Apple surprised iPad users earlier this year when it removed Slide Over, the floating mini-window mode that had been part of iPadOS since iOS 9, and replaced it with a more desktop-like windowed interface that let you freely resize and move app windows.
The change seems to have upset some iPad users who liked the simpler multitasking. If you’re one of them, we have some good news: With the just-released iPadOS 26.1 beta 2, Apple has quietly brought Slide Over back, although in a slightly different form.
How the new Slide Over works
The latest beta of iPadOS 26.1 adds Slide Over back. Users will find it by tapping and holding the green resize button in the upper-left corner of any app window. In addition to the current options to move and resize, there’s now a “Slide Over” button.
Once you put an app in Slide Over, it behaves pretty much the same way as before. The window floats over other apps instead of sitting in a split view. This time, Apple also lets users resize apps in the new Slide Over, and they can move the mini window around the screen by dragging.
The change essentially combines the flexibility of iPadOS 26’s new multitasking with the convenience of Slide Over for quick-access apps such as Messages or Music.
Why it matters
The great advantage of Slide Over is that the window always remains in the front, no matter how many other apps are opened. This is great for when you need access to information in a specific app while multitasking.
Many iPad users, especially those who often keep a second app handy for quick tasks, missed Slide Over when it disappeared in iPadOS 26. Bringing it back shows that Apple is listening to feedback from testers who found the new windowing system less convenient for casual multitasking.
Availability
For now, iPadOS 26.1 beta 2 is only available to developers – and should be released within a day or two to public beta testers. Apple is expected to release iPadOS 26.1 to the general public later this month.
Author: Filipe Esposito, Contributor
Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian journalist who has been covering tech for over 10 years, and has become known for publishing exclusive reports on Apple's plans – such as the launch of the first titanium Apple Watch. He has worked for 9to5Mac and also co-hosts the tech podcast “A Fonte” in Brazil.