Your iPad is getting a major upgrade. Here are the best features in iPadOS 26

Apple simply introduced the newest updates coming to the iPad’s working system — iPadOS 26 — throughout WWDC 2025. The brand new iPadOS 26 helps Apple’s purpose of providing customers a extra seamless expertise throughout gadgets, making its person interface extra intuitive and constant. 

Additionally: Everything announced at Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote: Liquid Glass, MacOS Tahoe, and more

All of Apple’s working programs throughout gadgets have a brand new model variety of 26, which streamlines the completely different variations for shoppers. As an alternative of every OS having a distinct model quantity, Apple is rebranding all of them based on the yr by which most customers may have entry to them. iPadOS 26 was introduced as we speak and launches to the general public in September.

Finest iPadOS 26 options introduced at WWDC 2025

These are the most effective iPadOS 26 options that Apple unveiled throughout its yearly WWDC occasion. The corporate additionally unveiled iOS 26, WatchOS 26, MacOS 26, VisionOS 26, and TvOS 26.

1. Mac-like productiveness expertise

With iPadOS 26, Apple is giving the iPad person a extra MacOS-like expertise. iPadOS 26 brings us higher app window controls to make multitasking and app switching on the iPad simpler and extra intuitive than ever. 

Apple has put loads of deal with enhancing productiveness and app administration on the iPad, one thing that is not at present very intuitive. Apple launched an upgraded window administration system that allows you to resize, transfer, decrease, and tile home windows, very like you are able to do on a Mac. You can even use Expose view to see all of your open home windows at a look, or use a flicking motion to tile your home windows. 

Additionally: CarPlay’s iOS 26 makeover is almost here: 3 new features coming to your dashboard

iPadOS 26’s new menu bar makes menus and instructions simpler to entry. 

2. Apple Intelligence (AI) options for iPadOS

Apple Intelligence was the primary occasion at WWDC 2024; this yr, it was extra of a supporting character. After failing to ship on some AI options and falling flat on others, Apple goes again to what it does finest: the person expertise. This yr, the AI options are extra of a complement to the general iPad interface. This is what we noticed at WWDC:

• Actual-time translation: Just like Google’s glasses announcement during I/O, Apple needs to convey dwell translations for iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. Apple says that Reside Translation will work for texts, FaceTime, and cellphone calls with each captions and spoken translations. 
• A better, genAI Siri: Apple introduced a giant Siri improve final yr that will make the digital assistant context-aware, but this characteristic has but to be rolled out for shoppers. This characteristic continues to be to return to Siri, however Apple introduced a brand new set of Shortcuts that now help AI-powered actions like summarizing textual content and producing pictures. 
• Genmoji and Picture Playground: Apple’s picture technology options now allow you to embody new types and edit attributes like hair and equipment.

Additionally: Your AirPods could get 3 major upgrades for free thanks to iOS 26 – here’s what to expect

3. New iPadOS apps: Video games and Preview

Throughout WWDC 2025, Apple introduced new updates to current apps, together with new apps for iPad:

• Preview for iPadOS: Apple is bringing the Preview app to the iPad. The app will allow you to view, edit, and mark up PDFs. It’s going to additionally embody AutoFill for kinds and combine with the Recordsdata app. 
• Apple Video games: The brand new gaming hub is now Apple Video games, a brand new residence for gaming on the iPad. It introduces Recreation Overlay, and allows you to see invitations, settings, and updates mid-game.

4. Liquid Glass on iPad

The large visible redesign on iPadOS 26 makes use of what Apple calls Liquid Glass, a set of clear layers that dynamically modify with motion and scrolling. This adjustments the way in which your iPad show responds to your contact and motion, and allows you to customise app icons and notifications with a brand new translucent look. Apple makes use of superior pc imaginative and prescient methods to create the phantasm of motion on images utilized in your wallpaper, making the visible expertise extra fluid.