Apple’s ipados 26 update continues to blur the lines between tablet and desktop, bringing powerful new features previously exclusive to the Mac. The latest step in this evolution arrives with iPadOS 26 beta 3, introducing a familiar, helpful utility for navigating with a pointer: the “shake to find” cursor feature. This small but significant addition makes finding your cursor on the screen much easier, especially as iPadOS adopts a more traditional pointer style. This update, alongside major multitasking and productivity enhancements, signals a new era for the iPad, making it a more capable tool than ever before.
The Handy “Shake to Find” Feature Explained
Have you ever lost track of your mouse cursor on a busy computer screen? Apple solved this common problem years ago on macOS. Specifically, back in macOS El Capitan, released a decade prior, a clever accessibility feature was introduced. If you rapidly shake your mouse or wiggle your finger on the trackpad, the system cursor would instantly grow much larger. This temporary enlargement makes it incredibly simple to spot where your pointer is located, even on large or cluttered displays. This convenient utility, known colloquially as “shake to find,” quickly became a favorite for many Mac users. Now, this same time-saving feature is finally coming to the iPad with the latest beta build of its operating system.
How It Works on iPadOS
Just like on the Mac, enabling “shake to find” on your iPad with a connected mouse or trackpad is intuitive. A quick, vigorous shake of your pointing device triggers the temporary cursor magnification. The standard pointer icon will instantly expand, becoming highly visible against any background. Stop shaking, and it quickly returns to its normal size. This seamless interaction ensures the feature is there when you need it without being distracting when you don’t. It’s a simple piece of polish that enhances the usability of the pointer experience on the tablet.
Why This Feature is Particularly Timely for iPadOS
The arrival of the “shake to find” feature in iPadOS 26 beta 3 isn’t just a random port from macOS. It feels particularly relevant and necessary due to other significant changes happening with the iPad’s cursor itself in this new version. In previous iPadOS versions, such as iPadOS 18, the cursor appeared as a large, context-aware circle. This design was intended to highlight user interface elements and subtly adjust its shape to indicate interactive areas. However, in iPadOS 26, Apple is transitioning to a more traditional, Mac-like pointer shape.
This new pointer is more precise, designed for interacting with smaller, more detailed interface elements like the new window management controls. While the Mac-style pointer offers enhanced precision, its smaller size makes it potentially easier to lose track of on the screen compared to the older, more prominent circle. By introducing the “shake to find” feature now, Apple is preemptively addressing this potential usability challenge. It ensures that even as the iPad cursor becomes more like its Mac counterpart in form and function, users still have a quick method to reorient themselves. It’s a thoughtful addition that complements the broader design evolution.
Beyond the Cursor: Major iPadOS 26 Enhancements
While the “shake to find” cursor is a welcome detail, iPadOS 26 is packed with far more substantial changes aimed at professional users and enhancing multitasking. Apple has undertaken a multi-year project to fundamentally rebuild the windowing engine for the iPad. This moves beyond the previous Stage Manager system, offering a more flexible, Mac-like window management experience.
A True Windowing System and Menu Bar
iPadOS 26 introduces arbitrary window resizing, allowing users to make application windows exactly the size they need. Windows can now overlap freely, offering a more traditional desktop workspace layout. Mac-style “traffic light” buttons for closing, minimizing, and maximizing windows appear on app windows. A new tiling feature lets you quickly snap windows to screen edges. Swiping up from the bottom reveals an Exposé-like view of all open windows, simplifying app switching. Furthermore, a full Menu Bar appears at the top of the screen when the cursor is moved there. This provides a centralized, visible location for all app commands and keyboard shortcuts, addressing a long-standing request from power users. These changes collectively bring the iPad closer to the Mac in terms of multitasking and interface conventions.
Files App Gets a Serious Upgrade
The Files app, crucial for any serious productivity or creative work, receives significant enhancements in iPadOS 26. It now features a more detailed List view with customizable columns, similar to the Finder on Mac. You can expand disclosure options for folders directly in the list view. A major addition is the ability to set a default application for opening specific file types, a basic feature missing from previous versions. Users can also add folders to the Dock for quick access, where tapping them fans out their contents in a Mac-like visual style. These improvements make managing files on the iPad far more efficient and flexible.
