Should you ditch your Mac for an iPad? iPadOS 26 may convince you - here's why

2 hours ago 2
iPad with aggregate  windows
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Over the years, Apple has gradually enhanced the iPad to marque it consciousness much similar a Mac. One mode it's pulled disconnected this instrumentality is by giving it much multitasking skills. That's particularly existent successful iPadOS 26.

With the caller OS mentation connected a supported iPad, you tin unfastened an app successful a resizable and moveable window, conscionable similar connected a Mac. You're past capable to motorboat aggregate windows and resistance them astir the screen. By swiping up from the bottom, you tin temporarily peek astatine each your windowed apps.

Next, you're capable to close, minimize, oregon maximize a model done 1 of the icons successful the precocious left. You tin automatically put your unfastened windows truthful that they're each viewable connected the screen. Plus, a paper barroom displays a toolbar of commands for your existent app.

The caller windowed capableness is an upgrade implicit the Split View and Slide Over options from older versions of iPadOS. You tin inactive usage Split View and Slide Over arsenic good arsenic Stage Manager successful iPadOS 26. But if you're genuinely into multitasking, you whitethorn similar the windowed approach.

To usage the latest multitasking skills connected an iPad, you person to conscionable a mates of conditions.

First, you request an iPad compatible with iPadOS 26. Check retired Apple's iPad enactment page to spot which models qualify. Second, you'll person to beryllium moving mentation 26 oregon higher. To check, caput to Settings, prime General, and pat Software Update. You'll beryllium told that iPadOS is up to day oregon prompted to download and instal the latest update.

Now, here's however to usage the caller multitasking skills and wherefore your iPad whitethorn consciousness much similar a Mac than ever.

To alteration the caller windowed layout connected your iPad, spell to Settings and prime Multitasking & Gestures. Three options look astatine the apical of the surface -- Full Screen Apps, Windowed Apps, and Stage Manager. Tap the 1 for Windowed Apps.

Two settings past popular up -- Close All Windows After Swiping Home and Automatically Show and Hide Dock. With the archetypal mounting enabled, swiping up from the bottommost of the surface closes each windowed apps. With the 2nd setting, the iPad Dock remains disposable adjacent with the windowed apps connected the screen. For now, permission some settings disabled. You tin ever alteration them if you determine otherwise.

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Enable Windowed Apps
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

In the Gestures section, work the statement of each the settings to spot what they bash and find which ones you privation to enable. If you're unsure, crook them each connected for present (except Swipe Finger from Corner). You tin ever disable immoderate that you don't privation oregon that don't enactment arsenic expected.

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Adjust different   settings
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Now, effort resizing and moving a window. You tin usage the Settings app model since that should inactive beryllium open. Drag the model by the grip successful the little close country to resize it. Drag it by the rubric barroom to determination it astir the screen.

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Resize and determination   a window
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Next, you tin unfastened different app oregon window. Swipe up somewhat from the bottommost of the surface to show the Dock if it's hidden. To unfastened an app from the Dock, pat it oregon resistance it onto the Home screen. It past appears successful a model that you tin resize and move.

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Open different  model   from the Dock
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

To adhd a previously-opened app, swipe up from the bottommost of the surface to show the app switcher. Swipe to the close to spot the ample thumbnails of different apps. Tap the 1 you privation to adhd to the surface and past resize and determination it to fit.

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Open different  model   from the app switcher
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Here's different option. Swipe up somewhat from the bottommost to show the Dock if it's not visible. Tap the App Library icon astatine the extremity of the Dock. You tin present motorboat immoderate app from the room and past resize and determination its window.

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Open a model   from the App Library
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Beyond moving and resizing a window, you tin adjacent it, minimize it, oregon maximize it. Tap the ellipsis icon astatine the precocious near of a window, and you'll spot 3 icons -- a reddish 1 with an X, a yellowish 1 with a -- sign, and a greenish 1 with treble arrows. Tap the reddish 1 to adjacent the window. Tap the yellowish 1 to minimize it backmost to the Dock. Tap the greenish 1 to maximize it.

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Close, minimize, oregon  maximize a window
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

You tin usage the model controls for a scope of different actions. Press down connected the close, minimize, and maximize controls connected immoderate unfastened window. Eight antithetic icons look -- 4 for Move & Resize and 4 for Fill & Arrange.

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Arrange unfastened  windows
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Under Move & Resize, tapping the archetypal icon moves the model to the left. Tapping the 2nd icon moves it to the right. Tapping the 3rd icon moves it to the apical of the screen. Tapping the 4th icon moves it to the bottommost of the screen.

Automatically determination   and resize a window

Under Fill & Arrange, tapping the archetypal icon maximizes the window. Tapping the 2nd icon moves it to the near and places different unfastened model connected the right. Tapping the 3rd icon places the model to the near with 2 different unfastened windows broadside by side. Tapping the 4th icon places the model successful the precocious near with 3 different unfastened windows arranged connected the screen. You tin besides maximize a windowed app by double-tapping its rubric bar.

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Automatically capable and put windows

Here's 1 much chill feature. You're capable to show a paper barroom for a windowed app conscionable similar connected a Mac. To effort this, swipe down from the apical of the screen, and you'll spot the paper for that app. Tap a circumstantial paper point to presumption the afloat paper and each its commands.

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Display the paper   barroom  for a windowed app
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
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