While Stage Manager is still available in iPadOS 26, Apple is ditching the Split View and Slide Over options in favor of a new window-based multitasking system. In an interview with ArsTechnica, Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi explained why it took so long to bring proper multitasking to the iPad and how the company finally pulled it off.

There's a new menu bar on top, which shows settings and options based on the app you're using. And the Magic Keyboard (or a Bluetooth keyboard + mouse combo) works better, thanks to a new pointer and CMD-Tab app-switch capabilities while multitasking.

iOS 26’s sibling, iPadOS 26 for iPads, is also getting the “Liquid Glass” interface overhaul. That includes buttons and menu bars that resemble glass, reflections, and shadows. The only difference is that the new interface stretches across the larger displays found on Apple’s many iPad models.