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Apple wrapped the WWDC 2025, its annual developer convention. The corporate has introduced huge modifications coming to all its main platforms, together with the brand new liquid design interfaces.

Whereas iOS 26 acquired combined opinions, iPadOS lastly has helpful function additions after so a few years, bridging the hole between iPadOS and macOS.

If you’re unaware, Apple now features a matching yr prefix for all of its model updates, and this yr’s replace may have a 26 matching the 2026 yr.

iPadOS 26 is already out there as a developer beta, and it’s coming to older iPads. If you happen to personal an iPad and are questioning whether or not your machine helps the most recent iPadOS 26, right here is the official assist checklist.

iPadOS 26 official assist checklist

iPad Commonplace Mannequin

• iPad eleventh technology
• iPad tenth technology
• iPad ninth technology
• iPad eighth technology

iPad Air

• iPad Air 13-inch (M3)
• iPad Air 11-inch (M3)
• iPad Air 13-inch (M2)
• iPad Air 11-inch (M2)
• iPad Air fifth technology (M1)
• iPad Air 4th technology (A14)
• iPad Air third technology (A12)

iPad mini

• iPad mini seventh technology (A17)
• iPad mini sixth technology (A15)
• iPad mini fifth technology (A12)

iPad Professional

• iPad Professional 11-inch (M4)
• iPad Professional 11-inch 4th technology (M2)
• iPad Professional 11-inch third technology (M1)
• iPad Professional 11-inch 2nd technology (A12Z)
• iPad Professional 11-inch 1st technology (A12X)
• iPad Professional 13-inch (M4)
• iPad Professional 12.9-inch sixth technology (M2)
• iPad Professional 12.9-inch fifth technology (M1)

iPadOS 26 anticipated rollout timeline

Find out how to set up iPadOS 26 in your iPad

In case your iPad is within the assist checklist, you possibly can set up the developer beta in your iPad. Nonetheless, since it’s a developer beta, the expertise is tremendous buggy, and I might suggest not putting in it in case your iPad is your main machine.

If you happen to want to proceed and get entry to the most recent options, you possibly can set up the replace by going to Settings > Basic Settings > Software program Replace > Beta Replace and choose iPadOS 26 Developer Preview. The replace is about 10 GB in measurement.

Prime 5 options coming to iPadOS 26

Liquid Glass Design

Apple has introduced a brand new Liquid Glass Design that overhauls all the person interface for all main platforms.

Whereas it acquired combined opinions on iPhone, after spending a while with this new design on iPad Professional, it feels nice on iPad.

In contrast to iOS, iPadOS may be very buggy and never as fluid as iOS 26. However you get an entire design revamp with glass and clear design all through the OS. The Management Centre feels loads higher on iPad in comparison with iOS 26; the animations should not as fluid as iOS, however since it’s a developer beta, we anticipate issues to get higher within the close to future. There are new icons, and Apple system apps get an entire revamp. General, the brand new design felt loads higher in comparison with iOS 26.

Higher multitasking assist on iPad

Lastly, after years, Apple has lastly introduced windowing to iPadOS.

Now as a substitute of opening 4 home windows, you possibly can place limitless variety of home windows on the iPad display with none limitations and every window may be resizable, has its personal capabilities comparable to decrease, resize, shut and extra capabilities just like macOS, and likewise will get menu bar and skill so as to add and handle folders to dock, virtually replicating the macOS expertise.

Run background duties

One other limitation that iPads had for years, regardless of having the identical efficiency as Macs, is the limitation on background duties.

Whilst you can technically run background duties with the Stage Supervisor on iPad, it’s nonetheless restricted.

However Apple eliminated this background activity limitation in iPadOS 26, which means that now apps can run within the background with out crashing.

So now you possibly can add information whereas the app is within the background, export movies if you’re utilizing a video enhancing software program and extra. You too can hold monitor of this background course of within the Reside Actions which might be additionally coming to iPadOS this yr.

Preview is coming to iPadOS

Apple is bringing the favored and most liked Preview function to iPadOS and iOS 26, which now helps you to make edits to the information immediately and save them in any format you need. It’s now out there as a devoted app on iPad.

3D math notes, Journal, and all-new Video games app for iPadOS

Together with the core OS modifications, Apple can also be bringing the Journal app with Apple assist to iPadOS 26, letting you lastly save your ideas utilizing Apple Pencil.

Math notes within the Notes app are getting assist for 3D objects, which you’ll be able to visualize 3D graphs and objects natively contained in the writing interface and work together with them.

And at last, a devoted Video games app that can assist you handle and uncover all of your put in video games, join with your folks, and see their progress contained in the app.

These are the 5 greatest modifications coming to iPadOS 26 this yr. That is essentially the most thrilling replace for iPad in a very long time, and it’s actually a game-changer to make the most of a big display. There are additionally a number of different updates coming to iPad, and right here is the entire change log.

iPadOS 26 Changelog

• New Liquid Glass Design
• Clear, glass-like look throughout the system and apps
• Up to date Dwelling Display screen, Lock Display screen, Management Middle, and app icons with smoother animations
• Mac-style Windowing System
• Resize, transfer, tile, and shut app home windows freely
• Exposé view to see all open home windows
• New menu bar on the high for instructions and search
• Cut up View and Slide Over are eliminated, and windowing replaces them

Apple Intelligence (AI options)

• Reside translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Cellphone
• Create/edit emoji (Genmoji) and pictures (Picture Playground) with AI
• Smarter Shortcuts with new clever actions

Enhanced Information App

• New checklist view with adjustable columns and collapsible folders
• Customise folders with colours, icons, and emojis
• Drag folders into the Dock
• Select default apps for file varieties

Preview App on iPad

• Annotate PDFs and pictures
• Use Apple Pencil or contact for sketches
• AutoFill assist for types

Background Duties & Audio/Video Instruments

• Run lengthy duties within the background with Reside Actions
• Choose audio enter per app/website; voice isolation and echo cancellation for clear recordings
• Native seize helps you to file video calls with top quality

New Apps & Options

• Journal: write, draw, add images/audio, view by maps
• Video games: unified app with dwell overlays, challenges, leaderboards

App Updates

• Messages: polls, backgrounds, Reside Translation
• Calculator: math handwriting (Math Notes), 3D graphs
• Pictures: Library & Collections tabs, spatial 3D results

Accessibility & Household

• New Braille reader assist
• Improved studying choices and movement cues
• Higher parental and communication controls