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

A few years ago, when Apple introduced the iPad stage manager, many users were left out due to the material requirements of the new functionality. The new multi-window functionality has only worked on PAD PRO and iPad Air models new enough to have Muenies M (and ultimately the iPad Pro A12X and A12Z). This means that the smallest Apple tablet, the iPad Mini, was completely left out.

But now with iPados 26, which was announced in June at WWDC 2025, Apple offers a brand new window management system strongly inspired by MacOS. And this time, you don’t need a big screen to participate.

A multitasking miss

When the first iPad was introduced, he had a lot in common with the iPhone. After all, they both directed the same operating system. However, over the years, the equipment of the iPad has evolved considerably. It is now available in larger sizes (and also smaller), with high -resolution screens that are powered by the same chips inside Mac.

In order to respond to requests from professional users, Apple has started to submit more advanced software features to the iPad. It started with the Split view in iOS 9, which allowed iPad users to open two applications side by side at the same time for the first time. Then Apple renamed the iPad version of iOS in the form of iPados, which means that the two platforms were different and that the iPad would obtain exclusive features that are not available on the iPhone.

Foundry

One of these features is an internship manager, introduced with iPados 17. It is necessary to multitasking the iPad at the next level, allowing users to open up to four applications at the same time. Applications can be resized and moved around the screen, similar to what you can do on a complete computer.

Although the stage manager is not exactly the same as you get on a Mac in terms of window management, it is close. But its hardware limitations – it only works on iPads with at least 8 GB of RAM – users of iPad Mini with a tablet that always looked like a large iPhone.

iPados 26 provides multitasking to large and small tablets

One of the main strengths of iPados 26 is the way he changes multitasking again. It seems that Apple finally listened to what some iPad users have always wanted: a real window management system.

Rather than being limited to a grid and sizes defined by Apple, iPados 26 allows users to freely move applications to the screen. The windows can also be resized anyway, and you can have as many applications open at the same time (although there are memory limits due to RAM, which vary depending on the device).

Foundry

The API of the new background tasks, which will allow third-party applications to perform certain tasks while using other applications (such as the export of a video while watching a video in another application), will also be available for all iPados 26 iPads.

And these features are available for all iPads that support iPados 26, including mini. What is most interesting is that iPados 26 do not kill the stage manager. In fact, it widens compatibility to all iPads performing iPados 26, so that the iPad Mini now has a choice of multitasking options.

I used the beta version on my iPad Mini, and run several applications at the same time transformed my way of working, even on a miniature screen. I particularly like to be able to open three or four social networking applications at the same time.

Of course, there are still some limits. Although you can have several windows on an iPad Mini, it still has no full support for extensive screens. This means that you can only reflect the iPad Mini screen on an external screen. However, it’s better than nothing, that’s what I had before.

A giant update for the mini

In addition to a better multitasking, there is even more in iPados 26 which improves the iPad Mini. This includes a menu bar with quick access to commands and shortcuts for each application, as well as on Mac – also available for all iPads, not just a few.

Users can also place files from the Files application in the platform and personalize them with different colors and icons. In addition, the iPad obtains the first application for the first time, with tools to modify and mark PDF. And how could I forget the brand new liquid glass interface?

If you are enthusiastic about everything that is new in iPados 26, Apple recently published a public beta version for users interested in trying it before the official launch this fall. Keep in mind that beta software can be delivered with certain bugs.