iPadOS 26 Expands Stage Manager to These iPad Models

[scottishwildcat]

I don't get the point of having two independent windowing systems like this.

They're not really independent any more. With the iOS 26 changes, enabling or disabling Stage Manager is basically the same as turning Spaces on or off on your Mac. You can have a bunch of resizable windows on a single stage/space, or spread them across multiple stages/spaces as you see fit. Either way, the windows themselves now behave exactly the same.

 

[t0rqx]

Makes you wonder why they didn’t just make Stage Manager available for every iPad when it first released

Force upgrades. By the time they grant access to those devices, they will be obsolete the following year. So the upgrade is inevitable.

 

[Radeon85]

It’s working pretty well on my A17 Mini, I’m just glad Apple isn’t artificially crippling non pro devices this time.

 

[Dr McKay]

Makes you wonder why they didn’t just make Stage Manager available for every iPad when it first released

 

[roncron]

They said non M series iPads couldn’t run stage manager and now they can.

What about external monitor support (not just mirroring). Base iPads and iPad Minis would get a lot more useful with external monitor support.

Of course, then some folks wouldn’t buy more expensive iPads. So maybe it’s not a technical limitation?

 

[Hajj.david]

Mirroring only. Need iPad Pro for monitor spanning.

BTW, on the iPad Pro, monitor spanning is really crashy. Basically unusable with the dev 1 beta IMO.

View attachment 2522210

Before it crashes though, it does look pretty. Here is the M4 iPP with 2010 27" iMac in Target Display Mode. Audio from Netflix even will play out the iMac's speakers.

In fairness, even on iPadOS 18 it was super crashy

 

[baryon]

Wish they kept slide over as an option. It’s all I need and I use it a lot. Don’t need windowing or menu bar.

I think being able to resize and minimize windows, then bring them back from the dock will sort of have the same effect.

 

[loonier]

EugW said:
I don't get the point of having two independent windowing systems like this.

Apple specifically stated the reason Stage Manager is available across iPadOS 26 is because the multitasking system was completely re-written in iPadOS 26.

This is a summary of each mode.
Full Screen Apps

• All apps are full screen only.
• Multiple apps can be open but each app occupies a separate screen.
• Swipe across the bottom of the screen or 4-finger swipe to switch apps/screens.

Windowed Apps

• Multiple apps on one screen.
• Apps can be freely arranged manually or using various gestures.

Stage Manager

• Multiple apps on multiple screens (or Stages).
• Individual screens (Stages) and can contain full screen apps or windowed apps in any arrangement.
• Apps can be freely arranged manually or using various gestures.
• Swipe across the bottom of the screen or 4-finger swipe to switch screens (or Stages).
• Swipe in from the left to view the Stages.

Exposé (swipe up and hold) is available in all modes.

Stage manager combines the functions of Full Screen Apps and Windowed Apps mode.

 

[supergt]

I have been able to run windowed apps on my jailbroken iPad 7th gen for years. It was typical Apple BS that they limited stage manager functionality to just a few models.

 

[AppleTO]

It’s also worth mentioning that (at least on M1 and newer) Stage Manager no longer has a four app limit per stage, as each stage follows the same rules as the new windowing mode. That said, older devices may allow less apps open at one. I haven’t been able to test this yet.

 

[RLRabb]

I don't get the point of having two independent windowing systems like this.

Is it really two independent windowing systems? It really seems to be the same system, with users who want to create more than one work space/stage/space having to toggle on Stage Manager in order to do so, with the stages tray on the left then appearing in order to facilitate moving between the stages. But the windowing features are otherwise the same between the two settings.
Edit: Nevermind. This was already pointed out.

 

[adib]

Makes you wonder why they didn’t just make Stage Manager available for every iPad when it first released

Because the engineers needed more time to optimize it for older devices?

 

[adib]

Stage manager is dead. I don’t know why someone would willingly use it once iPadOS 26 is released.

I use it regularly on the Mac when in single-screen mode.

 

[Astuces iOS]

You know, "nuggets" being able to sort of make something work doesn't mean that it met the quality bar that Apple sets. More importantly, using hacking tools like nuggets results in the system software on your device being in an unpredictable, untested configuration, and who knows how many vulnerabilities are introduced as well...

I know that nuggets is not the best idea BUT we tested stage manager on incompatible iPads and it worked well at 100%… logically Apple can make it available to every iPad lol…