iPadOS 26 boasts all-new design, smarter Apple Intelligence, advanced windowing, and more

Apple today previewed iPadOS 26, the biggest update to iPad yet. The release introduces an all-new design language, a powerful new windowing system for better multitasking, deeper Apple Intelligence integration, a dedicated Preview app for editing PDFs, and major enhancements to working with files, audio, and video.

An All-New Design

iPadOS 26 adopts Apple’s new Liquid Glass design language, bringing a dynamic, translucent aesthetic that reflects and refracts surroundings in real time. The interface responds to user interaction and helps focus attention on content. Despite the visual overhaul, the new look remains familiar and intuitive for iPad users.

Image: Apple

This design unifies the visual experience across Apple platforms, echoing the refreshed styles in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26. Key system elements, including the Dock, sidebars, and toolbars, have been refined for better clarity, personalization, and usability.

Advanced Windowing System

iPadOS 26 redefines multitasking with a new, intuitive windowing system. Users can now resize app windows and place them freely, use window controls to close, minimize, or tile windows, tile windows with simple gestures designed for iPad’s touch-first interface, and open multiple windows and return to them with their previous size and position remembered.

A new menu bar gives quick access to app commands with a swipe from the top or a cursor hover. Users can search within the menu bar to find specific features or tips, and developers can customize this menu bar in their own apps for added functionality.

Apple Intelligence and Creative Tools

Apple Intelligence is more deeply integrated in iPadOS 26, enabling more personalized and powerful experiences. Users can now create Genmoji from existing emoji, customize them with personal traits like hair or accessories, and select expressions, use Image Playground to create expressive visuals in new styles — like oil painting — or describe a custom image using ChatGPT, and access Any Style, which allows users to describe exactly the visual they want, and Image Playground will generate it via ChatGPT integration

Smarter File Management

The Files app sees a major upgrade in iPadOS 26. Key improvements include a new List view with resizable columns and collapsible folders, folder customization with icons, colors, and emoji — all synced across devices, the ability to drag folders into the Dock for quick access, and default apps can now be set for specific file types.

Preview Comes to iPad

For the first time, the Preview app is available on iPad. Users can view, edit, and annotate PDFs and images using Apple Pencil or touch, create blank pages for sketching or notes, fill out forms with AutoFill and access and organize documents through the Files app.

Image: Apple

Journal and Media Tools

The Journal app debuts on iPad, giving users a flexible space to document everyday life or special moments. Using Apple Pencil or touch, users can add drawings, handwriting, photos, videos, and audio, locations, mood tracking, and more, and a new map view helps visualize journal entries by where they occurred.

Image: Apple

Messaging and Communication

The Messages app gains several enhancements including conversation Backgrounds, which allow users to personalize chats with designs generated by Image Playground, polls and a redesigned details view make group chats more interactive, typing indicators, which show who’s responding in group messages, and users can now request and receive Apple Cash directly in Messages

Also, the Phone app comes to iPad, bringing iOS 26 features like: Call Screening, which collects caller info before you pick up and Hold Assist, which waits on hold for you and alerts you when a live agent is available.