Trying iPadOS 26 Developer Beta: First Impressions – Is it Really Game-Changing?
I don’t usually download developer betas, but as an avid iPad user, I simply couldn’t wait to try iPadOS 26.
The reason: iPadOS 26 changes everything, or at least I hope it does!
My ageing 11-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation has been at the heart of my productivity ecosystem. It helped me get through university, it helped me start a side-hustle and it continues to serve me well to this day. I would even go as far as saying that this iPad has earned a special place in my heart, hence the reason I haven’t upgraded it yet.
With that in mind, I always felt like something was missing with iPads and that feeling was confirmed when Apple renamed the iPad version of iOS to iPadOS, but now it makes sense in my mind.
iPad OS 26 brings many new game-changing features, some of which I hoped the iPad will get in the future. It also introduces a new interface called Liquid Glass.
Those are some of the reasons I couldn’t wait until Autumn to try iPadOS 26.
I’ve now been using the developer beta for a couple of days, and I wanted to share my thoughts about some of the features I’ve been trying out. So, without any further ado, here are my first impressions.
Disclaimer: As with any Beta release I discourage downloading it unless you are confident. Beta releases may feature bugs and may make your device unstable.
New interface and windowing system
I never really had any issues with the previous interface or multi-tasking features. However, I always thought that Apple could do more with it, especially when it comes to windowing. Based on my first impressions of the new windowing system, I think that Apple have gone beyond my expectations. They have really made the iPad feel like a lighter version of macOS.
Not only do the windows feel easier to manage and organise, but they also make the iPad experience feel more complete. That’s thanks to the new macOS-like Window Controls and the fact that I can size the windows to how I want them.
Apple has also introduced a new menu bar, which makes it easier to access options and makes the device feel more like macOS.
Moving on to the interface, the new design definitely gives the iPad a pleasant new feel, and I like the new design language of Apple apps which can be seen in many Apps such as the Files app, the Notes app, and the reminders app.
A welcome feature I like is that if you are using a trackpad or mouse with your iPad, they changed the look of the pointer to make it look like an actual pointer, which is a brilliant addition.
When I upgraded to the developer preview, the app icons and widgets remained set as default, and when I held the Home Screen and tapped on Edit, then Customise, it gave me the option to choose default, dark, clear, or tinted themes. Having tried clear I’m not sure how I feel about it, I mean don’t get me wrong, it looks nice, but I’m not yet sure if I like it or not.
But as a whole, I think that the fresh look and feel of iPadOS 26 has seriously improved my iPad experience.
Productivity and multitasking
Although its still early days, the fresh look and feel of iPadOS 26 has definitely improved my experience of using the iPad.
Put it this way, I’m currently writing this blog post on my iPad using various apps including Microsoft Word, OneNote, Notion, Microsoft Edge and the Files app, and my experience of switching between windows and multi-tasking has been incredibly smooth.
iPadOS 26 also includes a few productivity enhancements such as the ability to customise folders in the Files App. You can now add tags and emojis to folders which can help with organisation. These aren’t features I tend to use, but I know there are people out there who may find them useful.
Journal App
Speaking about productivity, I wanted to talk in more detail about the Journal app.
I don’t tend to journal often, but I’m happy to see the Journal app on iPadOS.
When I was looking to get into journaling, I tried a handful of apps that were recommended to me, and Journal on iOS was one of my favourites, but I wasn’t really enjoying journaling on my iPhone.
Having an app on the device I do most of my planning on (my iPad) makes perfect sense to me. Therefore, due to this release, I may give journaling another go. If you have any suggestions on journaling, feel free to share them in the comments.
The Journal app will also be available on macOS Taho, which is great as it gives me more device options when journaling.
Performance and stability
For my tests, I am using the 2020 11-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation (my current iPad) and so far, my experience has been great, and as of yet, I haven’t had any crashes or major performance issues. I have however noticed that there is a barely noticeable stutter on some animations. But that’s to be expected with developer builds.
In terms of battery performance, as of yet I have not noticed anything different from the previous version of iPadOS, but it’s still early days.
Final Thoughts
After testing iPadOS 26 for a couple of days, I like what I see.
The new interface and windowing system have significantly improved my overall iPad experience, making it feel more like a desktop operating system, while keeping to it’s tablet form.
Over the years I tried many tablets, from Android tablets to Windows tablets and iPads, but out of the devices that I tried, I feel the desktop and tablet experience feels smoother on iPadOS 26.
I also like the productivity enhancements, such as the addition of the Journal app and customisable folders in the Files app, which I probably won’t use, but they are still a welcome addition.
Considering the fact that this is an early developer build, I haven’t had any serious issues with the operating system which is nice to see.
The only thing I’m not so sure about is the clear theme, I mean, don’t get me wrong, it looks nice, but I think it’s too early for me to decide whether I like it or not.
Overall, based on my first impressions of using iPadOS 26, I think it has exceeded my expectations, and I am looking forward to it being released later this year. So to answer the question in the title, I definitely think that this update is game-changing.
Have you tried iPadOS 26 yet? Share your thoughts below! If you haven’t, what features are you most excited about?