iPadOS 26 was introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2025, marking what many consider the most significant update to Apple's tablet operating system since its inception. For over a decade, iPad users clamored for true multitasking capabilities that rivaled traditional desktop operating systems. With iPadOS 26, Apple delivered a revamped windowing system, a persistent dock option, and enhanced file management tools. But as with any major software overhaul, the real test comes not from staged demos, but from daily, heavy use. After spending a full year running iPadOS 26 on an M5 iPad Pro with 16GB of RAM and a 10-core CPU, the results are mixed: the update is indeed transformative, yet a series of persistent bugs and design decisions prevent it from achieving true desktop-class reliability.
What’s working well in iPadOS 26
The cornerstone of iPadOS 26 is its new windowing system, which finally allows users to freely resize and position app windows on the screen. Previously, iPadOS 15 through 25 offered limited split-view and slide-over modes, but windows were locked into predefined layouts. The freedom to drag a window to any corner, resize it by dragging edges, and even overlap windows has fundamentally changed how the iPad Pro can be used. For instance, keeping a note-taking app in a narrow strip on the left while working on a full-screen editing tool in the center is now effortless. This capability alone makes the iPad Pro a more viable laptop replacement for tasks like research, writing, and code editing.
One of the most welcome additions is the option to keep the dock permanently visible on the screen. In previous versions, the dock would automatically hide or appear only when swiped up from the bottom. With iPadOS 26, as long as no window obstructs the bottom area, users can toggle a setting that keeps the dock always in view. This change, reminiscent of the Mac’s dock behavior, greatly improves workflow efficiency. Users can now populate the dock with more apps than ever before, and folder support means entire project collections are just a single tap away. The combination of persistent dock and free window sizes creates a multitasking experience that finally feels deliberate rather than accidental.
The Files app has also received a significant upgrade. Integration with the new Preview app allows users to quickly view and annotate documents without opening separate applications. Column view, previously only available on the Mac, is now standard on iPadOS, providing a hierarchical browser that makes file navigation intuitive. Additionally, the menu bar, which appears at the top of the screen when hovering with a trackpad or tapping certain triggers, exposes app-specific menus akin to the Mac's menu bar. While it is not as feature-rich as its desktop counterpart, it eliminates the need to hunt for buried settings within app interfaces. For the first time, iPadOS feels like it is actually leveraging the powerful hardware inside the iPad Pro.
Where iPadOS 26 still feels like a work in progress
Despite these advancements, daily use reveals several flaws that undermine the productivity gains. The most frustrating issue involves the “persistent size and placement” feature—a core promise of the windowing system. Apple advertised that windows would remember their sizes and positions across app launches. In practice, this works most of the time, but at least once a day an app will crash and reset its window to fullscreen. When this happens, the user must manually reposition and resize the window again. On a machine equipped with an M5 chip and 16GB of RAM, such instability is unacceptable. On the Mac, similar app crashes are rare, and when they occur, windows typically restore their positions automatically. The discrepancy is a clear indicator that iPadOS 26’s window manager needs further optimization.
Another regression involves Slide Over. When Apple first removed Slide Over in an earlier iPadOS 26 beta, users protested loudly. Apple reversed course and brought it back in version 26.1, but the resurrection came with compromises. In iPadOS 18, users could stack multiple apps in Slide Over and swipe between them. In iPadOS 26, only a single app can reside in Slide Over at any time. For users who relied on quickly accessing a calculator, a messaging app, and a music player side by side, this downgrade is a significant loss of functionality. Given that iPadOS 26 introduced other multitasking improvements, the Slide Over regression feels like an unnecessary step backward.
Smaller but irritating bugs compound the frustration. Right-clicking on the iPad using a trackpad often triggers a noticeable delay before the context menu appears, whereas on a Mac it is instantaneous. The cursor and window management system sometimes confuse resize and move actions: trying to resize a window by dragging its edge may inadvertently move the window, especially if the cursor is near the edge. Safari on iPadOS 26 still suffers from keyboard input bugs—typing in the address bar can be interrupted by software auto-suggestions that erase characters already entered. Furthermore, certain websites, particularly those with complex JavaScript interactions or pop-up menus, refuse to respond to clicks on the iPad version of Safari, forcing users to fall back to a Mac. These issues are not dealbreakers for every user, but they accumulate to create a sense that iPadOS, even a year later, is not quite ready for prime-time professional work.
The hardware-software balance
The M5 iPad Pro is arguably overpowered for the software it runs. With a 10-core CPU, a high-performance GPU, and ample RAM, it can handle demanding video editing, 3D modeling, and large dataset analysis. Yet the software consistently fails to capitalize on this potential. The lack of a true terminal environment, the limitations of the file system, and the absence of a robust windowing system have historically been the main complaints. iPadOS 26 addresses the windowing deficiency, but stability issues prevent a seamless experience. It is reminiscent of the early days of macOS when Apple transitioned from classic Mac OS; it took several iterations to iron out bugs. iPadOS appears to be in a similar transitional phase, and users are the beta testers.
Looking ahead
iPadOS 26 has laid a strong foundation. The ability to run multiple resizable windows, keep the dock visible, and browse files like a Mac are features that many users have wanted for years. The Preview app and enhanced menu bar are welcome additions that make the iPad Pro feel more capable than ever. However, Apple must address the stability issues in the next iteration. Persistent window positions should be reliable even if apps crash. Slide Over should regain its multi-app stacking ability. Right-click latency and Safari keyboard bugs need fixing. The future of iPadOS is bright, but it will require Apple to commit to refining the user experience rather than simply adding new features. As the line between tablets and laptops continues to blur, the success of iPadOS will depend on whether Apple can deliver a seamless, bug-free environment that matches the power of its hardware. Users who have invested in the iPad Pro ecosystem are eager for iPadOS 27 to build on this foundation and close the remaining gaps with the Mac.
Source: 9to5Mac News