iPadOS 27 hands-on: everything new for iPad

At a glance:

• iPadOS 27 adds Apple Intelligence‑enhanced Siri requiring M‑series or A17 Pro iPad mini, unavailable in EU and China.
• New capabilities include Image Playground, Image Wand, expanded Visual Intelligence, AI‑generated shortcuts, and performance boosts such as faster browsing, AirDrop, multitasking and Liquid Glass opacity control.
• Accessibility upgrades powered by Apple Intelligence bring VoiceOver Image Explorer, on‑device caption generation for personal videos, generated subtitles and wheelchair control via Vision Pro.

Siri and Apple Intelligence enhancements

iPadOS 27 introduces a smarter version of Siri that can access personal data, search the web, and perform actions across apps, all powered by Apple Intelligence. The feature requires an M‑series chip or the A17 Pro iPad mini and is currently blocked in the European Union and China, meaning those regions will miss out on the AI upgrade. Users with compatible hardware will see Siri integrate handwritten note indexing, allowing searches of handwritten content, and can issue commands that rewrite, summarize, or check grammar in any app. This systemwide Write with Siri capability works regardless of the active application, extending the assistant’s reach on the iPad.

Visual and creative AI tools

A new Image Playground app lets users generate images in any style, from photorealistic to artistic, and powers the Image Wand feature in Notes, which turns quick sketches into detailed visuals. Visual Intelligence, previously iPhone‑only, now arrives on iPad, enabling users to circle elements in screenshots with a finger or Apple Pencil to obtain information such as nutritional facts or plant identification. The Shortcuts app can automatically create AI‑driven shortcuts, and users can describe windowing preferences for keyboard versus touch usage to generate functional shortcuts in seconds. Users can now produce photorealistic images from a simple sketch. They can also get contextual information about objects in photos. And they can build custom shortcuts that trigger AI‑generated actions, making the iPad a more versatile creative hub.

Performance and UI refinements

Performance gains make browsing, file transfers, AirDrop and app launches noticeably quicker, while multitasking feels smoother thanks to underlying system optimizations. Safari now supports automatic tab grouping, and an AI feature can generate custom extensions, adding flexibility to the browsing experience. The Liquid Glass slider lets users adjust opacity for better readability, and Apple also refined the visual style to boost clarity across the interface. Additionally, iPhone apps running on iPad can be resized, improving compatibility and usability. These refinements collectively enhance the overall fluidity and responsiveness of the iPadOS experience, making daily tasks feel more seamless. Developers also benefit from the expanded API support, which enables richer multitasking gestures and better window management.

Accessibility upgrades

Apple Intelligence drives a suite of accessibility enhancements, including VoiceOver Image Explorer that describes images for visually impaired users, and new generated subtitles that appear on‑device without internet reliance. Vision Pro integration enables wheelchair control through the headset, expanding digital accessibility for users with mobility challenges. Automatic caption generation for personal videos uses an on‑device speech model to create accurate subtitles without pre‑existing captions, benefiting content creators and social media users. These features aim to broaden digital access for a broader range of users, ensuring that people with visual, auditory, or mobility impairments can more fully engage with iPad content. The on‑device processing also preserves privacy by keeping AI analysis local, avoiding cloud transmission of personal data. Overall, the accessibility upgrades make iPadOS 27 more inclusive while maintaining the performance benefits of the update.