iPadOS 26 features: 6 ways Apple is turning your iPad into a Mac
Apple is upping your multitasking game in the next version of iPadOS – and it could be more Mac-like than ever before
🍎 Apple just announced iPadOS 26 at WWDC 2025
💧 The update includes Apple’s new Liquid Glass design language and naming scheme
💻 It also has the most robust multitasking system we’ve ever seen on the iPad
🧑💻 It’s great news for those who use an iPad as their main computer
🖥️ Here are six ways that the software is becoming more Mac-like than ever
Apple is merging iPadOS and macOS.
Well, not really. People who use the iPad as their main computer have asked for features from the Mac to be brought over to iPadOS, though. Things like macOS app support, better multitasking, and improved file management have all been long desired, yet Apple has refused to bring that functionality to its tablets. Until now.
With iPadOS 26, we’re seeing the iPad become more like a Mac than ever before. Apple is bringing genuine multi-window multitasking to the device, complete with floating window support and a menu bar to boot. It’s still a touch-oriented device, and no, Apple still hasn’t brought full-fledged macOS apps to it. But compared to iPadOS 18, the multitasking experience is more Mac-like than we’ve ever seen.
I found six key ways that iPadOS 26 will remind you of using a Mac. Notably, these are just the tip of the iceberg - there’s a chance Apple brings even more of this functionality to future versions of iPadOS 26 over the next year. For now, this is what we’re getting when the update rolls out this fall.
1️⃣ Floating, resizable windows
For the first time ever, Apple is bringing floating window support to the iPad with iPadOS 26. This means you can open apps in their own windows like you can on a Mac or other desktops, resize the windows, position them wherever you want, and even use the same close/minimize/maximize traffic light buttons as macOS. This alone will make a world of difference when you want to multitask on your iPad, and it’ll make larger models like the 13-inch iPad Pro more convenient to use when you don’t have your laptop.
2️⃣ Window tiling and snapping
Apple is also bringing window tiling and snapping to iPadOS 26. We saw the company bring it to the Mac in macOS Sequoia, after years of forcing users to resort to third-party tools. Now, less than a year later, it’s making its way to iPad. It’ll let you snap the floating windows you have open to the sides and corners of your screen for easier split-screen multitasking, just like a regular PC. iPadOS 26 will also remember how you position your snapped windows and keep the layout in Exposé.
3️⃣ A full-fledged menu bar
Perhaps the most macOS-esque part of iPadOS 26 is the menu bar. In virtually every app, you can swipe down from the top of the screen or move your cursor up to reveal a menu with common drop-down lists like File, Edit, Insert, Format, View, Help, and more, all laid out just like it is in macOS. Developers will also be able to customize the menu bar with their own drop-downs for their apps. We heard rumors this feature was coming which led us to believe it would be a real thing, but I’m still surprised Apple actually added it.
4️⃣ Easier file management
The iPad is also getting better at file management. Apple is refreshing the Files app with a new List view that lets you view information about the files on your device, much like you can on the Mac. You’ll see Name, Date Modified, Kind, Size, and Tags in the new view. Folders are also getting an upgrade with new custom colors, icons, and emoji that sync across your device. You can also drag a folder down to your dock to quickly access its files in a macOS-like fan view.
5️⃣ Preview app
Apple brought the Preview app from macOS to iPadOS 26 to make managing PDFs easier. The app lets you create a quick skietch if you need to take a note, draw on PDFs, sign them, and more. It’s functionality isn’t as broad as it is on macOS, but it’s another sign of Apple slowly merging the platforms and aligning their user experiences.
6️⃣ An updated cursor
Finally, there’s the cursor. Up until now, the cursor in iPadOS has been an orb that morphs into the buttons and controls you hover over. Now, it’s pointy like on the Mac, and it hovers on top of the content you’re looking at. It’s a small change, but one that screams “hey, I’m a real computer.”
When does iPadOS 26 come out?
Apple will release iPadOS 26 to the general public this fall. It’s currently in a developer beta program which will be expanded to the public sometime in July.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.