iPadOS 26 is a major upgrade for iPad productivity, but one of the new features that makes it the most Mac-like is buried inside Settings for the dock.Here are the details.iPadOS 26 can keep showing dock even when working inside apps In iPadOS 26, apps get an entirely new windowing system that works a lot like the Mac.
You can freely resize windows, overlap them, and do all the things that Stage Manager once tried to do, but couldn’t quite deliver.The update also brings the menu bar to the iPad, with direct inspiration from the Mac.But as great as those changes are, there’s another feature that might just make your iPad feel even more Mac-like than ever.
And it’s tied to a new toggle found in Settings.Inside the Settings app in iPadOS 26, the Multitasking & Gestures menu reveals a new option: ‘Automatically Show & Hide Dock.’ For Mac users, this toggle will be entirely familiar, but with a twist.By default, macOS always shows the dock unless you choose to have it automatically hide.
The other exception is when apps are in full-screen.So on Mac, the setting reads: ‘Automatically hide and show the Dock.’ On iPad though, things work a little differently.The dock is always visible on the iPad’s Home Screen, but otherwise it stays hidden unless you invoke it.
But in iPadOS 26, by turning on the ‘Automatically Show & Hide Dock’ option, you can keep the dock visible even while working inside apps.Notice that ‘Show’ is emphasized first.All you have to do is make sure the app’s window doesn’t encroach on the dock’s territory.
Essentially, you need to follow two rules: The app’s window can’t be full-screen, otherwise the dock will stay hidden Nor can the window in any way occupy the bottom part of the screen where the dock lives Meet these two requirements? Then the dock will stay visible while working in apps.This can make switching between apps easier, and also pairs nicely with the dock’s new ability to hold folders from the Files app.For me, enabling the new setting and resizing my windows so the dock stays visible has made a huge difference.
These changes alone have made my iPad feel more like a Mac than ever before.What do you think of the new dock setting in iPadOS 26? Let us know in the comments.Best Apple product limited-time deals AirPods Pro 2 – now only $149 (down from $249) AirPods 4 – now only $89 (down from $129) Apple Watch Series 10 – now only $279 (down from $399) iPad mini w/ A17 Pro – now only $379 (down from $499) M4 MacBook Air – now only $849 (down from $999) You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.
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