Feedback: iPadOS 26 Multitasking Learning Curve and Impact on Classroom Productivity

Hello everyone,

I am writing on behalf of the teachers and students at our school to share some collective feedback regarding the multitasking changes in iPadOS 26. While we appreciate the move toward more "Mac-like" power features, the transition has introduced significant friction in our daily classroom workflows.

The Challenges We’re Facing:

• Lost Muscle Memory: Many students and teachers relied on the intuitive "swipe-up and drag" gesture for Split View. The new "traffic-light" button system and windowed mode feel significantly more complex, especially for younger learners or during fast-paced lessons.
• Cognitive Load: Teachers are finding they now spend more time troubleshooting window placement and "missing" multitasking dots than focusing on lesson content.
• Screen Real Estate: In the new windowed mode, the "gaps" and rounded corners between windows sometimes make the screen feel cluttered compared to the clean 50/50 split of previous versions

Questions:

1. Is anyone else finding that the new windowing system is a bit "too much" for a standard classroom setting?
2. Have any of you developed a "Quick Start" guide for students to help them master the new traffic-light controls?
3. What features from the old Split View do you miss the most for educational use?

We hope to see future updates (perhaps in iPadOS 26.2+) that provide a "Simplified Multitasking" toggle specifically for education environments.