How to Use Windowed App Mode on iPad with iPadOS 26
One of the more intriguing new features introduced in iPadOS 26 for iPad is the optional windowed app mode for multitasking. Windowed apps behave very similar to application windows in MacOS or Windows, allowing you to have multiple simultaneous apps and documents open at the same time, often interloping each other. If you’ve ever felt like this windowed app functionality was missing from your iPad experience, you’ll be thrilled to have this feature on iPadOS now. And even if that’s not the case, it’s worth trying out for iPad users in general, because some of you might decide you prefer windowed apps anyway.
Windowed app mode on iPad is best used with a Magic Keyboard case, or with an external keyboard and mouse in general whether that be through Bluetooth or Universal Control and a Mac. It also generally works best on the bigger screen iPad models, as multiple windows can feel a bit more cluttered on the smaller screens.
How to Enable Windowed Apps Mode on iPad to Have Many Concurrent Apps Open on Same Screen
- Open the “Settings” app on iPad
- Go to “Multitasking & Gestures”
- Choose “Windowed Apps” as the multitasking option from the list
Once you activate Windowed Apps mode, you can now drag and resize any window – including the Settings app where you just made those changes, into an active window.
Entering Windowed Apps Mode is Easy
The easiest way to place an app into Windowed Mode is to simply click or drag from the corner of the app screen inward, and it’ll shrink the app down into a little window, kind of like Stage Manager. Except in Windowed mode, you can stack any apps windows atop one another.
Each window will have the familiar traffic light buttons to close, minimize, and maximize the app window – well, familiar if you’re coming from a Mac anyway.
Slide Over Works Too
And yes, Slide Over on iPad still works in Windowed Apps mode. You can even enter it by long-clicking the green button.
If Slide Over is not accessible to you, you need to update to ipadOS 26.2 or later.
Use the New Menu Bar
If you use a mouse or trackpad with your iPad, you also swipe up to the very top of the iPad screen to reveal the new menu bar, which is app specific, and very Mac-like.
Windowed Apps mode is perhaps the biggest reason for many iPad users wanting to upgrade to iPadOS 26. Between the ability to stack windows and use multiple apps and windows at once, quickly accessing an app with Slide Over, or using the new menu bar for each app, the multitasking capabilities of iPadOS 26 are significant and well worth checking out.
What do you think of the new Windowed Apps mode on iPadOS 26? Do you use the feature? Do you prefer it to the single app mode or to Stage Manager? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Wow, I just switched to iPadOS 26.2, and it defaulted to this Windowed Mode. It was wildly confusing, as I hadn’t read anything about it previously. It feels like every time I barely brush the screen, the window I’m working on changes size or jumps out of the way or does a back-flip. I had no idea what that rounded-corner line in the bottom right was or why my windows were freaking out all the time. I have just wasted 20 minutes researching this topic and have it figured out, but really: why would Apple default to this new system (without explanation!) instead of keeping things the same and allowing power users to switch to the new interface if they want to?
I love the Windowed Apps mode. I find it much easier to initiate than split screens, which were especially awkward with Procreate. I never used them much because they were so hard to get in and out of.
Windowed Apps does need Snapping. It’s hard to get the windows aligned with the screen edges. I’m surprised snapping wasn’t incorporated to begin with. Maybe it was and I just haven’t found the mechanism?
I really like it too, it makes me wish I had a 13″ iPad instead but I can’t justify the price of one even if it is on sale. The iPad Pro is comically overpriced and I don’t even consider it an option. A 13″ iPad plus magic keyboard is more than the price of a 13″ MacBook Air, except the iPad is not as capable, has less RAM and storage, and less performance capabilities.
But when you price out any iPad, and then remember that iPadOS is not a particularly capable operating system outside of consumption, you might as well buy a Mac. A Mac is a far superior machine, operating system, and far more capable. I do not consider the two to be in competition for each other because the capabilities are so vastly different, but at a pricing level they are.
The Apple product line up is very muddied right now, they need to clean it up.
Also, the Liquid Glass stuff is a mess on the Mac, huge downgrade to the Mac. It’s OK on iPhone and iPad though.
At least on a smaller iPad I just don’t find the windowed feature that useful. I actually felt the split screen option was the most useful. Even then I mostly just used a full screen mode. Maybe on the bigger iPads the multi tasking features have a place. I generally use my MacBook Air for any type of multitasking. I tried the whole my iPad can replace my laptop. Bought a keyboard and pencil and in the end it just wasn’t going to cut it.