iPadOS 26.1 Arrives: Slide Over Returns & More!
Apple has just rolled out iPadOS 26.1, a pretty significant update if you ask me, especially since it's the first major one since iPadOS 26 dropped in September. It's been about six weeks since the last update, iPadOS 26, so it's good to see some fresh improvements.
If you're wondering how to get your hands on it, it's pretty straightforward. Just head over to Settings, then General, and finally Software Update. Your iPad will do the rest.
One of the coolest things about this update is the return of Slide Over. If you remember, this multitasking feature was taken away when iPadOS 26 revamped multitasking. Now, it's back and plays nicely with the window-based multitasking already there. It means you can juggle multiple app windows and still quickly swipe to access a Slide Over app. There is a catch: you can only use one Slide Over app at a time, and you can get to it by tapping the green window resizing button and choosing "Enter Slide Over".
However, that's not all! iPadOS 26.1 is bringing almost all the new features that you can find on iOS 26.1, like that toggle for reducing Liquid Glass transparency, and also support for Apple Intelligence in more languages.
Other updates include: You can now keep a window on top of other windows with Slide Over, hiding it when you don't need it. The windows in Slide Over are now resizable. If you're using external USB microphones, you can now control the gain while recording. Also, there's a new setting that lets you choose where your local capture files are saved.
The update includes a new Liquid Glass setting, letting you pick between the default clear look or a tinted one, which makes the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen more opaque. There's now an Apple Music MiniPlayer swipe gesture to skip to the next or previous track, plus AutoMix support over AirPlay. If you don't want people swiping on the Lock Screen to open the Camera, there's now a setting to turn that off. FaceTime audio quality should be better in areas with low bandwidth. To protect younger users, Communication Safety and web content filters that limit adult websites are now enabled by default for accounts of users aged 13-17. Finally, the Apple Vision Pro app, which helps you discover new content and spatial experiences, is now on iPad.
Source: Mac Rumors