Apple has released iPadOS 26.1, the first point update for iPadOS 26. For many users, the .1 update is the point where they consider upgrading to a new OS, as many of the biggest bugs have been addressed.

iPadOS 26.1 is notable for iPad users as it restores the previously removed Slide Over multitasking feature.

Here’s what’s new in this update:

New (and returning) Features

Slide Over

The single biggest iPadOS 26 complaint I’ve read from iPad users was the removal of Slide Over. So it’s nice to see Apple prioritize addressing this issue so quickly.

Slide Over has been reimplemented to work alongside the new multitasking system. It works with both Windowed Apps and Stage Manager, but not Single Window mode.

You can put an app into Slide Over by tapping and holding the three traffic light buttons on the top of every window and selecting “Enter Slide Over.”

Fun fact: Any window can now be a Slide Over window, even if it doesn’t resize or participate in multitasking.

Gain Control for USB Microphones

In addition to being able to select your audio input per application, iPadOS 26.1 adds a slider for adjusting the input gain for USB-connected microphones.

This is accessible from control center when you have a microphone connected to your iPad. Tap on the input selector at the top and you should see the slider for your microphone. 

Local Capture Settings in the Settings App

The options for adjusting settings for Local Capture are now available in the Settings app. The settings that are available are:

• The option to set the location of the output file
• Switch between audio-only captures and captures that include video as well

Disable Lock Screen Camera Shortcut

A new toggle in Settings lets you disable the lock screen shortcut where you swipe right to left (often accidentally, in my case) to open the Camera app.

Music App Swipe Shortcut

The Music app lets you swipe on the Now Playing bar (where the track information shows) to go forward or backward a track.

Apple Intelligence

Additional Languages

Apple Intelligence is now available in the following additional languages:

• Danish
• Dutch
• Norwegian
• Portuguese (Portugal)
• Swedish
• Turkish
• Chinese (Traditional)
• Vietnamese

Live Translation Languages

AirPods Live Translation, which requires a connected device to do the actual translation, is now supported in the following languages:

• Chinese (Mandarin and Simplified)
• Italian
• Japanese
• Korean

UI Changes and Enhancements

Left-Aligned Settings Headers

Some of the titles in the primary sections of the Settings app are now left-aligned instead of center-aligned.

Left-Aligned Home Screen Folder Titles

When editing the name of a Home Screen folder, the title is now left-aligned instead of centered.

Liquid Glass Toggle

In Settings → Display & Brightness, there’s now a section for configuring Liquid Glass. There are two options: Clear and Tinted. The Clear option is currently the default and is the most transparent. The new Tinted option makes some UI elements more opaque and, for some, more legible.

Apple TV App Icon Update

As part of a light rebranding effort around Apple TV (the service, not the hardware), the icon for the TV app now features a rainbow hue.

Security Fixes

As with most updates, iPadOS 26.1 also contains a healthy number of security fixes across various parts of the system. You can read about the security content of iPadOS 26.1 here.