iPadOS 27 beta 1 is available now for registered developers, with a public beta expected in July. The final release is expected this fall alongside Apple’s other major software updates.
While iPadOS 27 shares many changes with iOS 27, the update is especially important for developers because Apple is continuing to push iPad apps toward more flexible layouts. The release notes include multiple changes tied to app resizing, external displays, menu behavior, SwiftUI, UIKit, and scene-based lifecycle support.
Apple is also expanding app resizability across iPadOS. Apps built with the iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 SDKs are expected to behave more consistently across different window sizes and orientations, which matters as Apple continues to make the iPad experience more desktop-like.
The release notes also include new SwiftUI features, such as improved selectable Text behavior, AsyncImage caching, status bar toolbar controls, updated document APIs, and changes to how menu item images appear on iPadOS 27. UIKit also adds new behavior for menu elements, search controllers, external display scenes, and trait collection handling.
iPadOS 27 beta 1 also includes several user-facing and developer-facing changes shared with iOS 27. These include Metal 4.1 support, new StoreKit APIs, HealthKit updates, improved HomeKit Secure Video search through Apple Intelligence, stricter network security rules, and Background Assets improvements.
There are still several known issues in this first beta. Apple notes problems affecting Safari, Siri, Photos, Shortcuts, WidgetKit, Home Screen customization, external display behavior, and app resizing on iPad. Some iPad apps built with the iOS 27 SDK may also run into layout or orientation issues during resizing.
Because this is the first developer beta, iPadOS 27 beta 1 is best suited for developers and testers rather than everyday users. Anyone installing the update should expect bugs, performance issues, app compatibility problems, and incomplete features.
Apple will continue refining iPadOS 27 through future beta releases before the update becomes available to all compatible iPad users later this year.
