WWDC 2026 is here, and Apple has taken the stage to announce the new iPadOS 27 update. The new software shares a lot of similarities with iOS 27, as expected, and brings major improvements to Siri and other Apple Intelligence features. There are noteworthy changes to Liquid Glass as well.
Major New Features in iPadOS 27
In line with leaks ahead of the event, iPadOS 27 is bringing a major overhaul to Siri with a dedicated Siri app. Users can interact with Apple's Assistant in both text and voice modes, send attachments for more context, and access previous conversations. Basically, Apple's own version of ChatGPT or Gemini.
Users who are not a fan of Liquid Glass can adjust its transparency effects, and apps open 70% faster on iPadOS 27 update. The Menu bar can now be kept on or hidden, and all iPhone apps are now resizable on iPads.
The update also brings improvements to search, allowing users to find exactly what they are looking for by indexing new and old items locally. Moreover, Safari can automatically group tabs as Topics. Users can even set alerts for price changes or in-stock notifications for websites in Safari. It can also use Apple Intelligence to create custom Extensions.
Meanwhile, the Photos app gets new Apple Intelligence features, namely Extend and Reframe and an improved Clean Up tool.
Image Playground is also getting a big overhaul, allowing users to create realistic images, use photos library to generate results of people you know and edit objects inside said images.
Shortcuts app becomes simpler, as iPadOS 27 introduces the ability to create shortcuts with a simple prompt in everyday language. This eliminates the need to manually build an automation, as the AI can create rich shortcuts in no time.
Siri also finds its way into the Camera app, with a dedicated Siri mode replacing Visual Intelligence. So users can click photos with Siri mode, and it will show details about them. Apple Wallet gets create a pass and bill splitting support.
iPadOS 27 Compatibility and Release Date
iPadOS 27 is compatible with iPad Pro 2020 and newer models, iPad Air 4th generation and newer, iPad mini 6th generation and newer, and iPad 10th generation and newer. If you are curious about the iPhone models that will get the next update, check out the iOS 27 eligible devices list while you're here.
The first developer beta is available today, with a public beta expected in mid-July and the final release in September 2026. Users with developer accounts can install iPadOS 27 right away.