Other Notable Additions
iPadOS 26 brings other refinements as well. The dedicated Preview app is being added to the iPad, providing a robust tool for viewing, annotating, and editing PDFs and images. Background tasks, like exporting video or rendering complex files, can now complete using a Live Activities-based system, freeing you to switch apps. The Dock has been upgraded, and system icons, like Photos and Files, have received subtle visual tweaks for improved clarity, even at smaller sizes. Support for local audio recording during VoIP calls is included, benefiting creators. While some features, like the new advanced windowing, require newer M-chip iPads for optimal performance, Apple aims for broad compatibility where possible.
Apple’s Evolving Vision for the iPad
The changes in iPadOS 26, including the familiar “shake to find” cursor and the more dramatic windowing system, reflect an evolution in Apple’s philosophy towards the iPad. For years, Apple seemed hesitant to make the iPad too “Mac-like,” preserving its distinct identity as a touch-first device. However, with powerful hardware like the M4 chip now available on the iPad Pro, software limitations were becoming a bottleneck for advanced users.
Apple Senior Vice President Craig Federighi has indicated that the new windowing system results from a deep, multi-year engineering effort. The goal isn’t to turn the iPad into a Mac but to provide professional tools that leverage the iPad’s unique capabilities and form factor. iPadOS 26 acknowledges that there are different types of iPad users: those who prefer simplicity (which remains the default single-app experience) and power users who need explicit control over their workspace. The new features serve the latter group, offered as optional modes that unlock the iPad’s potential for complex workflows without compromising the experience for casual users. By selectively adopting proven concepts from macOS, like the menu bar and flexible windowing, Apple is positioning the iPad as a truly versatile computing platform for a wider range of tasks than ever before.
Availability: Getting iPadOS 26 Now
Currently, iPadOS 26 is available in its developer beta phase, with beta 3 being the latest release. This version includes the new “shake to find” cursor and many other features discussed. Developer betas are primarily for app developers to test compatibility and build new functionalities. They can be less stable than public releases. Apple plans to launch a public beta program for iPadOS 26 sometime in July. This will allow a broader group of non-developers to test the operating system and provide feedback. The full, stable public release of iPadOS 26 for all compatible iPad users is expected later in the year, typically in September, coinciding with the release of new hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the “shake to find” cursor work in iPadOS 26?
The “shake to find” feature, borrowed from macOS, helps you locate your cursor on the iPad screen. When you rapidly shake a connected mouse or trackpad, the pointer on the display will temporarily enlarge. This makes it highly visible, allowing you to easily spot its location before it shrinks back to its normal size. It’s a quick visual cue designed for when the cursor gets lost in a busy interface.
When can I try the new iPadOS 26 features, like the shake-to-find cursor?
iPadOS 26, including the shake-to-find cursor and new window management, is currently available in a developer beta. A more stable public beta is expected to launch sometime in July 2025. The final public version of iPadOS 26, available for all compatible iPads, is anticipated to be released in September 2025.
Why did Apple add the shake-to-find cursor to iPadOS 26 now?
Apple introduced the shake-to-find cursor in iPadOS 26 primarily because the new version transitions from the older large, circular cursor to a smaller, more traditional Mac-style pointer. While the new pointer offers greater precision, its smaller size could make it easier to lose sight of on screen. Adding “shake to find” provides users with a simple, familiar way to quickly locate the cursor, complementing the updated pointer design and enhancing usability within the new, more Mac-like multitasking environment.
Conclusion
The addition of the “shake to find” cursor in iPadOS 26 beta 3 might seem like a minor detail, but it highlights Apple’s commitment to refining the iPad experience as it gains more desktop-class capabilities. As the iPad’s cursor adopts a more traditional pointer style for increased precision, having a quick way to find it becomes increasingly valuable. Combined with the groundbreaking new windowing system, enhanced Files app, and other productivity features arriving in iPadOS 26, this update truly marks a significant step forward. The iPad is evolving, leveraging lessons from the Mac while retaining its unique identity, becoming an even more compelling device for both casual use and demanding professional workflows when the full version launches this fall.
