SeebaerJun 11, 2025
Steve Troughton-Smith
The more I use iPadOS 26, the more I wish the window traffic lights were just visible all the time in their maximized state. Make it so that I have to design my app around them, sure, but just stop hiding them. They're fine, they make it easier to use, and having to tap them twice every time gets annoying fast
Jun 11, 2025 at 1:54pmIvory for Mac
Show threaddanimalJun 11, 2025
@stroughtonsmith I had to fight with it in the YouTube app this morning after scaling the window down a bit. It would appear, then disappear just as I tried to mouse over it to make the app full screen again. Took me a minute or two to trap and use it
Show threadJiří Fiala Total LandscapingJun 11, 2025
@stroughtonsmith any idea why they removed the four-finger gesture and swiping over the Home indicator line to switch apps from Windowed apps mode?
Show threadAvery Vine Jun 11, 2025

@stooovie this is a known issue in beta 1!

“Switching apps by swiping left or right with one finger along the bottom edge, or with four/five fingers anywhere on screen, does not work in the new Windowed App Multitasking mode. (151293681)”

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/ios-ipados-release-notes/ios-ipados-26-release-notes

iOS & iPadOS 26 Release Notes | Apple Developer Documentation

Update your apps to use new features, and test your apps against API changes.

Apple Developer Documentation
Show threadJiří Fiala Total LandscapingJun 11, 2025
@averyvine ok! Thank you, that’s something. I’d still love if they kept the old split and slideover stuff that I genuinely enjoy. The new one is geared more towards desktop use with mouse and keyboard.
Show threadmingistech Jun 11, 2025
@stroughtonsmith at least when using a trackpad or mouse, mousing over immediately increases their size so it feels like one fluid action.
Show threadJon MaddoxJun 11, 2025
@stroughtonsmith This is the Apple caving playbook. Next year they'll do this. But they aren't willing to give everything up on v1.
Show threadNick FosterJun 11, 2025

@stroughtonsmith I thought this immediately, it’s very strange to me that they’re hidden in windowed mode.

They were so worried about not wrecking the normal iPad paradigm for people who don’t want windowing. But if any of those people accidentally get into windowed mode, a familiar traffic light signals what’s happened

Show threadMichaelJun 11, 2025
@stroughtonsmith agreed!
Show threadKonrad KołakowskiJun 11, 2025
@stroughtonsmith I kind of suspect they did this weird choice to at least slightly differ it from macOS „normal" windowing 😅
Show threadSalem SayedJun 11, 2025
@stroughtonsmith 💯. I also feel the same for the top menu bar items
Show threadEhlerJun 11, 2025
@salem @stroughtonsmith I question how discoverable they’ll be, but I kind of like the iPad menu bar implementation.
Show threadErnesto MonasterioJun 12, 2025

@stroughtonsmith I honestly believe this is by design. The idea being, make it impossible to accidentally tap them if you’re using windows just with touch, without a keyboard or mouse.

It’s sort of a “confirmation layer”.