Your Ipad Is Getting A Huge Upgrade For Free. 4 Features I Can't Wait To Use On Ipados 26

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Apple announced nan latest updates coming to nan iPad's operating strategy -- iPadOS 26 -- during WWDC 2025. The caller iPadOS 26 supports Apple's extremity of offering users a much seamless acquisition crossed devices, making its personification interface much intuitive and consistent. iPadOS 26 was announced successful June and will motorboat to nan nationalist successful September, but a nationalist beta type is group to beryllium released arsenic early arsenic July 23.

Also: Did Apple yet move nan iPad into a MacBook alternative? My first look astatine iPadOS 26 says yes

All of Apple's operating systems crossed devices person a caller type number of 26, which streamlines nan different versions for consumers. Instead of each OS having a different type number, Apple is rebranding them each according to nan twelvemonth successful which astir users will person entree to them. 

Below are nan champion iPadOS 26 features that Apple unveiled during its yearly WWDC event. The institution besides unveiled iOS 26, WatchOS 26, MacOS 26, VisionOS 26, and TvOS 26.

1. Mac-like productivity experience

With iPadOS 26, iPad users will bask a much MacOS-like experience. iPadOS 26 brings america amended app model controls to make multitasking and app switching connected nan iPad easier and much intuitive than ever. 

Apple has put a batch of attraction connected improving productivity and app guidance connected nan iPad, thing that isn't presently very intuitive. The institution introduced an upgraded model guidance strategy that lets you resize, move, minimize, and tile windows, overmuch for illustration you tin do connected a Mac. You tin besides usage Expose position to spot each your unfastened windows astatine a glance, aliases usage a flicking activity to tile your windows. 

Also: CarPlay's iOS 26 makeover is almost here: 3 caller features coming to your dashboard

iPadOS 26's caller paper barroom makes menus and commands easier to access. 

2. Apple Intelligence (AI) features for iPadOS

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Apple Intelligence was nan main arena astatine WWDC 2024; this year, it was much of a supporting character. After failing to present connected immoderate AI features and falling level connected others, Apple is going backmost to what it does best: nan personification experience. This year, nan AI features are much of a complement to nan wide iPad interface. Here's what we saw astatine WWDC:

• Real-time translation: Similar to Google's glasses announcement during I/O, Apple wants to bring unrecorded translations for iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. Apple says that Live Translation will activity for texts, FaceTime, and telephone calls pinch some captions and spoken translations. 
• A smarter, genAI Siri: Apple announced a large Siri upgrade past twelvemonth that would make nan virtual adjunct context-aware, yet this characteristic has yet to beryllium rolled retired for consumers. This characteristic is still to travel to Siri, but Apple announced a caller group of Shortcuts that now support AI-powered actions for illustration summarizing matter and generating images. 
• Genmoji and Image Playground: Apple's image procreation features now fto you see caller styles and edit attributes for illustration hairsbreadth and accessories.

Also: Your AirPods could get 3 awesome upgrades for free acknowledgment to iOS 26 - here's what to expect

3. New iPadOS apps: Games and Preview

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

During WWDC 2025, Apple announced caller updates to existing apps, including caller apps for iPad:

• Preview for iPadOS: Apple is bringing nan Preview app to nan iPad. The app will fto you view, edit, and people up PDFs. It will besides see AutoFill for forms and merge pinch nan Files app. 
• Apple Games: The caller gaming hub is now Apple Games, a caller location for gaming connected nan iPad. It introduces Game Overlay, and lets you spot invites, settings, and updates mid-game.

4. Liquid Glass connected iPad

The large ocular redesign connected iPadOS 26 uses what Apple calls Liquid Glass, a group of transparent layers that dynamically set pinch activity and scrolling. This changes nan measurement your iPad show responds to your touch and movement, and lets you customize app icons and notifications pinch a caller translucent look. Apple uses precocious machine imagination techniques to create nan illusion of activity connected photos utilized successful your wallpaper, making nan ocular acquisition much fluid.