Apple finally admits its iPad mini mistake—and makes things right with iPadOS 26

A few years ago, when Apple introduced Stage Manager for the iPad, many users were left out due to the new feature’s hardware requirements. The new multi-window feature only worked on Pad Pro and iPad Air models new enough to have M-series chips (and eventually the A12X and A12Z iPad Pro). That means Apple’s smallest tablet, the iPad mini, was left out completely.

But now with iPadOS 26, which was announced in June at WWDC 2025, Apple is delivering a brand new window management system heavily inspired by macOS. And this time, you don’t need a big screen to join in.

A multitasking miss

When the first iPad was introduced, it had a lot in common with the iPhone. After all, they both ran the same operating system. However, over the years, the iPad’s hardware has evolved considerably. It’s now available in larger (and also smaller) sizes, with higher-resolution displays that are powered by the same chips inside Macs.

In an attempt to meet the demands of Pro users, Apple began introducing some more advanced software features to the iPad. It started with Split View in iOS 9, which let iPad users open two apps side by side at the same time for the first time. Then Apple rebranded the iPad version of iOS as iPadOS, signifying that the two platforms were different and the iPad would get exclusive features that aren’t available on the iPhone.

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One of these features is Stage Manager, introduced with iPadOS 17. It takes multitasking on the iPad to the next level, letting users open up to four apps at the same time. Apps can be resized and moved around the screen, similar to what you can do on a full computer.

While Stage Manager isn’t exactly the same as what you get on a Mac in terms of window management, it’s close. But its hardware limitations—it only works on iPads with at least 8GB RAM—left iPad mini users with a tablet that still felt like a large iPhone.

iPadOS 26 brings multitasking to big and small tablets

One of the main highlights of iPadOS 26 is how it changes multitasking again. It seems that Apple has finally listened to what at least some iPad users have always wanted: a real window management system. 

Rather than being limited to a grid and sizes set by Apple, iPadOS 26 lets users move apps around freely on the screen. Windows can also be resized anyway you want, and you can have as many apps open at the same time (though there are memory limits due to RAM, which vary by device). 

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The new Background Tasks API, which will let third-party apps run certain tasks while using other apps (such as exporting a video while watching a video in another app), will also be available for all iPads running iPadOS 26.

And those features are available to all iPads that support iPadOS 26, including the mini. What’s most interesting is that iPadOS 26 doesn’t kill Stage Manager. In fact, it expands compatibility to all iPads running iPadOS 26, so the iPad mini now has a choice of multitasking options.

I’ve been using the beta on my iPad mini, and running multiple apps at the same time has transformed the way I work, even on a miniature screen. I particularly love being able to open three or four social networking apps at the same time.

Of course, there are still some limitations. While you can have multiple windows on an iPad mini, it still doesn’t have full support for extended displays. That means you’ll only be able to mirror the iPad mini’s screen on an external display. Still, that’s better than nothing, which is what I had before.

A giant update for the mini

In addition to better multitasking, there’s even more in iPadOS 26 that makes the iPad mini experience better. This includes a Menu Bar with quick access to commands and shortcuts for each app, just like on the Mac–also available for all iPads, not just a select few.

Users can also place folders from the Files app in the Dock and customize them with different colors and icons. Moreover, the iPad is getting the Preview app for the first time, with tools for editing and marking up PDFs. And how could I forget the brand new Liquid Glass interface?

If you’re excited about everything that’s new in iPadOS 26, Apple recently released a public beta version for users interested in trying it out before the official launch this fall. Just keep in mind that beta software may come with some bugs.