iPadOS 26

Apple is set to make significant changes across every operating system with WWDC 2025. While visionOS-like redesigns and Apple Intelligence upgrades are rumored, a new change has appeared last minutes — iPadOS 26.

No, that's not a typo. It seems Apple wants to shift its naming conventions across the board to reflect the current year rather than an iterative number counted up from when the OS was introduced.

The name change helps unify the operating systems so they are all called "26." It also seems to be a result of Apple's planned unification in design paradigms.

Currently, the operating systems are called:

• iOS 18
• iPadOS 18
• macOS 15
• tvOS 18
• watchOS 11
• visionOS 2

Shifting every name to 26 for the 2025 release also singnifies Apple's annual release cycle. While it may seem strange to call it iPadOS 26 instead of 25, it is likely because it won't release to the public until October, then be the current OS for nine months of 2026.

Outside of this name change, the existing rumors are rather limited for iPadOS. Apple did reveal that it is bringing several new accessibility features to iPadOS later in 2025, like improved support for Braille and Continuity Camera, but those features are always pre-announced.

iPadOS could get a visionOS-like redesign

The update everyone will notice most is a rumored redesign that brings visionOS-inspired UI to iPadOS. No one knows what this will actually look like, but leaks and renders suggest glassy surfaces, reflecting light on edges, and transparency in some objects.

Other expected updates include bringing apps like Journal to iPadOS 26. For whatever reason, the Journal app has only been available on iPhone since launch.

Pro users could see improvements like a Menu bar being added when connected to an external keyboard or monitor. Other multitasking updates are expected, like improvements to Stage Manager, but those updates may be limited in scope given everything else expected at WWDC.

Apple will reveal iPadOS 26 during WWDC 2025 and share a developer beta immediately after the keynote. The updates are expected to be released shortly after the iPhone 17 is announced in September.