How to Use Stage Manager on iPad (2026 Update)

Stage Manager on iPad (not iPhone) enables floating, resizable windows for multitasking. Enable: Settings > Display & Brightness > Stage Manager or swipe up > tap the Stage Manager icon in Control Center.

What Stage Manager Does

Stage Manager displays up to 8 recent apps in a sidebar while a primary app (or window group) takes center stage. Tap a sidebar app to bring it front. Drag two or more apps together to create a window group.

Stage Manager on iPad supports external display mirroring with independent windows — run different apps on iPad and external monitor simultaneously.

Requirements

iPad Pro M1 or later, iPad Air M1 or later, iPad mini 6 or later with iPadOS 16+. Not available on iPhone. Stage Manager requires sufficient RAM for floating windows.

Window Groups for Note-Taking

Create a Stage Manager window group: drag Notes or Nemos next to Safari or a research PDF. Both appear simultaneously. Annotate in Notes while referencing a web page or PDF in the other window.

Practical use: open a PDF in Files, drag Notes into the same window group. Side-by-side research reading and note-taking without switching apps.

Stage Manager vs Split View

Stage Manager: more flexible, supports multiple window groups, works with external display.

Split View: simpler, supported on all iPads, better for two-app workflows.

For iPad-primary note-takers: Stage Manager is the better multitasking system if your iPad supports it.

Stage Manager + Nemos for iPad Workflows

Stage Manager on iPad enables a layout where Nemos runs in a side window alongside your primary working app. Different from multitasking with Split View: Stage Manager windows can be different sizes and overlap, more closely resembling a desktop windowing system.

Practical workflow: Nemos in a narrow side window, writing app or browser in the main window. Pull Nemos forward when you need to capture or search a reference, push it back when working.

On M-chip iPads: Stage Manager supports external displays. Put Nemos on the external display as a persistent reference panel while the iPad screen handles primary work. This mirrors the two-device second-screen setup that's otherwise only possible with a Mac.