iPadOS 18’s new tab bar is more powerful than it first appears

[Ryan Christoffel]

iPadOS 18 is a huge release for the iPad, but most of its changes aren’t iPad-exclusive. New customization tools, Apple Intelligence, and various app updates are coming to iPhone too.

One iPad-only feature is a redesigned tab bar for apps. iPad apps have historically used a similar tab bar to what’s found on the iPhone. Tabs would live at the bottom of the screen. But iPadOS 18 changes that with a new tab bar UI that floats at the top of the screen.

The new tab bar also comes with a secret weapon: you can customize it to add the menu options you care about most.

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