Apple a16 ipad
What’s new in iPadOS 26
Windowing
Open windows and then resize or arrange them just how you want. Use controls to close or minimize windows, take them full screen, or arrange them in easy-to-view layouts. Swipe up to see all your windows, then tap the one you want to move to the front. See Work with multiple apps at once, Change the layout of open windows, and Open and view windows in an app.
Lock Screen
The time dynamically adapts its position based on the Lock Screen photo or wallpaper and always keeps the subject in view. When you move your iPad, your Lock Screen photo comes to life with a new 3D effect. See Create a custom iPad Lock Screen. 
Home Screen
App icons on your Home Screen have a new look that you can tint with different colors or turn light, dark, or clear. See Customize apps and widgets on the iPad Home Screen. 
Apple Intelligence
Create custom Genmoji using existing emoji, combinations of emoji, or descriptive text. Change the look and expressions of Genmoji and Image Playground creations that are based on people from your Photos library. Design custom backgrounds for your Messages conversations. Live Translation automatically translates texts in Messages, shows live translated captions in FaceTime calls, and provides spoken translations for Phone calls. See Create original images with Image Playground on iPad, Create your own emoji with Genmoji on iPad, Create and edit original backgrounds with Image Playground, and Translate messages and calls on iPad.
Phone
The Phone app is now available on iPad. Remove unwanted distractions from unknown numbers with Call Screening, which gathers the necessary information before your phone rings, so you can make an informed decision on whether to pick up, decline, or ask for more information. Use Hold Assist to wait on hold for you and then send you a notification when it’s time to return to the call. See Make a call on iPad, Screen and block calls on iPad, and Receive a notification when you’re no longer on hold.
Files
In list view, see more of your files and their details with resizable columns and collapsible folders. Set custom icons and colors for your folders to make them easier to identify at a glance. Choose the app you want to use to open a file, and set the default app for specific files or file types. Access files and folders from anywhere when you add folders to the Dock. See Modify files and folders in Files on iPad and Find and view files and folders in Files on iPad.
Preview
The Preview app is now available on iPad so you can easily view, edit, and share PDF documents and images. Scan documents, use AutoFill to quickly fill out forms, and export PDFs or images as different file types or sizes. See Get started with Preview on iPad.
Photos
An updated design makes it easier to switch between your Library and Collections. You can now customize how Collections appear—reorder them, choose which ones to pin, and select from three display sizes: larger tiles, a denser grid, or a layout that highlights the top row. See Browse your photo library on iPad and Browse your photo collections on iPad. 
Reminders
(iPadOS 26.2) Mark a reminder as urgent to set an alarm that alerts you when it’s due. See Add details in Reminders on iPad.
Messages
Messages from unknown numbers are filtered into a separate area of your conversation list for you to review and approve. Backgrounds let you personalize conversations for everyone to enjoy using dynamic backgrounds, your own photos, or backgrounds you create in Image Playground. In group conversations, you can create polls to help make decisions, send money using Apple Cash, and see typing indicators. See Screen and filter text messages on iPad, Add backgrounds in Messages on iPad, and Poll people in Messages on iPad.
Games. A new app where you can keep track of all the games you’re playing, discover new ones, receive tailored recommendations, and start challenges with friends. See Get started with the Apple Games app on iPad.
Accessibility. Braille Access introduces an all-new experience designed for Braille users with a connected Braille display that enables note-taking, document-reading, access to Live Captions and more. Vehicle Motion Cues help reduce motion sickness for passengers in moving vehicles. You can also temporarily use your Accessibility settings on someone else’s device. See Use Braille Access with a braille display on iPad, Use iPad more comfortably while riding in a vehicle, and Share your Accessibility Settings with another device on iPad.
Family
During device set up, parents can specify if they are setting up a device for an older child, age 13–17, and age-appropriate protections are automatically enabled. See Share age ranges with apps on iPad.
Journal
The Journal app is now available on iPad. Write entries in your own handwriting using Apple Pencil, include drawings inline with text, and view the location of your journal entries on a map. See Get started with Journal on iPad, Add formatting, photos, and more in Journal on iPad, and View and search your journal entries on iPad.
Calculator
Write an equation with three variables in Math Notes and create a graph in three dimensions. See Work with graphs in Math Notes in Calculator on iPad.
Music
AutoMix seamlessly mixes one song to the next, just like a DJ. See Adjust the sound quality in Music on iPad.
Audio recording
Capture high-quality audio and video during video conference calls. And a new input chooser makes it easy for creators to pick the right microphone for each app. See Record audio and video on iPad.
