iPadOS 26
All about iPadOS 26
Table of Contents
iPadOS 26 introduces many features that pro users have been begging for since Apple first revealed an iPad Pro. Most of what was revealed for iOS 26 is coming to iPadOS 26 too, which includes the new Liquid Glass design inspired by visionOS.
After Apple split the operating systems for iPhone and iPad into two, iPadOS has seen significant updates on an every-other-year cycle. There have been at least three revisions to the multitasking system, and the latest completely replaces the original Split View and Slide Over.
Some have called for Apple to replace iPadOS with macOS, or at the least, give users the ability to boot into macOS when docked. Apple repeatedly shared that it had no intention of merging or replacing either operating system, and the latest upgrades further that point.
When Apple called iPad the future of computing, it created a schism among Apple fans over whether or not the platform was worthy of the title "computer alternative." Many see it as a toy meant for games and consumption, but with each major update, Apple has pushed iPad further into being a productivity powerhouse.
iPadOS 26 design
WWDC 2025 revealed a radical overhaul of every operating system design using a new material called Liquid Glass. It had the biggest effect on iOS 26 design, but iPadOS was a close second.
Users can open many windows depending on the available RAM in their iPadEverything in iPadOS 26 has a glossy, transparent look with more animations. The Liquid Glass material replaces nearly every menu, button, tab bar, and modal.
Apple especially leaned into the new design with the windowing system upgrade. The menu bar is transparent and disappears automatically, and parts of the windowing UI appear only when needed.
The previous design was more flat and static. If an element was available, it was visible somewhere in the UI, which led to clutter.
Liquid Glass relies on a completely different method of thinking by hiding elements behind buttons and menus, and minimizing what isn't in use. It's what let Apple finally add the traffic light controls for windowing since they minimize to a small ellipsis when the user isn't hovering over it or tapping.
The design also introduces the Menu Bar to iPadOS, which makes use of the otherwise wasted space at the top of the UI. Previously, this was just an area for the status bar, which never contained information except at the corners of the iPad.
iPadOS 26 features
Several new pro-focused features were also announced. The Files app has new view options, folder customization, and can add folders to the dock.
Color code and label files in iPadOS 26The Preview app is now available in iPadOS as well. It allows users to view or edit several new file types without needing to install a third-party app.
Background tasks have also been rethought, giving iPad users the ability to leave a big task, like an export, and have it continue uninterrupted. These tasks appear with progress bars similar to Live Activities on iPhone.
Audio features have also been exposed so that pro users can choose audio inputs and outputs between apps. Also, Apple revealed a feature that will let any app record local audio, like for recording a podcast.
Beyond the iPadOS 26 redesign, new multitasking system, and pro updates, there are plenty of new features.
Some feature highlights in iPadOS 26:
- Liquid Glass changes the look and feel of iPadOS
- Updated Phone app with unified layout
- Messages gets new filters with spam screening
- Live Translation across the system, like in Messages, FaceTime, and Apple Music
- Apple Intelligence comes to Shortcuts
- Image Playground and Genmoji get new styles and ChatGPT support
- Reminders gains Apple Intelligence suggestions and sorting
- Apple Games app adds discovery and social tools to one central location
- Safari is redesigned with a floating, rounded tab layout
- Messages gains backgrounds, polls, and group chat typing indicators
- Journal app on iPad, users can create multiple journals in the Journal app
- Photos gets more customization, new tab design with Liquid Glass
- FaceTime gets a new landing page with Contact Posters
- Notes gains import and export of Markdown files
- Passwords gets a history view to access old passwords
- The tool palette gets a new reed pen
The WWDC keynote has barely concluded, and there are a lot of details to uncover about all of Apple's latest operating systems. Stay tuned for more details on this page for iPadOS 26.
Everything below this point has been preserved for historical purposes. It was written before WWDC 2025 and addresses the rumors and expectations around the new iPadOS update.
Apple is set to make significant changes across every operating system with WWDC 2025. While visionOS-like redesigns and Apple Intelligence upgrades are rumored, a new change has appeared last minutes — iPadOS 26.
No, that's not a typo. It seems Apple wants to shift its naming conventions across the board to reflect the current year rather than an iterative number counted up from when the OS was introduced.
The name change helps unify the operating systems so they are all called "26." It also seems to be a result of Apple's planned unification in design paradigms.
Currently, the operating systems are called:
Shifting every name to 26 for the 2025 release also singnifies Apple's annual release cycle. While it may seem strange to call it iPadOS 26 instead of 25, it is likely because it won't release to the public until October, then be the current OS for nine months of 2026.
Outside of this name change, the existing rumors are rather limited for iPadOS. Apple did reveal that it is bringing several new accessibility features to iPadOS later in 2025, like improved support for Braille and Continuity Camera, but those features are always pre-announced.
iPadOS could get a visionOS-like redesignThe update everyone will notice most is a rumored redesign that brings visionOS-inspired UI to iPadOS. No one knows what this will actually look like, but leaks and renders suggest glassy surfaces, reflecting light on edges, and transparency in some objects.
Other expected updates include bringing apps like Journal to iPadOS 26. For whatever reason, the Journal app has only been available on iPhone since launch.
Pro users could see improvements like a Menu bar being added when connected to an external keyboard or monitor. Other multitasking updates are expected, like improvements to Stage Manager, but those updates may be limited in scope given everything else expected at WWDC.
Apple will reveal iPadOS 26 during WWDC 2025 and share a developer beta immediately after the keynote. The updates are expected to be released shortly after the iPhone 17 is announced in September.