Apple released iPadOS 26.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.2 last month, and it turns out the updates were hiding a Wi-Fi improvement. The changes mean that select Mac and iPad users might notice faster Wi-Fi speeds, file transfers, and more.
The change was first spotted by MacRumors, based on updates to Apple’s platform deployment guide. After updating to iPadOS 26.2 and macOS 26.2, Macs and iPads that support Wi-Fi 6E now support up to 160MHz maximum channel bandwidth, up from the previous maximum of 80MHz. This applies when your Mac or iPad is connected to a 5GHz Wi-Fi network.
The report explains:
With the upgrade, Wi-Fi 6E devices that connect to a 5GHz network can get throughput approaching peak 6GHz speeds without having to connect to a 6GHz network. Users who have a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E setup that supports 160MHz on 5GHz networks will be able to take advantage of the bandwidth improvement. Macs that have the updated 160MHz bandwidth limit will not see improvements when connected to 5GHz routers limited to 80MHz.
Improvements include things like faster Wi-Fi speeds and throughput, particularly for tasks like file transfers and large uploads and downloads.
Macs and iPads that support Wi-Fi 6E include:
- MacBook Air introduced in 2024 or later
- MacBook Pro introduced in 2023 or later
- iMac introduced in 2023 or later
- Mac mini introduced in 2023 or later
- Mac Studio introduced in 2023 or later
- Mac Pro introduced in 2023 or later
- iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation), iPad Pro 12.9 inch (6th generation), or later
- iPad Air 11-inch (M2), iPad Air 13-inch (M2), or later
- iPad mini (A17 Pro) or later
You can learn more in Apple’s support article on its website. You can find detailed information on Wi-Fi specifications, supported bandwidth, device information, and much more.
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