With the recent release of the iPadOS 26.5 Release Candidate, we now know what we can expect in the final release. Let’s take a look at what changes are coming to your iPad in May.

System Behaviors

New Face ID Animation on Face ID iPads

On an iPad with Face ID, i.e. the iPad Pro, if Face ID fails to authenticate you on the lock screen there’s a new animation showing the Face ID “face” in the center of the screen before being prompted to enter your passcode.

Magic Accessories Pairing Gets Easier

Connecting one of Apple’s “Magic” Mac accessories (Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad) via a USB cable will now also create a Bluetooth connection with your iPad, as well.

This is actually a big improvement if you’re someone who may want to use one of these accessories as part of an iPadOS desk setup. To this point, you’ve had to unpair one of these accessories from its currently paired machine to pair it to a new one.

This feature only seems to apply to the USB-C versions of these accessories. Plugging in my Lightning-based Magic Trackpad did not automatically create a Bluetooth connection.

New Pride Wallpaper

iPadOS 26.5 includes a new Pride wallpaper that is installable via the wallpaper gallery. The release notes refer to this wallpaper as “Pride Luminance”, and it reflects and refracts a spectrum of colors.

This wallpaper is customizable. If you scroll between different predefined options, and when you get to the end of the carousel, you can choose a primary color from a color picker to generate a new version of the wallpaper.

I love the Pride wallpapers as someone who’s always trying to make their device brighter.

App Updates

Suggested Places In Apple Maps

Apple Maps will now surface recommended locations based on what’s popular nearby as well as your search history. This is the precursor to the previously announced ads that are coming to Apple Maps, which Maps alerts you to when you launch it in 26.5.

End-To-End Encryption for RCS in Messages

This release includes support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging, which iPads have access to via Apple’s Continuity features. If both sender and receiver are on a carrier that supports encrypted RCS, messages between the two parties will be encrypted, and, in theory, neither Apple nor your carrier will be able to see the contents of those messages.

In theory.

Long Press Reminder Options

When you tap and hold on a Reminders notification today, one of your snooze options will be time of day specific and say “Remind me this afternoon” or “Remind me tonight”. With iPadOS 26.5, you should so see a version of this option with a specific time attached to it.

Developer Features

12 Month Subscriptions with Monthly Payment Option

Developers can now offer a 12 month subscription, but still allow the user to pay monthly instead of all at once, up front. At this time, this option will not be available in the US or Singapore, for whatever reason.