iPadOS 27 menu bar | Cult of Mac

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iPadOS 27 menu bar | Cult of Mac


iPadOS 27 continues Apple’s commitment to improve the iPad’s software. This time, another feature from macOS is making its way to Apple’s tablets, making them easier to use. And I love it.

Last year, Apple brought the macOS menu bar over to iPad. This year, iPadOS 27 makes it genuinely useful. It’s changed the way I use my iPad.

Making iPad more Mac-like… when it makes sense

Over the years, Apple steadily transformed iPadOS into a powerful operating system. I’ve had an iPad since Day 1, and saw first-hand as early updates brought in features like the Files app and Split View multitasking. More recent releases added overlapping and resizable windows and robust external display support.

Many of these features were brought over from the Mac, so that today the iPad feels far closer to macOS than ever before.

But that’s without sacrificing the touch-first design of iPadOS. I’ve used a succession of iPad models as my primary computer for at least ten years. I like the relative simplicity of the operating system when compared to macOS. I’m never going to open the Terminal or the Console, I don’t want Folder Actions, etc. I especially don’t need these making the OS needlessly complex while doing nothing for me.

That said, macOS has plenty to offer. The user interface features Apple keeps bringing over from the Mac and adding to iPadOS have made my job easier. Floating windows and full external display support were game changers. And more recently, the menu bar is a very welcome addition.

iPadOS 26 introduced the menu bar

iPadOS 26 introduced the menu bar to the iPad
The menu bar is part of iPadOS 26, but it’s not prominent.
Photo: Apple

iPadOS 26 actually ushered in the Mac-style menu bar last year. It gives users quick access to nearly every command an app offers, so instead of hunting through toolbars, settings screens or hidden menus, I can open the menu bar to find the familiar categories: File, Edit, View, Format, etc.

Problem is, iPadOS 26 keeps the menu bar hidden. I have to either swipe down from the top of my iPad screen with a finger or move the pointer to the top edge of the screen.

So it was a new addition to the user interface that wasn’t visible — it’s no shock I kept forgetting the menu bar was there. Happily, Apple fixed that with iPadOS 27, which I’m testing in beta.

iPadOS 27 lets the menu bar shine

iPadOS 27 lets the menu bar shine
I don’t recommend hiding the menu bar in iPadOS 27.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

With the upcoming version of the operating system, I can’t forget the menu bar is there because it’s not hidden. It’s there all the time. And that’s a good thing.

To be clear, I have the option to partially hide it, so that the name of the application I’m using is all that shows up until I tap on it. But I prefer to keep the whole menu bar showing, especially when I’m working.

I hope it’s obvious to everyone that I love my iPad, but I don’t love hunting through toolbars, pop-up menus, settings screens and long-press gestures for the controls and settings that I need. That’s what iPadOS used to make me do. Not anymore — these are in the menu bar.

Plus, even though I’m a power user, there are features of apps I’m unaware of. I just need to look through the menu bar to discover them.

Besides, having the name of the active app in the status area makes it clear which application is currently active… that’s not always obvious now that iPadOS offers floating app windows.

The right Mac features for iPad

iPadOS 26 brought the menu bar to iPad as a fresh productivity feature, while iPadOS 27 refined it into something closer to a true desktop menu bar. I use it constantly, and it makes me more productive. I can’t imagine going back to needing to hunt for the functions I need.

As a bonus, there’s an advantage for people who frequently switch between an iPad and a Mac. Making the iPad more Mac-like makes that transition feel much more natural.