Apple has just unveiled iPadOS 26.1 beta 4 for developers. Here’s what to anticipate from today’s release.
### iPadOS 26.1: New features and expectations for today’s release
iPadOS 26.1 beta 4 brings us nearer to the update’s official launch.
The forthcoming major software update for iPad reintroduces a crucial multitasking feature that was eliminated in iPadOS 26: Slide Over.
Slide Over makes its official comeback in iPadOS 26.1, though with a new, more limited implementation. On the positive side, you can now adjust the Slide Over window size to your preference. However, the significant drawback is that Slide Over now allows only one app to run at a time. You can no longer have multiple apps stacked for quick switching.
In addition to Slide Over, other new features in iPadOS 26.1 include:
Generally, during Apple’s beta software phases, fresh features are introduced in early betas, but not as much in the later stages. Beta 4 is uncertain territory, as typically we would expect the Release Candidate around this time. Generally, as Apple approaches the wide release of an update, its teams concentrate more on bug fixes and stability. Adding new features can lead to increased instability in a release, so that’s not prioritized.
Therefore, if you’re installing Apple’s latest iPadOS 26.1 version, it should ideally offer greater stability than previous beta versions. But aside from enhanced performance, it’s unclear what other changes may occur.
We’ll update you on any new findings.
**Update**: iPadOS 26.1 beta 4 features a new toggle to reduce Liquid Glass’s transparency if you prefer a design reminiscent of iPadOS 18.
Do you think iPadOS 26.1 is ready for launch yet, or has it been quite buggy for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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