Hidden iPad features everyone should try: multitasking, smarter files, and real desktop-like controls with iPadOS 26

There’s more to your iPad than meets the eye, especially after the big iPadOS 26 update. Apple has quietly rolled out a handful of fresh features meant for people who need to get things done. A few of these tools will quickly feel like something you can’t live without if you use your iPad for work or business.

1. Multi-window snap and advanced multitasking

If multitasking has always seemed clunky, the latest iPadOS changes that. Tap the “traffic light” button you’ll see at the top of your app, then choose how you want your windows arranged. Maybe you want your research browser, a notes app, and your email open at the same time. Now, you can set their position in a couple of taps. The system also lets you save these setups, so switching from ‘work mode’ to ‘evening catch-up’ can become as easy as clicking a preset.

2. Custom menu bar and keyboard shortcuts

A gentle swipe down from the top of the screen reveals a context-sensing menu. Say you’re in Safari - you’ll see quick links to bookmarks and tabs, while in editing apps, the menu flips to show you useful keyboard shortcuts. Instead of rooting around in menus, everything you need is right where your thumb lands. For anyone who spends hours bouncing between tools, this makes the iPad feel less like a mobile device and more like a flexible desktop.

3. Background tasks and the overhauled Files app

Big file transfers or video exports used to mean putting your iPad aside and waiting. Now, those tasks happen in the background, so you can slide right into another app with no slowdowns. The revamped Files app borrows from macOS and lets you sort, colour-tag, and pin folders straight to your Dock. For anyone who lives out of their downloads folder, this makes a real difference, especially when you can open, markup, and share files right from the same place.

4. Enhanced dock and persistent app organisation

The Dock can now hold a lot more apps, folders, files, and even your most-used projects. Need to keep all your creative docs close or want one-tap access to assignments? Pin them next to your core apps. The idea is to turn the dock into a launchpad instead of just a parking bay.

5. “Liquid Glass” cursor and smart pointer tools

Plug in a mouse or trackpad and you’ll find the iPad pointer feels surprisingly clever. The new “liquid glass” design tracks more smoothly, can be easily customised, and if it gets lost, shaking the device brings it back in sight. For anyone using their iPad for design or presentations, this upgrade makes long sessions less frustrating.

These features might sound small, but they add up fast. Day by day, they help the iPad act less like a blown-up phone and more like a proper workmate. With iPadOS 26, Apple has focused on flexibility and shortcuts that support real work in the real world.