The latest iPad software update, iPadOS 26.1, arrived yesterday with a big upgrade for productivity: Slide Over is back. Here’s how the new version of Slide Over works, and why I’m so excited by its return.
iPadOS 26’s new windowing system had one flaw, but Slide Over fixes it
I’ve used the iPad Pro as my primary computer for a full decade, ever since the first iPad Pro debuted.
Over the years I’ve learned to work within the limitations of iPadOS. But I was very excited for iPadOS 26 to upgrade productivity like never before.
The new windowing system for apps is exactly what many iPad users have wanted for years. Yet despite its strengths, there was one flaw.
Slide Over and Split View, two features that had been core to iPad multitasking for years, were removed entirely.
You can largely replicate the benefits of Split View with iPadOS 26’s new system, but not Slide Over.
Here’s what Slide Over does, per Apple’s description:
In iPadOS 26.1 or later, you can set one window as a Slide Over window to stay open on top of other windows. You can also move the Slide Over window off screen and bring it back when you need it.
In iPadOS 18, I would use Slide Over all the time to quickly pop in and out of apps while keeping my main app fully in view and accessible.
For example, when writing an article in Safari or Ulysses, I would use Slide Over to easily browse social media, chat in Slack or Messages, manage Music playback, and more.
The key benefits of Slide Over are twofold:
- You can easily pop into apps then dismiss them from the screen to eliminate visual clutter
- You can continue working in other apps while Slide Over floats above them
Slide Over’s removal in iPadOS 26 took some adjusting, but I’m thrilled it’s back in iPadOS 26.1.
How I’m using Slide Over in iPadOS 26.1
To use Slide Over, long-press the green window controls button near the top of the screen, then tap ‘Enter Slide Over.’
If you used the feature in iPadOS 18, the only drawback of Slide Over in iPadOS 26.1 is that it no longer supports stacking multiple apps together.
This is an unfortunate regression, and I hope a future update changes it.
But even with the new single-app functionality, having Slide Over again has been fantastic.
I typically keep Slack as my Slide Over app, so I can keep writing, browsing the web, or doing anything else on-screen while keeping Slack not only in view, but also useable.
Before iPadOS 26.1, I made Slack a narrow, Slide Over-like window on the right side of my screen. But I couldn’t:
- Invoke it with a keyboard shortcut like I can now (Globe + )
- Nor could I continue working in other apps while keeping Slack accessible
On the latter point, Slack would disappear if I did anything in another app. The only fix for this would have been to resize all my windows to make extra room for Slack on the side.
But I don’t want or need Slack visible all the time, so I’d be sacrificing vital screen real estate for little gain.
Slide Over, combined with the power of the new iPadOS 26 windowing system, has made my iPad Pro more powerful than ever for multitasking. Here’s hoping the feature gets even better in the future, too.
To learn the ins and outs of how Slide Over works, check out Apple’s support documentation.
Does Slide Over’s return make much of a difference in your iPadOS workflows? Let us know in the comments.
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