I’ve used an iPad Pro as my primary computer for nearly 10 years. And over that time, iPadOS multitasking features have changed a lot. But there’s one such iPad tool I depend on that’s been around since the start, and only improved with time: Slide Over.
The basics of Slide Over in iPadOS
Slide Over is one of a variety of multitasking tools Apple has built into iPadOS.
It’s the feature that lets you store iPhone-sized apps just off the edge of the screen so you can quickly ‘slide’ them into and out of view.
This is different from Split View, where you’re building a fixed setup of two apps side by side. It also differs from Stage Manager, which is arguably the most powerful iPad multitasking feature.
Slide Over has changed some over the years, but the current iteration works a lot like your iPhone’s multitasking system.
After pulling Slide Over into view (by default it lives off the right edge of the screen), you can swipe up on your Slide Over app to see a multitasking view that looks just like the iPhone’s. It allows you to switch between a stack of different Slide Over apps.
Also like the iPhone, you can switch between apps by swiping left and right on the horizontal bar at the bottom of the app.
Any apps that you like to pop in and out of quickly, you can add to your Slide Over stack.
Slide Over sits atop whatever other app or apps you’re already using, giving you quick access to more apps without altering your main working setup.
Slide Over is the best multitasking fit for Apple’s original iPad vision
From the start, the iPad was intended as a one-app-at-a-time device. It’s very like the iPhone in that way.
Apple’s various multitasking additions over the years have sought to give iPad users more power, but sometimes at the expense of the device’s original, user-friendly design.
When it comes to retaining that original iPad vision, Slide Over is easily Apple’s best offering.
It lets you continue to keep a single app on screen, plus get the benefit of popping in and out of other apps as needed.
For me, I love the improved focus that comes from working in one main app at a time. Usually that’s Ulysses for writing, or Safari for browsing the web.
Without disrupting that primary workspace, Slide Over lets me open apps like Files, Slack, Messages, and Reminders all throughout the day to respond to a quick message, upload a file, or check off a task before getting back to my main app.
In other words, I get the benefit of the iPad’s original design principle—one app for ultra simplicity and focus—while also enjoying convenient multitasking capabilities.
Slide Over on iPad: wrap-up
Without Slide Over, working from an iPad would feel a lot more slow and clunky. But with it, I get to enjoy increased focus in my main app while still retaining convenient access to other apps as needed.
Slide Over is also, out of Apple’s various multitasking tools, easily the least complex. In large part because it works just like an iPhone—thus following the pattern set by the original iPad.
Which iPadOS multitasking features do you use most, and why? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPad accessories
- AirPods Pro 2 (currently just $199, down from $249)
- 100W USB-C power adapter for fast charging
- tomtoc Tablet sleeve bag for protection and style
- Apple Pencil Pro (currently just $99, down from $129)
- Baseus 10ft USB-C cable for extended reach
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