iPadOS 26 brings major changes to how multitasking works through a new app window system. And Apple’s new system was much better for me after I changed one key setting.
iPadOS 26 will make multitasking look like a Mac with the “Automatically show and hide the dock” feature
In iPadOS 26, apps get a brand new windowing system that works much like a Mac.
You can freely resize windows, overlap them, and do all the things that Stage Manager once tried to do but couldn’t quite pull off.
The update also brings a menu bar to the iPad with direct inspiration from the Mac.
But as great as these changes are, there’s another feature that will make your iPad look even more Mac-like than ever before. And it’s tied to a new toggle you’ll find in Settings.
In the Settings app in iPadOS 26, the Multitasking and Gestures menu offers a new option: “Automatically show and hide the dock.”
Mac users will find this switch quite familiar, but with a twist.
By default, macOS always shows the Dock unless you choose to hide it automatically. Another exception is when apps are in full screen mode. So on a Mac the setting is: ‘Automatically hide and show the Dock’.
However, things work a little differently on the iPad.
The Dock is visible on the iPad’s home screen, but tends to stay hidden when you’re working in apps unless you call it up.
However, in iPadOS 26, you can keep the dock visible even while working in apps by enabling the “Automatically show and hide the dock” setting. Notice that “View” is highlighted first.
All you need to do is ensure that the application window does not overlap the dock area.
Basically you have to follow two rules:
- The application window cannot be full screen, otherwise the dock will remain hidden
- Also, the window cannot in any way occupy the bottom of the screen where the dock lives
Do you meet these two requirements? After that, the dock will remain visible while working in applications.
This can make switching between apps easier, and also pairs well with the dock’s new ability to hold folders from the Files app.
Enabling the new setting and resizing the windows to keep the dock visible made a huge difference for me.
These changes alone made my iPad feel more like a Mac than ever before.
What do you think of the new dock settings in iPadOS 26? Let us know in the comments.
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