enters the scene. With the phone connected to a display, the whole thing behaves like a tiny desktop computer without the need for a Mac or a PC. It is not something anyone should try on their main device, but on an older iPhone collecting dust, it might actually be a fun side project.
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There is A Small Catch
There is a catch, though. Tran says the installation needed an exploit that Apple already patched in iOS and iPadOS 26.2. So this is not exactly a weekend experiment the general public can repeat.
Even so, the footage shows one clear thing. The windowed multitasking features inside iPadOS already run well on current iPhone hardware. We don't know if Apple will ever officially activate something similar for standard iPhones, but it could be interesting. For now, this little stunt gives the closest look yet at how Apple might eventually blend the iOS and iPadOS experiences once its long-rumored foldable device becomes real.
Quick Summary:
- iPadOS 26 was successfully booted on an iPhone 17 Pro Max by a modder
- Floating app windows and the macOS-style menu bar work smoothly on the phone
- Demo shared by Reddit user TechExpert2910 and video posted by Duy Tran
- External monitor support turns the setup into a desktop-like experience
- Not practical for a main device, but it can be a fun project on an old iPhone
- Installation required an exploit Apple already fixed in iOS/iPadOS 26.2
- Current iPhone hardware handles iPadOS multitasking features surprisingly well
- Raises questions about future iPhone windowed multitasking and Apple’s foldable plans
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