[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] More than a year after its release, Apple’s iPadOS 26 is being rated as the biggest software improvement in iPad history in terms of productivity. Repeated bugs and a rollback in some multitasking functions were cited as issues that still need to be resolved.

On May 29 local time, IT outlet 9to5Mac reported that a user who has used an iPad Pro as a primary work computer rated iPadOS 26 as “the most important software upgrade in iPad history.” The user said improvements to window management and file handling significantly boosted iPad productivity.

The biggest change is flexible app window management. iPadOS 26 changes its design to let users freely adjust window sizes and place them around the screen. Previously, the iPad remained in a limited multitasking environment. Now users can run some apps in what is effectively full screen while keeping other apps open at the same time in smaller windows. The user said the iPad gained proper window management after 15 years and the change was significant in everyday use.

Improvements to the Dock also received positive reviews. When windows do not cover the bottom of the screen, the Dock can be displayed at all times like on macOS. With more room for apps and folders, the user said switching between tasks became faster.

The file-management experience also improved significantly. The combination of the Files app and the newly added Preview app made document work and file management easier, and some functions were rated as close to Mac-level.

The menu bar was also cited as a productivity booster. By bringing app functions and controls into one place, it improves work efficiency. The user said, “It is not at the Mac level yet, but it is useful enough in its current form.” Overall, there were reactions that iPadOS has, for the first time, begun to properly use the iPad’s strong hardware performance.

There were also many complaints about polish. Apple highlighted a “Persistent Window Placement” feature in iPadOS 26 that remembers window positions and sizes, but critics said stability in real-world use fell short of expectations.

After app crashes, window layouts are frequently reset or revert to full screen, the report said. The user said the issue occurs “almost every day or once every two days.” The report said the problem points to remaining software-optimisation issues given that the device affected was a top-end iPad Pro with an M5 chip, 16GB of memory and a 10-core CPU.

Complaints were also raised about Slide Over, one of the multitasking functions. Apple restored the feature in iPadOS 26.1, but the user said its usefulness fell because it no longer allows multiple apps to be used simultaneously in Slide Over form as in the past. The user said, “If you look only at Slide Over, the experience has gone backward compared with iPadOS 18.”

More detailed usability issues also remain. Right-click response is slower than on a Mac, and windows often move while resizing them using a trackpad. In the Safari browser, a bug repeatedly appears in which the auto-complete function deletes the address being entered. Some websites still do not run certain functions properly, and the report said there were cases where users ultimately had to use a Mac.

Even so, iPadOS 26 is being rated as bringing the iPad closer to a productivity device akin to a Mac. That is because key productivity functions such as window management, the file system, the Dock and the menu bar have been significantly strengthened, expanding the iPad’s range of uses.

The industry now sees attention shifting to iPadOS 27. How much Apple can improve stability, browser compatibility and the completeness of multitasking on the productivity foundation already built is expected to be a key task that will determine the iPad’s future competitiveness.