Apple’s iPadOS 26 brings long overdue improvements to the Files app, making it finally feel like a serious tool for managing documents, especially for users who rely on the iPad as a laptop replacement.
Announced at WWDC 2025, the updated Files app includes a more functional List view with sortable and resizable columns, bringing it closer to the Finder experience on macOS. Columns for Date Modified, Kind, and Size are now adjustable, letting users prioritize the details that matter most. Folders within the List view are also collapsible, which means you can now drill into nested folders without completely losing sight of the parent directory. It’s a small but critical tweak that dramatically improves navigation.
Customization is another key upgrade. Users can personalize folders with colors, icons, or even emoji, and those changes sync across devices. This not only makes folders easier to identify at a glance but also helps keep your workspace visually organized. For those who work on the go, iPadOS 26 adds the ability to drag any folder from Files directly into the Dock. That means quicker access to important files without needing to open the app at all, which power users will appreciate.
The Files overhaul is part of a wider effort to make iPadOS feel more like a desktop environment. The new multitasking system in iPadOS 26 supports fully resizable app windows that can be placed freely on the screen, similar to macOS or Windows. Apps can be snapped to the sides or corners of the display for split-screen or quarter-screen layouts, and an all-new menu bar at the top of the screen makes frequent actions easier to reach. Apple has also brought its macOS-style Preview app to iPad, giving users a native way to open and edit PDFs, images, and other file types without needing third-party tools.
Behind the scenes, iPadOS 26 supports true background processes, even for processor-intensive tasks like video exporting. This change alone marks a shift toward making the iPad a more capable productivity device. Downloads now show up directly in the Dock, and for the first time, users can set default apps for opening specific file types. These features collectively bring the Files app and the iPad experience closer to parity with the Mac, reducing the friction for users who bounce between devices.
iPadOS 26 is available now in developer beta, with a public beta expected in July and a full release this fall. It’s compatible with the 2018 iPad Pro and newer, the third-gen iPad Air and newer, the eighth-gen iPad and newer, and the fifth-gen iPad mini and up.
