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

M3 iPad Air running iPadOS 26 Developer Beta.

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

I was intrigued and curious to try iPadOS 26 when Apple first announced it at WWDC 2025 last month. For the longest time, the iPad has been something I’ve wanted to add to my workflow but couldn’t due to its rigid operating system — one that doesn’t necessarily complement the iPad’s flexible hardware. 

It seems Apple was aware of this, too since iPadOS 26 attempts to bridges the longstanding gaps between the Apple tablet and a computer. I would love to finally use my M3 iPad Air to its full potential. 

Also: ZDNET’s WWDC 2025 recap with Sabrina Ortiz and Jason Hiner

I recently installed the first developer beta on my 13-inch M3 iPad Air to see if I could use it for my usual productivity workflow. The new multitasking system, better support for mouse or trackpad, an improved file management system, and subtle additions to the UI tell me yes. And within hours of usage, I could sense that iPadOS 26 is the update I’ve been waiting years for. 

(Note: Since I’m testing on the developer beta of iPadOS, this is more of a first-hand demonstration of its latest features, and not a review or testimonial. The experience using the software will likely undergo several more changes before it’s ready for the public.)

Multitasking on the iPad gets a meaningful boost

iPadOS 26 Developer Beta 1 Multitasking & Gestures setting screenshot

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

The new Windowed multitasking system is close to what you’d expect from any Windows or MacOS computer. It is easier to manage and, unlike Stage Manager, utilizes the full screen. Once you open an app, you can resize it from the little curve at the bottom right corner or use the mouse pointer to hold and drag from the sides.

An app can be resized to any dimension you want, as long as the developer supports it. You can also grab the top of an in-use app and toss it to either side to automatically fill half the screen. I’m still getting used to it, but I love this gesture. 

However, when you open another app, in this case, it opens to full-screen view. I believe it’d be more useful if a new app automatically opened to fill the other half of the screen. That said, this is a developer beta, and things could change in the final build.

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

Once resized, you can add multiple apps to your iPad’s screen. I was running two windows of Chrome, Preview, Photos, Adobe Express, and the App Store (I’ll call it an app group). While you can see multiple apps at once, iPadOS 26 allows you to actively interact with one. You can still hover the mouse pointer on an app in the background and scroll in it, but you need to tap on it to bring it forward, like on MacOS. 

When running an app group, if you swipe up from the bottom of the screen, it’s divided into two halves and pushed to the two sides. Tap on a new app, and it comes to the forefront. If you go to another app from the App Manager (swipe up and hold), it opens in full screen. But if you resize it, it becomes part of the app group. Basically, these new gestures might require some practice, but they’re all fairly intuitive.

Background App Running with multiple resized apps in a group on iPadOS 26 Developer Beta 1

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

Notably, you can’t create multiple app groups in the Windowed Apps layout. But it is possible to do so in Stage Manager, which is finally more intuitive and useful than before. It lets you arrange active app windows across multiple groups while utilizing the full screen. 

For example, I use my iPad primarily for photo editing and writing/research. It’s nice to be able to club Lightroom, Express, and Preview in one group, Chrome, Acrobat Reader, and Files in another, and Slack, Asana, and WhatsApp in a third. 

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

While the new fluid resizing system makes multitasking a lot smoother, Apple has also borrowed some elements from macOS for a computer-like experience. Now, apps have a stoplight menu with Close, Minimize, and Expand buttons on the top-left corner. 

There’s a new menu bar on top, which shows settings and options based on the app you’re using. Also, the Magic Keyboard (or a Bluetooth keyboard + mouse combo) works better, thanks to a new pointer and CMD-Tab app-switch capabilities while multitasking. All of this makes it feel a lot more like a Mac. 

You can go to Settings > Multitasking & Gestures to switch between Full-Screen Apps, Windowed Apps, and the Stage Manager. 

Is the iPad finally a MacBook replacement?

iPadOS 26 Developer Beta on the M3 iPad Air.

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

The answer depends on what you do on your iPad. It might not be a true MacBook replacement if your work involves running desktop apps, but it gets pretty close. The mobile app situation is a different story, but Mac-like multitasking capabilities give it a new life.

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

After 24 hours of using the iPadOS 26 developer beta, I can confidently say that my iPad Air is a more reliable travel companion now. Its operating system no longer feels as restrained, and I feel like I can do more of what I want. With that friction in multitasking gone, the Magic Keyboard feels like a more capable accessory — one that I’d be comfortable spending $300 on. 

With iPadOS 26, my iPad Air finally feels ready to be a true 2-in-1 computer. Here’s to hoping the public beta and eventual final version are just as, if not more, promising than the developer beta.