Apple today released iPadOS 26.1, the first major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September.iPadOS 26.1 comes six weeks after iPadOS 26.1.The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
iPadOS 26.1 reintroduces Slide Over, a multitasking feature that was removed with the multitasking overhaul in iPadOS 26.Slide Over works alongside the window-based multitasking functionality in iPadOS 26, so you can open up multiple app windows and still swipe over to quickly access a Slide Over app.Only one Slide Over app is supported at a time in iPadOS 26.1, and the feature is accessible by tapping on the green window resizing button and choosing Enter Slide Over.
iPadOS 26.1 also includes almost all of the new features that are in iOS 26.1, such as a toggle to reduce Liquid Glass transparency and Apple Intelligence support for new languages.Apple's release notes for the update are below.A list of features in iOS 26.1 can be found in our iOS 26.1 launch post, and more info on iPadOS 26 is available in our roundup.