The iPad and I are not always the best of friends.
In class and meetings, it’s unbeatable for taking notes, but for everyday tasks, I still keep reaching for my MacBook.
That mostly comes down to the unnecessarily complicated window management. What Apple had in mind with iPadOS 26 isn’t entirely clear to me.
But you can take five relaxed minutes now and decide which mode fits your workflow best — without getting frustrated by Apple’s chaos.
The Three Options at a Glance
You’ll find all three modes in your iPad settings under Multitasking & Gestures. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t do a great job explaining the differences. So let’s start with a quick overview, then take a closer look at which mode actually makes sense for how you work.
1. Apps in Full Screen
This is where it all started.
In this mode, you get the classic iPad behavior from the very beginning. One app always fills the entire screen, and you switch between apps by swiping along the bottom edge. To be honest, I still don’t fully understand when to swipe left and when to swipe right.
If you’re using a trackpad, this becomes much easier, just swipe left or right with three fingers.
I find this mode perfect for reading, writing, drawing, or simply watching videos. Any task that requires focus on a single thing works well here. It’s also a great option for kids who are learning or doing homework. Multitasking is limited, of course, but that’s not necessarily a downside.
If you want to work with multiple windows at the same time, the next two options are a better fit.
2. Apps as Windows
This mode was introduced with iPadOS 26.
The idea is to make MacBook users feel more at home on the iPad. Apps open in freely movable windows, you can resize them from the corners, and place them wherever you like. That said, it’s not quite as intuitive as working on a laptop because new windows don’t automatically open side by side.
You always have to set that up yourself, here’s my preferred way to do it:
Open one app and adjust the window size.
Open Spotlight — either by swiping down on the Home Screen or pressing Cmd + Space — and search for the second app.
Tap and hold the app icon until it “floats,” then drop it onto the already open window.
Even better, of course, is using multiple windows intentionally for specific tasks. Two especially useful options are Split View and Slide Over.
Split View — two apps side by side
For me, this is the most practical way to work on the iPad.
The possible combinations are almost endless:
Notes and Reminders for daily planning
Mail and Calendar for scheduling
Photos and Keynote for presentations
ChatGPT and Pages for editing texts
And there are several ways to set this up:
One option is built directly into every app. Swipe down slightly from the top of the screen to reveal the menu. In the top left, you’ll see three small dots in traffic light colors. Tap them briefly to expand them, then press and hold the green dot.
Choose Move & Resize and select the left or right side of your screen.
Grab an app by its top bar and throw it toward the left or right edge is another way. This works well with one finger, but with a mouse or trackpad, I recommend this approach instead:
Place one app on one half of the screen, then open a second app (from the Dock or via Spotlight) and drag it to the empty side. This even works if the first app is still in full screen — the drop area is just a bit smaller. Release, and both apps will snap into Split View.
You can adjust the divider in the middle to give one app more space if needed.
Slide Over — one app floats in front
Slide Over briefly disappeared with iPadOS 26 before Apple brought it back in early updates.
Luckily, because it’s one of the most useful features. It’s especially handy when you want to take notes while reading, use ChatGPT as a sparring partner, or quickly run a calculation. As a teacher, I use the calculator in Slide Over all the time during class.
To activate Slide Over, press and hold the green dot in the traffic light menu and select Slide Over. The app turns into a narrow window on the right side that floats above everything else — no matter what other apps you open. You can move the window freely, even off the edge of the screen.
A small arrow will show that a Slide Over window is hidden there. Tap it or slide it back in, and it reappears instantly.
By the way, Split View and Slide Over are also available in the last of the three window options — Stage Manager.
3. Stage Manager
This was Apple’s first attempt to bring flexible multi-window workflows to the iPad.
The biggest difference compared to window mode is the sidebar on the left, which shows recently used apps and app groups. With Stage Manager, you can create fixed window combinations and switch between them easily. This lets you group apps by task.
All windows that are open and arranged together are automatically saved as a group. You can switch between them anytime using the sidebar previews.
Okay, you do lose a bit of screen space this way, but I actually like working with this structured layout.
If you have a consistent workflow, Stage Manager becomes very powerful. You set up your apps once, and they always return exactly the way you arranged them. If you’ve found a setup that works (ideally on a larger iPad) this might be the best mode of all.
Conclusion: Which Mode Fits You?
In my opinion, these many options on the iPad are more confusing than helpful.
On the other hand, iPadOS 26 gives you several ways to work — either fully focused or with multiple apps at once.
My recommendation for you:
Apps in Full Screen — if you mainly use your iPad for personal tasks like reading, watching shows, or browsing. Simple and effective.
Apps as Windows — once you want to work with multiple apps at the same time. A great starting point if you’re exploring multitasking on the iPad.
Stage Manager — if you have a structured workflow and want to group apps by task. The more advanced version of Apps as Windows, but with added organization.
Split View and Slide Over are great additions in the last two modes, and often all you really need.
Thanks for reading,
Georg
Which setup works best for you? Or do you stick with full-screen apps? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.