The iPad is getting a big refresh this year: Apple just announced the new version of iPadOS, its tablet operating system, at WWDC. (Apple dropped its press releases before they were technically announced in the virtual event.) The flagship feature is a new windowing system for multitasking across apps, but there’s also a new Files app, more Apple Intelligence features, and a Mac-like Preview app for looking at and editing PDFs.
As usual, the new iPadOS has a lot in common with the new iOS, including the new Vision Pro-inspired visual language called “Liquid Glass.” The updated name also follows Apple’s overall scheme, switching from version numbers to years. The iPad tends to differ in its approach to multitasking, how you move between apps, and around the operating system. With iPadOS 26, that difference is more stark than ever: Apple says it will let you “fluidly resize app windows” and place windows anywhere you want on the screen. The windowing system can be used inside of Stage Manager, too, and works across displays. Stage Manager has not always been the most intuitive of iPad software, but this looks like a solid next step toward proper multitasking.
The iPad has always straddled the Mac and iPhone, and there are arguments that it should be more like one or the other rather than squarely in the middle. The rumors ahead of this year’s WWDC seemed to suggest a more Mac-centric take, and that is clearly the case. The iPad now has a menu bar that you can access by swiping down from the top of the display, which will show various controls for the app you’re looking at.
There’s also a new Preview app, which Apple says is both for viewing and for marking up PDFs (it supports the Apple Pencil, of course), and you can see a more Mac-style list view in the Files app as well. Developers can even make their apps run more powerfully in the background, and they’ll show up in Live Activities to let you know what’s going on.
In addition to all the power-user stuff, the iPad is now getting the Journal app that was previously only for the iPhone, and access to the Apple Games hub for all of Apple’s gaming products. The iPad also has a specific new Game Overlay feature that lets you update settings and chat with friends without switching apps.
The new OS is available for developers starting today. A public beta is coming next month, Apple says, and the update will come officially this fall. Here’s the list of supported devices, per Apple’s release:
- iPad Pro (M4)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
- iPad Air (M2 and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
- iPad (A16), iPad (8th generation and later)
- iPad mini (A17 Pro), iPad mini (5th generation and later).
