iPadOS 26 changed how you manage apps on the iPad. Apple replaced the familiar Slide Over and Split View setup with a new windowing system, and many users felt the loss right away. Slide Over disappeared completely, and key Split View actions stopped working. The shift frustrated people who relied on these tools every day.
Apple started to fix this in iPadOS 26.1 by restoring a basic version of Slide Over. It covered the essentials, though it still lacked some of the quick gestures users enjoyed. As testers noted in early coverage, the return felt helpful but not complete.
What’s new in iPadOS 26.2 beta 3
Apple is now expanding that work in iPadOS 26.2 beta 3. This update brings back one of the most important gestures. You can drag an app from the dock or from Spotlight search and place it directly into Slide Over or Split View. This simple action defined multitasking on earlier versions such as iPadOS 18, so its return makes the system feel familiar again.
As you drag the app icon around the screen, the preview shifts to show where it will land. You see clear guides for left, right, Slide Over, or a full window. The animation also helps you understand when you are placing the window in a tiled layout. Everything feels quicker and easier than before.
How the improved multitasking works
You can drop an app on the left or right side of the display to create a tiled Split View style layout. You can also drag an app over an existing window to replace it without closing the original one. The older app stays in the background, ready for you when you need it. This brings back a level of flexibility that iPadOS 26 initially lacked.
Slide Over still has limits. You cannot stack multiple Slide Over apps yet, and you must use the new windowing system instead of classic full-screen. Even so, the update brings the experience much closer to what long-time iPad users expect.
A meaningful step for iPad users
iPadOS 26.2 beta 3 shows that Apple is listening. People who missed the multitasking flow from iPadOS 18 now get something very close to it. The return of drag and drop for Slide Over and Split View makes everyday navigation smoother and brings back gestures many users trusted for years.
iPadOS 26.2 should arrive in December, and this update already feels like a strong step toward restoring the multitasking comfort that helped define the iPad experience.
