No, iPadOS 26 is not a laptop computer killer, however these 4 issues make it an enormous leap ahead

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• In iPadOS 26, the addition of a Mac-like windowing system, a menu bar, an actual cursor, and a much-improved Recordsdata app makes the iPad quite a bit higher for getting work executed.
• There are nonetheless a pair lacking options that may make a giant distinction in iPadOS 26.
• Whereas iPadOS 26 makes the iPad a way more full system, energy customers should not anticipate to get productiveness advantages versus utilizing a Mac. 

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The iPad and the Mac have at all times been complimentary gadgets with a couple of overlapping features — till iPadOS 26, which brings them quite a bit nearer collectively. The large query since Apple introduced iPadOS 26 at WWDC 2025 in June has been, “Does this imply I can lastly use my iPad to switch my laptop computer?” 

The reply for me is, “No.” However that does not imply that iPadOS 26 is not a giant step ahead. I have been utilizing the betas of iPadOS each day for the previous two months and I discovered quite a bit to love. Let’s dig into the very best new options that I feel you are going to love in your iPad when the brand new software program arrives.

How I examined iPadOS 26

I attempted iPadOS 26 on an 11-inch M4 iPad Professional, in order that I may choose it as a machine with laptop-like efficiency and capabilities (and a laptop-like value at $1,899 for the configuration I used). The mannequin I used had a Tandem OLED show with nano-texture glass, which exceeds the show high quality of any MacBook Professional you should buy, not less than by way of shade gamut, distinction ratio, peak brightness, response instances, and black ranges. 

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

Make no mistake, this M4 iPad Professional is by far the very best iPad I’ve ever used. In reality, it is probably the most succesful pill I’ve ever used. However that does not make it a laptop computer killer. There are nonetheless issues an iPad does higher than a laptop computer, and there are nonetheless issues which might be significantly better executed on a laptop computer. However we’ll get to that in a second.

My 4 favourite options in iPadOS 26

1. The brand new windowing system: In the end, Apple has introduced a Mac-like windowing system to the iPad and it is executed it in a robust and chic manner. The three acquainted inexperienced, yellow, and crimson dots for shut, reduce, and maximize at the moment are current on iPad home windows, so long as you select Windowed Apps relatively than Full-Display screen Apps or Stage Supervisor in your Settings. However now you possibly can resize home windows to your coronary heart’s content material, overlap home windows, and multi-task higher than ever. A number of instances I resized home windows with out that means to and I am nonetheless unsure what I am doing unsuitable that triggers that. In different phrases, it isn’t excellent but, but it surely nonetheless works rather well. And better of all, Apple constructed it into the underlying iPadOS in order that the characteristic involves nearly all iPad fashions which were launched since 2020. 

2. The menu bar: Whenever you swipe down from the highest of the display whilst you’re in an app, a Mac-like menu bar now seems. This exposes quite a lot of features and choices that you just’d beforehand need to dig by the Settings menu to entry. That is a win. As extra complicated apps undertake the menu bar it will be one of many sneaky energy person options that persons are going to like.

3. A real cursor: The iPad has had mouse help and a cursor for a number of years now, however the iPad’s model of a cursor was a spherical dot that mimicked the tip of your finger since it is a touchscreen system. I used to be thrilled to see that iPadOS 26 changed the dot with a triangular arrow that appears and feels far more like an actual mouse and is much more exact for working with the brand new windowing system and digging by the brand new menu bar.

Additionally: Your iPad is getting an enormous improve free of charge. Options I can not wait to make use of on iPadOS 26

4. A totally practical Recordsdata app: Managing information has lengthy been probably the most irritating issues on the iPad. I do quite a lot of studying on the iPad — it is a terrific studying system, and much more so with the nano-texture Tandem OLED show that blocks glare and fingerprints. However historically, it has typically been tough and brought too many steps to get paperwork downloaded from the online to the iPad after which open them in an app for fast and straightforward studying. In iPadOS 26, I navigated to a web site in Safari and located a PDF, swiped right down to entry the menu bar, clicked File | Save As after which navigated to a folder and saved it there. I opened the brand new Recordsdata app, simply positioned the file, and I shortly popped it open within the new Preview app — one other among the finest additions to iPadOS 26.

Two issues nonetheless lacking in iPadOS 26

1. A Mac-like Areas system to prepare units of home windows: As soon as I began resizing and shifting home windows round on iPadOS, I mechanically wished to arrange my system utilizing certainly one of my favourite options on the Mac: Areas. This allows you to arrange a set of home windows, apps, a browser logged into your every day companies, and so on. After which you possibly can create one other house/desktop with a special set of issues. I typically use totally different areas for work apps, private apps, picture enhancing, background media gamers, and mission areas the place I am engaged on one thing particular. And among the finest elements on the Mac is that you would be able to swipe up with three fingers in your mouse touchpad and it’ll present all your areas and you’ll shortly transfer to the one you need. In iPadOS 26, I repeatedly discovered myself desirous to swipe up with three fingers on the touchpad. Whereas the iPad has StageManager that does one thing comparable, it is simply not as intuitive, quick, and versatile as Areas. The iPad wants this.

Additionally: iPadOS 26 is popping my iPad Air into the ultraportable laptop computer it was meant to be

2. Clamshell mode: Now that iPadOS 26 has the iPad appearing extra like a Mac in some key methods and has the flexibility to connect with exterior displays, one other one of many key Mac capabilities that may be nice to import could be clamshell mode. That is the place you hook up with an exterior monitor after which shut the Mac, successfully making it function extra like a desktop as you’re employed solely on the monitor whereas utilizing an exterior mouse and keyboard. For instance, this got here up for me after I was at an offsite crew assembly and we wanted to dial-in a colleague. I attached my iPad to a TV within the convention room and used it to run Google Meet as a result of I wanted to be doing one thing else on my laptop computer. The one drawback with the setup was that the iPad needed to be open subsequent to the TV, so we noticed the identical picture on the iPad and the TV on the identical time, which was distracting. Clamshell mode would resolve this and would make the iPad much more like a grown-up laptop. 

The place does this depart the iPad?

As a tool to do your day job, the iPad stays what it has at all times been — a lightweight computing machine that is not as succesful for work as a laptop computer. However, iPadOS 26 has made the iPad a way more succesful laptop that is quite a bit much less irritating to make use of for doing extra highly effective duties.

And let’s not neglect, there are nonetheless loads of issues the iPad does higher than a laptop computer. It is higher for cell connectivity while you use the built-in 5G since you not often ever have to fret about Wi-Fi or hotspots. It is higher for drawing and taking handwritten notes with an Apple Pencil as a result of you possibly can’t do these issues on most laptops. It is higher for watching most films, reveals, and movies as a result of it has a greater show and it has apps which might be typically quicker and simpler to tug up content material. And for work, it is typically higher for single-task jobs the place you should focus and block out distractions. 

Nonetheless, if you should heavy multitasking, use a number of displays, copy-and-paste information between apps, manipulate giant information units, function complicated software program, or use shortcuts and scripts to automate key features, then you definitely’re nonetheless going to be a lot happier and extra productive utilizing a Mac (or a Linux or Home windows machine). 

Nonetheless, iPadOS 26 makes the iPad really feel just like the inevitable machine it was at all times meant to be. And that deserves a hat tip.