Turn on and set up the iPad
To make setup as smooth as possible, have the following items available:
- An internet connection through a Wi-Fi network (you may need the name and password of the network) or cellular data service through a carrier (Wi-Fi + Cellular models)
- Your Apple Account and password; if you don’t have an Apple Account, you can create one during setup
- Your credit or debit card account information, if you want to add a card to Apple Pay during setup
- Your previous iPad or a backup of your device, if you’re transferring your data to your new device
- Tip: If you don’t have sufficient storage space to back up your device, iCloud will provide enough storage to complete a temporary backup, free of charge, for up to three weeks from the purchase of your iPad. On your previous device, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [device]. Tap Get Started, then follow the onscreen instructions.
- Your Android device, if you’re transferring your Android content
Turn on and set up your iPad
- Press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears.
- If the iPad doesn’t turn on, you might need to charge the battery. For more help, see the Apple Support article If your iPad won’t turn on or is frozen.
- Tip: If you’re blind or have low vision, you can triple-click the Home button (on an iPad with a Home button) or triple-click the top button (on other iPad models) to turn on VoiceOver, the screen reader. You can also double-tap the screen with three fingers to turn on Zoom. See Get started with accessibility features.
Do one of the following:
- Set up with another device: If you have another iPhone or iPad with iOS 11, iPadOS 13, or later, you can use it to automatically set up your new device. Bring the two devices close together, then follow the onscreen instructions to securely copy many of your settings, preferences, and iCloud Keychain. You can then restore the rest of your data and content to your new device from your iCloud backup. Or, if both devices have iOS 12.4, iPadOS 13, or later, you can transfer all your data wirelessly from your previous device to your new one. Keep your devices near each other and plugged into power until the migration process is complete.
- Set Up Manually: If you don’t have another device, tap Set Up Without Another Device, then follow the onscreen setup instructions.
If you have an Android device, you can transfer your data with the Move to iOS app when you first set up your new iPad.
Note: If you already completed setup and want to use Move to iOS, you must erase your iPad and start over, or move your data manually. See the Apple Support article Move content manually from your Android device to your iPhone or iPad.
- On your device with Android version 4.0 or later, see the Apple Support article Move from Android to iPhone or iPad and download the Move to iOS app.
- On your iPad, do the following:
- Follow the setup assistant.
- On the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen, tap From Android.
- On the Android device, do the following:
- Turn on Wi-Fi.
- Go to the Move to iOS app.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
WARNING: To avoid injury, read Important safety information before using iPad.
Wake, unlock and lock iPad
To wake iPad, do one of the following:
- Press the top button.
- Tap the screen (supported models).
Unlock iPad with Face ID
If you have an iPad with Face ID, but you didn’t turn on Face ID during setup, see Set up Face ID. Then follow these steps:
- Tap the screen, then glance at your iPad.
- The lock icon animates from closed to open to indicate that iPad is unlocked.
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
To lock iPad again, press the top button. iPad locks automatically if you don’t touch the screen for a minute or so. However, if Attention Aware Features is turned on in Settings 
> Face ID & Passcode, iPad won’t dim or lock as long as it detects attention.
Unlock iPad with Touch ID
If you have an iPad with Touch ID, but you didn’t turn on Touch ID during setup, see Set up Touch ID. Then do one of the following:
- On an iPad with a Home button: Press the Home button using the finger you registered with Touch ID.
- On iPad (10th generation and later), iPad mini (6th generation), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad Air (4th generation and later): Rest your finger on the top button (Touch ID) using the finger you registered with Touch ID.
To lock the iPad again, press the top button. iPad locks automatically if you don’t touch the screen for a minute or so.
Weight
- Wi-Fi model: 477 grams (1.05 lbs)
- Wi-Fi + Cellular model: 481 grams (1.06 lbs)
Display Size Note
- While the external dimensions haven’t changed, you’ll notice Apple now markets this as an 11-inch display (up from 10.9-inch). This is largely a branding shift to align with the iPad Air; the actual viewable area is 10.86 inches when measured diagonally as a standard rectangle.
A Quick Tip: Because the dimensions are identical to the iPad (10th Gen), most cases and covers designed for the 2022 model will fit this A16 version perfectly.
How To Use
Core Navigation (No Home Button)
- Go Home: Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
- Switch Apps: Swipe left or right along the bottom edge (the “Home Bar”) to flip between open apps quickly.
- App Switcher: Swipe up from the bottom and pause in the middle to see all open apps.
- Control Center: Swipe down from the top-right corner to toggle Wi-Fi, brightness, and volume.
- Notifications: Swipe down from the top-middle or top-left.
Multitasking Like a Pro
The A16 chip makes jumping between apps very fluid. You have three main ways to view multiple things at once:
- Split View: While an app is open, tap the three dots (…) at the top. Select the split icon (half-filled) and choose a second app. They will now run side-by-side.
