iPadOS 26 is turning my iPad Air into the ultraportable laptop it was meant to be

I used to be intrigued and curious to strive iPadOS 26 when Apple first introduced it at WWDC 2025 final month. For the longest time, the iPad has been one thing I’ve needed so as to add to my workflow however could not as a consequence of its inflexible working system — one that does not essentially complement the iPad’s versatile {hardware}. 

It appears Apple was conscious of this, too since iPadOS 26 makes an attempt to bridges the longstanding gaps between the Apple pill and a pc. I’d like to lastly use my M3 iPad Air to its full potential. 

Additionally: Your iPad is getting an enormous improve without spending a dime. 4 options I can not wait to make use of on iPadOS 26

I not too long ago put in the general public beta on my 13-inch M3 iPad Air to see if I might use it for my standard productiveness workflow. The brand new multitasking system, higher help for mouse or trackpad, an improved file administration system, and delicate additions to the UI inform me sure. And inside hours of utilization, I might sense that iPadOS 26 is the replace I have been ready years for. 

Multitasking on the iPad will get a significant enhance

The brand new Windowed multitasking system is near what you’d count on from any Home windows or MacOS laptop. It’s simpler to handle and, not like Stage Supervisor, makes use of the total display. When you open an app, you may resize it from the little curve on the backside proper nook or use the mouse pointer to carry and drag from the perimeters.

An app could be resized to any dimension you need, so long as the developer helps it. You may as well seize the highest of an in-use app and toss it to both facet to routinely fill half the display. I am nonetheless getting used to it, however I really like this gesture. 

Nevertheless, whenever you open one other app, on this case, it opens to full-screen view. I consider it would be extra helpful if a brand new app routinely opened to fill the opposite half of the display. That mentioned, this can be a developer beta, and issues might change within the last construct.

Additionally: Why I like the bottom iPad greater than the Professional and Air – particularly at this worth

As soon as resized, you may add a number of apps to your iPad’s display. I used to be working two home windows of Chrome, Preview, Images, Adobe Specific, and the App Retailer (I am going to name it an app group). When you can see a number of apps directly, iPadOS 26 means that you can actively work together with one. You possibly can nonetheless hover the mouse pointer on an app within the background and scroll in it, however you have to faucet on it to deliver it ahead, like on MacOS. 

When working an app group, if you happen to swipe up from the underside of the display, it is divided into two halves and pushed to the 2 sides. Faucet on a brand new app, and it involves the forefront. For those who go to a different app from the App Supervisor (swipe up and maintain), it opens in full display. However if you happen to resize it, it turns into a part of the app group. Mainly, these new gestures may require some observe, however they’re all pretty intuitive.

Notably, you may’t create a number of app teams within the Windowed Apps structure. However it’s doable to take action in Stage Supervisor, which is lastly extra intuitive and helpful than earlier than. It allows you to organize lively app home windows throughout a number of teams whereas using the total display. 

For instance, I take advantage of my iPad primarily for photograph enhancing and writing/analysis. It is good to have the ability to membership Lightroom, Specific, and Preview in a single group, Chrome, Acrobat Reader, and Information in one other, and Slack, Asana, and WhatsApp in a 3rd. 

Additionally: How Apple simply modified the developer world with this one AI announcement

Whereas the brand new fluid resizing system makes multitasking rather a lot smoother, Apple has additionally borrowed some components from macOS for a computer-like expertise. Now, apps have a stoplight menu with Shut, Decrease, and Broaden buttons on the top-left nook. 

There is a new menu bar on prime, which exhibits settings and choices based mostly on the app you are utilizing. Additionally, the Magic Keyboard (or a Bluetooth keyboard + mouse combo) works higher, due to a brand new pointer and CMD-Tab app-switch capabilities whereas multitasking. All of this makes it really feel much more like a Mac. 

You possibly can go to Settings > Multitasking & Gestures to change between Full-Display Apps, Windowed Apps, and the Stage Supervisor. 

Is the iPad lastly a MacBook substitute?

The reply depends upon what you do in your iPad. It won’t be a real MacBook substitute in case your work entails working desktop apps, but it surely will get fairly shut. The cell app scenario is a distinct story, however Mac-like multitasking capabilities give it a brand new life.

Additionally: Each iPad mannequin that helps iPadOS 26 (and which of them will not be suitable)

After 24 hours of utilizing the iPadOS 26 beta, I can confidently say that my iPad Air is a extra dependable journey companion now. Its working system not feels as restrained, and I really feel like I can do extra of what I need. With that friction in multitasking gone, the Magic Keyboard looks like a extra succesful accent — one which I would be snug spending $300 on. 

With iPadOS 26, my iPad Air lastly feels able to be a real 2-in-1 laptop. Here is to hoping the general public beta and eventual last model are simply as, if no more, promising than the developer beta.