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

I used to be intrigued and curious to attempt iPadOS 26 when Apple first introduced it at WWDC 2025 final month. For the longest time, the iPad has been one thing I’ve wished so as to add to my workflow however could not resulting from 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 might like to lastly use my M3 iPad Air to its full potential. 

Additionally: Your iPad is getting a huge upgrade for free. 4 features I can’t wait to use on iPadOS 26

I just lately put in the general public beta on my 13-inch M3 iPad Air to see if I might use it for my traditional productiveness workflow. The brand new multitasking system, higher help for mouse or trackpad, an improved file administration system, and refined 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 increase

The brand new Windowed multitasking system is near what you’d anticipate from any Home windows or MacOS pc. It’s simpler to handle and, in contrast to Stage Manager, makes use of the complete display. When you open an app, you’ll be able to 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 can too 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 like this gesture. 

Nevertheless, if you open one other app, on this case, it opens to full-screen view. I imagine 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 closing construct.

Additionally: Why I like the base iPad more than the Pro and Air – especially at this price

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

When working an app group, for those who 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. When you go to a different app from the App Supervisor (swipe up and maintain), it opens in full display. However for those who resize it, it turns into a part of the app group. Mainly, these new gestures would possibly require some observe, however they’re all pretty intuitive.

Notably, you’ll be able to’t create a number of app teams within the Windowed Apps format. However it’s potential to take action in Stage Supervisor, which is lastly extra intuitive and helpful than earlier than. It allows you to prepare energetic app home windows throughout a number of teams whereas using the complete display. 

For instance, I exploit 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 Recordsdata in one other, and Slack, Asana, and WhatsApp in a 3rd. 

Additionally: How Apple just changed the developer world with this one AI announcement

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

There is a new menu bar on high, which reveals settings and choices primarily based on the app you are utilizing. Additionally, the Magic Keyboard (or a Bluetooth keyboard + mouse combo) works higher, because of 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 may go to Settings > Multitasking & Gestures to change between Full-Display screen Apps, Windowed Apps, and the Stage Supervisor. 

Is the iPad lastly a MacBook alternative?

The reply is dependent upon what you do in your iPad. It may not be a real MacBook alternative in case your work includes working desktop apps, however it will get fairly shut. The cell app scenario is a unique story, however Mac-like multitasking capabilities give it a brand new life.

Additionally: Every iPad model that supports iPadOS 26 (and which ones won’t be compatible)

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 would like. With that friction in multitasking gone, the Magic Keyboard seems like a extra succesful accent — one which I might be comfy spending $300 on. 

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