- Slide Over: Tap those same three dots (…) and choose the third icon (a small pane on the side). This makes the app float on top of your main screen like a window.
- Quick Note: Swipe your finger or Apple Pencil up from the bottom-right corner to pull up a sticky note instantly, even if you’re watching a video or browsing Safari.
Optimized for the A16 Chip
- External Display Support: Use a USB-C cable to connect your iPad to a monitor. The A16 supports up to 4K resolution at 60Hz for mirroring your screen.
- Visual Look Up: Open a photo in the Photos app, press and hold on the subject (like a dog or a person), and you can “lift” it away from the background to paste into a text or email.
- Landscape Video Calls: The front camera is on the long side (landscape). When using FaceTime or Zoom, set the iPad sideways so you look natural and “Center Stage” keeps you in the frame automatically.
Accessories to Add
- Apple Pencil (USB-C or Pro): Great for the “Solve” feature in the Notes app—you can write math equations, and the A16 chip will solve them in your own handwriting.
- Magic Keyboard Folio: This turns the iPad into a mini-laptop with a trackpad, which is perfect for the new “Windowed Apps” mode in the latest iPadOS.
Find settings on iPad
Find settings on iPad
In the Settings app 
, you can search for iPad settings you want to change, such as your passcode, notification sounds, and more.
- Tap Settings on the Home Screen (or in App Library).
- Tap the search field (at the top left), enter a term—“volume,” for example—then tap a setting on the left side of the screen.
Tip: You can also search for settings from the Home Screen or Lock Screen.
Charge the iPad battery
iPad has an internal, lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Lithium-ion technology currently provides the best performance for your device. Compared with traditional battery technology, lithium-ion batteries are lighter, charge faster, last longer, and have a higher power density for more battery life. To understand how your battery works so you can get the most out of it, see the Apple Lithium-ion Batteries website.
About charging the battery
The battery icon in the top-right corner of the status bar shows the battery level or charging status. When you’re syncing or using your iPad, it may take longer to charge the battery. If iPad is very low on power, it may display an image of a nearly depleted battery, indicating that it needs to charge for up to 10 minutes before you can use it. If iPad is extremely low on power when you begin to charge it, the display may be blank for up to 2 minutes before the low-battery image appears. See the Apple Support article If your iPad won’t charge.
Charge the battery
To charge your iPad battery, do one of the following:
- Connect iPad to a power outlet using the included cable and power adapter. See Power adapter and charge cable.
- Connect your iPad and your computer with a cable.
- Make sure your computer is turned on—if iPad is connected to a computer that’s turned off, the battery may drain instead of charge. Look for
on the battery icon to make sure the iPad is charging. - If your Mac or Windows device doesn’t provide enough power to charge the iPad, a Not Charging message appears in the status bar.
Note: Don’t try to charge your iPad by connecting it to your keyboard, unless your keyboard has a high-power USB port.
- Connecting the iPad to a power outlet can start an iCloud backup. See Back up iPad.
- WARNING: If you suspect there may be liquid in the charging port of iPad, don’t plug the charging cable into it. For information about exposure to liquid, and other important safety information about the battery and charging iPad, see Important safety information for iPad.
Improve charging speed
If your iPad is charging slowly, you’ll see a Slow Charger message in Settings > Battery. This message appears when your iPad supports fast charging but the connected charger isn’t capable of delivering optimal power. Charging might take longer than expected if you’re using a wired charger that provides 7.5 watts or less.
iPad manages how it charges to help preserve long-term battery health. Here’s what happens when you charge:
- Fast charging up to 80%: iPad charges quickly until the battery reaches about 80%.
- Trickle charging after 80%: Charging slows to reduce battery stress and limit heat. This final stage helps maintain battery lifespan.
- Temperature: Charging may pause temporarily while in extreme temperature conditions, and will resume once the battery’s temperature returns to its normal operating range.
These protections happen automatically and don’t require any changes to your settings.
About charge cycles and battery lifespan
The capacity of any type of battery will diminish after a certain amount of recharging. With lithium-ion batteries, the capacity diminishes slightly with each complete charge cycle. Apple lithium-ion batteries work in charge cycles and retain about 80% of its original capacity for a high number of charge cycles, depending on the product. A charge cycle happens when you use a total of 100% of your battery’s capacity,* even if it’s not all at once. For example, you might use 75% of your battery’s capacity one day, then recharge it fully overnight. If you use 25% the next day, you will have discharged a total of 100%, and the two days will add up to one charge cycle. Battery life and charge cycles vary with use and settings. The iPad battery should be serviced or recycled by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. See the Battery Service and Recycling website. To understand how your battery works so you can get the most out of it, see the Apple Lithium-ion Batteries website.
FAQs
How long will it receive software updates?
References
- User Manualmanual.tools