Apple Introduces iPadOS 15: First Look at New Features

Apple today unveiled iPadOS 15, its next-generation operating system for iPad that introduces a slew of new features like widgets on the Home Screen, an iPhone-style App Library, new multi-tasking features, and more. Here's a rundown of what to expect.

Apple iPadPro iPadOS15 springboard widgets 060721 big

Widgets

Like iOS 14, iPadOS 15 lets users place widgets anywhere on their ‌Home Screen‌ pages and among their apps.

Widgets are also getting a new larger format on ‌iPad‌ that make better use of the larger screens available, which should make showcasing media more enjoyable. There are also new ‌iPad‌ widgets for Find My, Contacts, Game Center, Mail, and the App Store.

App Library

App Library, which also debuted in iOS 14, is now coming to ‌iPad‌, allowing users to organize their apps into categories like Productivity, Games, and Recently Added. The App Library is built right into the Dock, so users can always get to it with a touch. App Library also lets users hide and reorder their Home screen pages.

Multitasking

iPadOS 15 also brings multitasking improvements with a new multitasking menu that allows users to switch between full screen, Split View, and Slide Over.

In Split View, for example, it's possible to swipe down to replace an app with a new one for either side of the screen, while the same thing works for apps with multiple windows.

Apple iPadPro iPadOS15 multitasking splitview 060721 big
Meanwhile a new Shelf display gives you access to all open windows for any given app. For example, you can view multiple open Safari windows and even windows that are paired with other apps in Split View, for an at-a-glance overview.

Apple is also adding new key shortcuts for these new multitasking ‌iPad‌ functions. Users can quickly set up and switch between Split View and Slide Over with new shortcuts for multitasking right from the keyboard.

Notes

As for note-taking on ‌iPad‌, the Notes app is finally getting tags support. Tags will make it easier to categorize notes and find them quickly with an all-new Tag Browser and tag-based Smart Folders.

Apple iPadPro iPadOS15 QuickNote Safari 060721 big carousel
Users can also expect improvements in areas of collaboration and organization. With mentions, for example, you can tag people in shared notes and they'll receive a notification. You can add a tag anywhere in a note, and find it using the tag browser.

There's also a new Quick Notes feature whereby notes can be jotted down fast on ‌iPad‌ and Mac, and viewed and edited on iPhone. Whether browsing in Safari or finding a restaurant on Yelp, users can bring up Quick Note anywhere to jot down a thought and add links, providing an easy way to get back to exactly what they were looking at.

FaceTime

With iPadOS 15, users will be able to share experiences with SharePlay while connecting with friends on FaceTime, including listening to songs together with Apple Music, watching a TV show or movie in sync, or sharing their screen to view apps together.

Apple iPadPro iPadOS15 FaceTime groupfacetime 4person 060721 big carosuel
Shared playback controls let will users play, pause, or jump ahead, and users can extend playback to Apple TV, and watch it on their TV while sharing the moment with friends and family connected over ‌FaceTime‌. SharePlay will also let users share their screen.

Safari

Safari is gaining a new tab design that lets users see more of the page as they browse. The new tab bar takes on the color of the webpage and combines tabs, the toolbar, and the search field into a single, compact design.

Apple iPadPro iPadOS15 safari safariextensions 060721 big
Meanwhile, Tab Groups offer a new way to easily save and manage associated tabs. Tab Groups also sync across Mac and ‌iPhone‌, allowing you to continue working on the same project on different devices, or easily share multiple tabs with friends and family. Safari on ‌iPad‌ also now supports web extensions, which will be available on the ‌App Store‌.

Focus

With iPadOS 15, Apple is introducing a new Focus feature that aims to help reduce distractions and zone in on a single thing. Focus does this by filtering notifications based on what you're doing.

Apple iPadPro iPadOS15 springboard focus 060721 big
You can set your device to help you be in the moment by creating a custom Focus or selecting a suggested one based on the context, like during work hours or while you're winding down for bed. It's also possible to create ‌Home Screen‌ pages with apps and widgets that apply to moments of focus to only display relevant apps and reduce temptation.

Elsewhere, a new notification summary aims to offer an organized collection of notifications that can be delivered any time you choose, such as in the morning and evening, making it more convenient to catch up on the day's activity.

Live Text

A new Live Text feature can recognize text in a photo and let you do something with it. One example that Apple offers is a snapshot of a storefront revealing a phone number and the option to place a call. Live Text will also work with handwritten text, according to Apple. Meanwhile, with Visual Look Up, you can identify objects within a photo, such as a type of flower or dog breed.

Apple iPadPro iPadOS15 photos LiveText 060721 big

Other Features

In addition, Spotlight is getting the ability to search the Photos app and web images, offering results for contacts with context like recent conversations, shared photos, and their location if shared through ‌Find My‌.

iPadOS 15 will bring the Translate app to ‌iPad‌ for the first time. The Translate app detects when you're speaking and in what language, and will automatically translate it for you. Meanwhile, the systemwide translate function works anywhere, including with Live Text.

The ‌Photos‌ app is getting more advanced Memories, offering a new look, a more immersive and interactive interface, and integration with ‌Apple Music‌, which uses on-device intelligence to personalize song suggestions bring memories to life.

iPadOS 15 will also support Universal Control, which allows you to work with a single mouse and keyboard to move between ‌iPad‌ and Mac for a seamless experience, with no setup required.

Elsewhere, Swift Playgrounds is gaining the ability to build apps on ‌iPad‌, with improved code completion, new libraries, guides, and even the ability to submit your app straight to the ‌App Store‌.

The developer preview of iPadOS 15 is available to Apple Developer Program members starting today, and a public beta will be available to iPadOS users next month.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
LG UltraFine 6K Display TB5

LG UltraFine 6K (32U990A) TB5 Display: Pre-Orders Open September 30

Monday September 29, 2025 6:21 am PDT by
Pre-orders for LG's new UltraFine evo 6K display (model 32U990A) with Thunderbolt 5 support will begin on September 30, according to a major U.S. retailer listing. LG first revealed the 32-inch display at CES 2025 in January, teasing its status as the first monitor to support Thunderbolt 5. At the time, LG only provided high-level specs, but left pricing, availability, and full technical...

Top Rated Comments

collin_ Avatar
56 months ago
This is the most disappointing Apple keynote I’ve ever seen. M1 with up to 16 GB RAM in the iPad Pro and they did absolutely NOTHING to take advantage of it. No pro apps. Not even real external display support or an update to files. Wow.

EDIT: I am generally not one of the negative users on this forum, but iPadOS 15 is so disappointing that I couldn't help but rant. To be clear, iOS 15 and macOS Monterey look amazing. It’s just that, as someone who recently purchased a $1,200 iPad, iPadOS 15 kinda ruined the whole keynote for me. I really wish Apple would listen to their customers. :(
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cloudphrenia Avatar
56 months ago
which of these new features requires the M1 or 16GB of RAM?
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cryptonator Avatar
56 months ago
It appears that the M1 chip still isn't powerful enough to support a calculator app for the iPad.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hori Avatar
56 months ago
So disappointing
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oldmacs Avatar
56 months ago
What a let down. Not even any updates to the files app, which is still woeful.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
danny1305 Avatar
56 months ago
In before all the whining and complaining….

Edit: I was too late
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)