iPadOS 18 announced at WWDC 2024 — with all of iOS 18's greatest hits in tow

iPadOS 18
(Image credit: Apple)

The next generation of iPad software has arrived! Revealed at WWDC 2024, iPadOS 18 arrives for all of the best iPads, allowing you to do more on your Apple tablet with Apple Intelligence. Powering iPads in 2024 and beyond, iPadOS 18 will make even the newest iPads like the M4 iPad Pro and the iPad Air 6 better.

Apple's iOS 18 features many of the brand new iOS 18 features announced at WWDC 2024, including more customizable Home Screen options, updates to the Control Center, and a new Photos app. 

iPadOS 18: The headlines

iPadOS 18 features updated file browsing in apps like Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, as well as refined animations. 

In iPadOS 18, new SharePlay features include a new Screen sharing ability that lets you tap and draw on someone else's screen, or even remotely control their iPad or iPhone, for example, if you need to provide tech support. 

Freeform now includes scenes, and the Calculator app has finally arrived on iPad! It features unique support for Apple Pencil including a new feature called Math Notes. The new Math Notes feature lets you write out expressions, and the Calculator app can do the sums for you! The new Math Notes feature event lets you calculate variables, using Apple Pencil to change parameters in real-time, letting you explore math, graphs, and beyond. 

Handwriting in Notes is also getting an upgrade through Smart Script, the new feature improves the appearance of your writing as you write, powered by on-device machine learning. Apple says you can scribble your thoughts as fast as you can think of them, and the new Smart Script will make them more legible. You can also paste type text into a handwritten note, and iPadOS 18 will merge the formatting with your written text. 

iPadOS 18 - best enjoyed on:

iPad Pro M4 |$999$949 at Amazon

iPad Pro M4 | $999 $949 at Amazon

Apple's latest M4 iPad Pro is the best table to enjoy all that iPadOS 18 has to offer. Available with a $50 discount at Amazon, now may be the best time to pick one up.

We're covering the WWDC 2024 event as it happens. Follow WWDC 2024 LIVE here. Or check out our roundups for all the latest on the newly announced iOS 18iPadOS 18macOS 15watchOS 11visionOS 2, and Apple Intelligence.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9