During the WWDC25 keynote on Monday, Apple announced the next versions of every operating system with a new naming scheme and fresh look. iOS has an all-new interface with redesigned Camera, Messages and Phone apps; macOS has a brand-new Spotlight; iPadOS has supercharged multitasking.
But if you don’t have 90 minutes to spare, you can catch up in just 90 seconds.
iPadOS 26 lets Apple’s tablets act more like a Mac than ever before. It also includes a new design that makes all Apple computers look more similar, further bringing iPads and Macs together.
“iPadOS 26 is our biggest iPadOS release ever, with powerful features that take the experience to the next level and transform what users can do on iPad,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, during Monday’s WWDC25 keynote. “With a beautiful new design, an entirely new powerful and intuitive windowing system, even more features powered by Apple Intelligence, huge improvements to working with files, and new capabilities for creatives to power their workflows, iPadOS 26 makes our most versatile device even more capable.”
Apple kicked off WWDC25 Monday by showing off iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, and macOS 26. The company’s latest operating systems debut a new unified Liquid Glass visual design and pack several other improvements. Not every iPhone, iPad, or Mac will make the cut this year, though.
Find out the full list of iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs eligible for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS 26 below.
For the first time, Apple will unify software design across it various platforms with a new interface design called Liquid Glass. Inspired by visionOS, Liquid Glass is, as its name implies, a translucent and fluid new interface for iPhone, iPad, Mac and other devices in Apple’s ecosystem.
“It’s the kind of project that only comes along about once per decade,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, as he introduced Liquid Glass during Monday’s WWDC25 keynote.
In demos, conference attendees and online viewers got to see “glassy,” translucent menus, panels and icons throughout the system. The new look and feel creates a more immersive and modern visual experience.
In a significant shift in its software branding strategy, Apple is moving away from its traditional iOS and iPadOS version numbering. Instead, the company announced the move to a year-based naming convention at WWDC25.
So, rather than iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, the company will market its releases this year as iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. Apple’s other operating systems will also adopt the same naming style.
“We’re unifying our version numbers across all our platforms. Our releases for the fall that will power us through the coming year, 2026, will be version 26,” said Craig Fedrighi during WWDC’s opening keynote.