iPadOS 26.3 available now for iPad, here’s what’s new

Apple has released its latest iPad software update: iPadOS 26.3 is available now, here’s what’s new for users.

iPadOS 26.3 has a couple new features, plus security updates and bug fixes

Historically, Apple’s first software updates in a calendar year tend to be light on new features. That’s very much the case with iPadOS 26.3.

Today’s iPad software update adds a pair of new features, but mostly focuses on under-the-hood security and performance improvements.

iPadOS 26.3’s user-facing features include:

• wallpaper updates
• new privacy feature for M5 iPad Pro

On the wallpaper front, Apple has split the former ‘Weather & Astronomy‘ section in the iPad wallpaper gallery into separate ‘Weather’ and ‘Astronomy’ rows. The Weather section adds a couple new wallpaper options that use different widgets and fonts, while still offering the same basic live weather conditions.

‘Limit Precise Location’ is a new privacy setting that’s currently exclusive to M5 iPad Pro models with cellular. It requires an Apple-designed modem like the iPad Pro’s C1X—thus it’s M5-only. But in the future, it should prove beneficial to a lot more users.

Here’s how it works, per Apple’s support document:

With this setting turned on, some information made available to cellular networks is limited. As a result, they might be able to determine only a less precise location — for example, the neighborhood where your device is located, rather than a more precise location (such as a street address). The setting doesn’t impact signal quality or user experience.

Beyond these changes, Apple’s official iPadOS 26.3 release notes simply say: “This update provides important bug fixes and security updates.”

Fortunately, we could see the first iPadOS 26.4 beta in the next couple weeks, and it’s expected to pack a lot more features. Siri’s new AI upgrades are chief among them.

How has iPadOS been running for you? Has iPadOS 26.3 made the experience smoother? Let us know in the comments.

Best iPad accessories

• AirPods Pro 3 (now only $209, down from $249)
• 100W USB-C power adapter for fast charging
• Apple Pencil Pro (now only $95, down from $129)
• tomtoc Tablet sleeve bag for protection and style
• Baseus 10ft USB-C cable for extended reach