Apple targets “more personal and expressive” iOS 26 with new Liquid Glass design

iPads are also getting tiling features. For example, you can flick a window to the left side of the screen, and it will take over the left half of the screen (similar to Windows Snap layouts). If you have multiple windows open, you can make a grabber appear in between the two, allowing you to resize the two apps simultaneously.

iPadOS 26 includes a new menu bar, “where users can access the commands available in an app with a simple swipe down from the top of the display, or by moving their cursor to the top,” Apple’s announcement said, adding: “Users can quickly find a specific feature or related tips in an app by using search in the menu bar. Additionally, developers can now customize the menu bar in their own apps.”

iPadOS 26 is supposed to allow you to have more open windows at once (although Apple did not specify how many).

Apple also updated Files, including a refreshed List view that Apple’s announcement said “allows users to see more of their document details in resizable columns and collapsible folders.”

To make folders easier to identify at a glance, Files also offers folder customization options that include custom colors, icons, and emoji that sync across devices. For quicker access, users can now drag any folder from the Files app right into the Dock. Additionally, users can set a default app for opening specific files or file types.

Among iPadOS 26’s other most interesting updates are claims that the OS can perform computationally intensive background tasks.

“When users start a long-running process in an app, Background Tasks will show up with Live Activities, giving users complete control and a clear sense of what is running. And developers can use an updated Background Tasks API that allows users to perform long-running tasks from their apps, too,” Apple’s announcement said.

iPadOS 26 launches in the fall and is available for testing via the Apple Developer Program as of today. The public beta comes in July.