iPadOS 26 Review: 7 Features That Change Everything
Introduction
Announced at WWDC 2025, iPadOS 26 delivers Apple’s boldest leap yet—blending aesthetics, productivity, and intelligence. From the all-new Liquid Glass design to full windowing capabilities, this update pushes the iPad past its tablet-restricted identity.
1. Liquid Glass Design – A Visual Revolution
iPadOS 26 debuts Liquid Glass, a modern, translucent interface across all of Apple’s platforms. Icons, menus, and backgrounds subtly reflect and refract light—bringing a fluid, glass-like feel reminiscent of visionOS.
- Pros: Sleek, cohesive look.
- Cons: Some transparency affects readability in certain lighting .
This marks Apple’s most significant visual redesign since iOS 7, reaffirming its commitment to interface innovation.
2. Mac-Style Windowing & Multitasking
Say goodbye to rigid Split View and Slide Over. iPadOS 26 introduces a flexible windowing system with resizable app windows featuring macOS-like stoplight controls and a persistent menu bar
- Window placement is saved between sessions—open your workspace as you left it.
- Apple retains full-screen and Stage Manager modes for those who prefer them.
Though still beta, reviewers praised its intuitive drag-and-drop design, and many feel Apple has finally blurred the line between iPad and Mac.
3. Four Mac Apps Come to iPad
New inclusions make the iPad more versatile:
- Journal: Write, sketch using Apple Pencil, insert photos/videos, and organize entries with location data ([lifewire.com][5]).
- Preview: Edit PDFs and images with Apple Pencil support and AutoFill for forms .
- Games: Unified hub for App Store and Arcade titles, social features, in-game overlays, and friend invites.
- Phone: Handle calls, use Call Screening and Hold Assist on your iPad.
Each app enhances functionality—supporting creativity, productivity, and communication.
4. Apple Intelligence: Smarter by Design
iPadOS 26 brings deeper on-device intelligence:
- Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone for select languages.
- Visual Intelligence with Image Playground and Genmoji helpfully augment creativity.
- AI tools in Shortcuts, Calculator (Math Notes with 3D graphing), and Notes (audio transcriptions) streamline tasks.
These features harness Apple’s neural engines to add real-world utility—without compromising privacy.
5. Enhanced Creativity & Productivity Tools
iPadOS 26 includes valuable enhancements for creators:
- Background Tasks ensure apps for audio/video can continue processing .
- Users gain fine-tuned audio input selection for conferencing and media work .
- The Preview app makes on-the-fly PDF annotation seamless .
These updates benefit professionals and students alike, enriching on-device workflows.
6. Universal Compatibility & Hardware Requirements
iPadOS 26 supports:
- iPad Pro (M4/M3/M2), iPad Air (3rd gen and newer), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and standard iPad (8th gen+, A16) .
Older devices like the 7th-gen iPad are left behind due to hardware limitations .
Advanced features like Live Translation and multitasking thrive on newer, more powerful chips (M-series or A17 Pro).
7. Overall Performance, Stability & Feedback
Early betas show:
- Improved mouse/trackpad support (new arrow pointer)
- Smooth window dragging and snap layouts
- Minor quirks: minimize button actions and background app interaction nuances
Reddit users are excited:
“This is the first time Apple has actually excited me since their lies about Apple Intelligence.”and“I actually feel like I am using a macbook now.”
Conclusion
iPadOS 26 is transformative. It redefines the iPad as a productivity-first device—driven by its Liquid Glass aesthetic, real windowed multitasking, Mac-grade apps, and intelligent features. Apple has effectively blurred the line between tablets and computers.
Whether you’re a creative, multitasker, or efficiency-seeker, iPadOS 26 delivers a sleek, powerful experience. Its full release this fall promises to elevate the iPad to its most capable stage yet.
FAQs
1. When is iPadOS 26 released?
It launches publicly this fall, with developer and public betas available from June and July 2025 .
2. Does my iPad support iPadOS 26?
Supported devices include iPad Pro (M-series), iPad Air (3rd gen+), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad (8th gen+) .
3. Can I run Mac apps like Preview and Journal?
Yes—four Mac-native apps (Journal, Preview, Games, Phone) are newly available on iPad .
4. Does it make the iPad like a Mac?
iPadOS 26’s resizable windows, menu bar, and multitasking put it “awfully close to a computer” according to reviewers .
5. What’s Liquid Glass?
A unified design language featuring translucent, glassy effects—Apple’s boldest UI update since iOS 7