iPadOS 26.2 Beta brings back two features many iPad users missed. Split View and Slide Over return after Apple removed them in iPadOS 26.0, and the change restores familiar workflows. The update feels like a correction, and you see that as soon as you try the new controls. Everything works inside the newer windowed system, yet it still respects older habits.
Apple first hinted at these changes in earlier betas, and sources inside the multitasking notes confirm how the team reshaped the interface. As you move through the system, you notice how the update tries to balance old and new. This shift matters because many users depend on quick multitasking on smaller iPads.
Split View and Slide Over Return
Split View makes its full comeback in Beta 3. You pull an app to either side of the screen, and it snaps into place. A small arrow tab helps you resize the layout and switch apps without much effort. Most apps already behave well, although a few still need developer fixes.
Slide Over works the same way as before. You drag an app to the edge, wait for the larger arrow tab, and drop it. It floats on top of another app, ready for quick switching. Apple limits Slide Over to one app at a time, but you can replace that app instantly by dragging a new one over it.
Windowed Multitasking Still Stays
The windowed system Apple introduced earlier still runs fine. You arrange apps freely, resize them, and mix them with Split View or Slide Over. However, these returning features do not work in full screen mode. This appears intentional and keeps windowed multitasking at the center of the update.
Some quirks remain though. The tab that shows active panes sometimes disappears, but a swipe from the edge brings it back. A few apps also behave oddly in Split View or Slide Over until they receive updates. Still, the return of these tools has been well received. Many users complained when Apple removed them in iPadOS 26.0, so this beta feels like an admission that the older methods still matter.
| Feature | iPadOS 26.0 | iPadOS 26.1/26.2 Beta | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split View | Removed | Restored in Beta 3 | Works through drag, drop, resize |
| Slide Over | Removed | Returns with 1 app limit | Quick floating access |
| Windowed Multitask | New | Remains | Resizable and flexible |
| Full Screen | Supported | No Split View or Slide Over | Only in windowed or Stage Manager |
iPadOS 26.2 takes a clear step toward balance. It keeps the new windowed system while giving users the classic tools they asked for.
