Apple didn’t just give all of its operating systems a design refresh with the new Liquid Glass material, the Cupertino-based giant also packed in new features and capabilities across the board. And when it comes to iPadOS 26 (yeah, Apple changed its naming scheme too), it might’ve just finally blurred the lines between iPads and MacBooks.

iPadOS 26 gets a new windowing system and Preview app

For starters, iPadOS 26 is getting some of the features Apple announced for iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, like polls in the Messages app, Live Translation, and more. But what Apple primarily focused on during the event was improving the iPad’s multitasking capabilities. Apple announced a "new windowing system on the iPad" that'll allow you to finally resize app windows.

Basing off what we saw during the WWDC keynote, when you launch an app initially, it'll show up in full screen (as it always has). What's changing is that there will now be a grab handle at the bottom right, which you'll be able to use to fluidly resize windows. When you open other previously resized apps, instead of them taking up the entire screen, they'll now open in the exact same size and position. You'll also be able to move the windows around your screen.

You can arrange your open windows with tiling using gestures like a simple flick. Alternatively, you can tile them by clicking the window controls (that seemingly only appear when you're using a trackpad or mouse with your iPad), and you'll have more tiling options.

If all this sounds familiar, it's because it's basically how window management already works on macOS, just with a bit of an iPad touch. iPadOS 26 is also getting Exposé, which'll let you see all your open windows spread out.

According to Apple, the new windowing system will work exceptionally well with Stage Manager or for those with an external display and need more space to work across their devices. I frequently use my iPad to work and study on the go, so I'm really excited to see these new multitasking features finally being added.

iPadOS 26 is also getting a new menu bar, which'll let you access commands available in a particular app with a simple swipe down from the display (or by moving the cursor to the top if you're using a trackpad or mouse).

Finally, in line with bringing more In line with bringing more macOS features to the iPad, iPadOS 26 is also getting the Preview app. That means iPad users won’t have to rely on third-party apps for something as simple as signing documents anymore.

After years of iPadOS upgrades feeling minor, this one finally feels significant. Similar to every year, all the features above will be available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program, and a public beta will be available next month. If you’re choosing to play it safe and not download the beta, you’ll be able to try the features for yourself this fall.