After three developer betas, Apple has just released the first public beta for iPadOS 26. iPadOS 26 is a big release for iPad users bringing major new features to Apple’s tablet platform. You can find instructions for getting started with the public beta at beta.apple.com or use the guide I put together here.

Video Version

Tentpole Features

iPadOS 26 brings huge changes to the iPad experience:

Liquid Glass

The new Liquid Glass design language refreshes the iPadOS system interface across the board. The material mimics the properties for glass in the real world, while also being able to provide fluid animations and respond to gestures and touches.

New Windowing Architecture

The redesigned windowing system brings support for multiple, overlapping windows across the entire iPad line (if you choose). The iPad also receives a couple of features from macOS:

• “Traffic Light” window controls make it easy to maximize, minimize, or close windows
• The new Menu Bar surfaces app functionality and keyboard shortcuts into a single, accessible place.
  

Audio Recording Controls

iPad users gain greater control over system audio. In apps that record audio, there’s now an system level option to selected the desired microphone. And for podcasters, you can now record your own local audio while on a call with others.

New Apps

The iPad experience gets rounded out by adding some new and overdue apps, Journal, Phone, Preview, and Games.

Background Tasks

This is the one major new feature that won’t be testable in the public beta, unless your testing a developer’s iPadOS 26 app (and they’ve added the feature, of course). iPadOS now allows apps to start long running tasks, and continue in the background to completion.