See iPadOS 26 Multitasking in Action

[MacRumors]

iPadOS 26 is going to change the way that you use your iPad, and it turns working on the iPad into a much more Mac-like experience. Apple introduced a whole new multitasking system, which you can get a first look at in our video.

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Windows on the iPad now work like Windows on the Mac. You can have multiple app windows open at once, and arrange them in any way that's convenient for you. Split View and Slide Over are gone, but the new window options work with Stage Manager.

iPad apps have menu bars where you can access settings for each app, and there are also the iconic "traffic light" buttons that you can use for adjusting and resizing open windows. Apple added multiple convenient tiling options for showing two, three, or four apps on your display in an organized way. You can view all of your open apps with an Exposé interface.

The windowing system extends to connected displays, giving you even more space for viewing your iPad apps. Note that on some older iPads, you'll be limited to four app windows, but this is a feature that is compatible with every iPad that runs iPadOS 26. Newer iPads can have far more app windows open.

To further the Mac-like experience, folders are now customizable with colors and emoji, and in the Files app, there's a new list view that's like working with the Mac files app. Apple even added collapsible folders, so you don't need to tap into a folder on iPad to see what's inside in a tiled view.

Files can be set to open with a default app of your choosing, and you can store your folders in the Dock for quicker access. Finally, the iPad supports background tasks, so if you're doing a large file transfer, you'll see a Live Activity to keep an eye on progress while you do other things on your iPad.

Keep in mind that we're only on the first beta of iPadOS 26, and there's more testing and refining to go before launch. Right now, iPadOS 26 is only available for developers, but Apple is going to make a public beta available in July. iPadOS 26 will launch in September.

Article Link: See iPadOS 26 Multitasking in Action

 

[mattopotamus]

Technically split view is still there. If you grab the top bar of a windowed app and flick it left or right, it will "snap" to half the screen. Do the same for another app and they will appear like splitview with a slider between the two apps. It's easier with a trackpad than your finger.

 

[StoneJack]

one little step in right direction. Still not there

 

[Jay-Jacob]

Is anything like Slide Over still there? I use that all the time for quick notes and slide away after.

 

[armhol]

This is the iPad reinvented! I feel I'm going to use my iPad so much more now with iPadOS 26.

 

[HighwaySnowman]

It's annoying that you have to switch apps into window mode individually, they still default to full screen, you've got to drag the upper left corner to get them into a window.

I'd rather be able to tell it not to ever open anything full screen again.

In good news, the red dot appears to actually quit the app, not just leave it hanging there to have to force quit later. But why do I have to tap twice? The dots aren't that big, they could have just left them full size all the time.

 

[HouseLannister]

I know they want to be consistent, but having a red Close button when we have been told for years to stop closing our apps is ridiculous.

 

[BrentT]

This OS has made the iPad much more useful to me, and it’s closer to letting skip bringing a laptop for some things.

 

[snipr125]

For those that like to use an iPad + MKB as their main laptop, this is probably the biggest upgrade for sure and will keep getting better with updates.

 

[iPadified]

This feels more intuitive than Stage Manager.

 

[HighwaySnowman]

I know they want to be consistent, but having a red Close button when we have been told for years to stop closing our apps is ridiculous.

It's a big improvement. You shouldn't have listened, and closed your apps anyway.

 

[stiligFox]

I love so much that this came to iPads where even stage manager wasn’t a thing - my 6th gen iPad Mini(!) has full proper windowed multitasking now!

 

[TruthAboveAllElse]

For those that like to use an iPad + MKB as their main laptop, this is probably the biggest upgrade for sure and will keep getting better with updates.

I'm very happy to see it. For sure will be putting the public beta on my iPad, as it is the only large format mobile device I own. Right now I pretty much only use my iMac and iPhone.

 

[jz0309]

I might get the public beta when it comes out, stage manager is ok but this looks way better

 

[pdaholic]

Is anything like Slide Over still there? I use that all the time for quick notes and slide away after.

Sadly, no. My workaround has been to make the windows so that the dock is always open, and have my two most used apps in side-by-side. Less used apps like notes are the same windows as slide over, about a third the screen, and on the right. Tapping the app in the dock brings it up over the side-by-side window, and tapping the app IT OS covering hides it again. Definitely not the same and requires more work to set them up, but that’s where we are.

 

[mattopotamus]

It's annoying that you have to switch apps into window mode individually, they still default to full screen, you've got to drag the upper left corner to get them into a window.

I'd rather be able to tell it not to ever open anything full screen again.

In good news, the red dot appears to actually quit the app, not just leave it hanging there to have to force quit later. But why do I have to tap twice? The dots aren't that big, they could have just left them full size all the time.

There is a slider in the bottom right that you can adjust the size. My apps remember the last size I set them at and are not launching full screen. Maybe you are powering off your device and then the memory gets erased?

 

[jonnysods]

Wow even on my 11" M4 iPad this is going to come in handy, very pleased about this one.

 

[ChrisA]

I know they want to be consistent, but having a red Close button when we have been told for years to stop closing our apps is ridiculous.

You have been "told for years" by people who don't understand how the Mac/UNIX virtual memory system works.

 

[teknikal90]

does this work on the A16 iPad?

 

[mystery hill]

does this work on the A16 iPad?

Yes. It also works on the mini.

 

[teknikal90]

Yes. It also works on the mini.

Wow. So stage manager being limited to M series iPads was a totally marketing thing, again. They even promised it was a technical thing.

 

[thecombatwombat]

It both looks really slick like something I really want to try, but also like a disorganized mess.

I mean, they need to redesign the UX fundamentally, and they have. But they also kept every old pattern, as a feature you can enable.

It's the iPad ME, and gross.

But it also makes me want to try an M4 iPad with a Magic Keyboard.

 

[banfiz]

Question
Does the updated Files App finally have an Eject option for attached storage devices?

 

[eatrains]

Wow. So stage manager being limited to M series iPads was a totally marketing thing, again. They even promised it was a technical thing.

They mentioned fixing/optimizing technical things to make it perform on more devices. And the minimum supported processor went from A10 to A12.

 

[svish]

Nice video. Love all the changes to iPadOS this year. Will try out all the new features. Might install the public beta next month.