iPadOS 16.1 now available, here’s why you should update

It took Apple four months, but the company is finally releasing the first iteration of iPadOS 16 with iPadOS 16.1 a few days before releasing the new M2 iPad Pro. It may sound a bit weird that the first version of the new software for iPad already has a .1 version, but it was needed to make sure users get the most features available at once. If you’re waiting for this operating system, here’s why you should update it.

Stage Manager is the main iPadOS 16.1 feature

iPadOS 16.1 took forever to land due to Stage Manager complications. According to Apple, this new feature lets users experience an “entirely new multitasking experience” that automatically organizes apps and windows, making it “quick and easy” to switch between tasks.

Available to 2018 iPad Pro users and newer models, this feature exists alongside the one available for macOS 13 Ventura. This is yet another way that Apple is creating to combine both operating systems, last year, the company released Universal Control.

iCloud Shared Photo Library will make your trips smarter

When traveling with family and friends, we take a ton of photos of places and the people that are with us. To reduce duplicated photos or if someone didn’t get that perfect shot taken, Apple created the iCloud Shared Photo Library.

With iPadOS 16.1, this feature gives families a way to share photos with a separate iCloud library that up to six users can collaborate on, contribute to, and enjoy. Users can choose to share existing photos from their personal libraries or share based on a start date or people in the photos. A user can also choose to send photos to the Shared Library automatically using a new toggle in the Camera app.

Delete, unread, or mark Messages with this update

Available with the release of iOS 16 last month, the ability to delete, unread, or mark Messages is finally coming to the iPad with iPadOS 16.1. Here’s how these features are going to work:

• Edit a message: During 15 minutes, users can make up to 5 edits to a given message, and recipients will be able to see a record of edits made to the message;
• Undo send: Unsend any message for up to 2 minutes after sending it;
• Mark as unread: Mark messages as unread when you don’t have time to respond but want to be sure to reply to the sender later. 

FaceTime Handoff arrives with iPadOS 16.1

With iPadOS 16.1 and macOS 13 Ventura, the FaceTime Handoff feature is finally available. Thanks to this feature, you can start a FaceTime call on your iPhone, and easily switch to the iPad or Mac. Just like AirPods can understand which device you are using, FaceTime Handoff lets you easily switch between your Apple gadgets.

In addition to that, there’s also a new Live Caption feature that automatically transcribes dialogue integrated into your video calls if you’re an English speaker.

More iPadOS 16.1 features now available

There are many more reasons to update to iPadOS 16.1, such as:

• Updated Focus Mode: it now brings Home Screen page suggestions, Focus filters, which help you set boundaries within Apple apps, and Focus schedules, which turn on automatically at a set time or location, or while using a certain app;
• Files app brings a new navigation button, sortable columns, the ability to change file extensions, and more.
• Safari adds shared tab groups and web push notifications for the first time ever.

Which iPad models support the latest software update?

Here are the iPads that support iPadOS 16.1

• iPad 5th gen or later;
• iPad mini 5th gen or later;
• iPad Air 3rd gen or later;
• All iPad Pro models.

More Apple coverage: iPad vs iPad Pro: Which is best for you in 2022?