Apple has released iPadOS 26.1 public beta 2. You can install it today if you’ve enrolled your iPad in Apple’s Beta Software Program. The update arrived a day after the developer build, keeping the fall cadence tight.
What’s new in beta 2
You get Slide Over back. Apple removed it with iPadOS 26’s windowing shift, but public beta 2 restores the compact floating app you can summon over your current workspace. That change matters if you rely on quick message replies or a calculator without rearranging windows.
You also see small but useful refinements. Apple tweaks the Liquid Glass look, tidies interface labels, and continues polishing the redesigned multitasking model. On the shared codebase side, Apple adds a slide-to-stop gesture for alarms and timers to prevent accidental dismissals. These adjustments bring iPadOS closer to everyday comfort.
How to get it safely
Enroll your device in Apple’s Beta Software Program, then go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and choose iPadOS 26 Public Beta. Back up first. Apple’s developer releases page lists iPadOS 26.1 beta 2 as build 23B5059e, posted on October 6, which matches this public rollout.
If you test for app compatibility or new language coverage, you benefit from the broader Apple Intelligence language expansion that ships across the 26.1 cycle. Expect this public beta to reflect that push as Apple lines up features ahead of the point release. Keep a secondary device for testing if you depend on uptime.
