One of the standout features in iPadOS 18 is the innovative Floating Tab Bar, designed to enhance app navigation significantly. Previously, iPad apps utilized a tab bar similar to that of an iPhone, with tabs positioned at the bottom of the screen. With the advent of iPadOS 18, this tab bar now hovers at the top, allowing users to effortlessly switch between different sections of an app with a single tap. What’s even better is the ability to personalize this new tab bar by adding menu options that are most important to you. Let’s explore how to effectively use and customize the floating tab bar in iPadOS 18.
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Open and Use Floating Tab Bar on iPad in iOS 18
Upon launching apps such as Podcasts, Apple Music, or Apple TV+, you will notice a newly designed tab bar that hovers above your content. This innovative feature provides swift access to the sections you frequent most. With the introduction of this revamped tab bar in iPadOS 18, more room is allocated for your app’s content, while the tabs are conveniently positioned closer to other controls, ensuring a fluid and intuitive navigation experience.
Here’s a guide to utilizing the Floating Tab Bar on your iPad:
- Launch an application on your iPad.
- A fresh floating tab bar now graces the top of your screen.
- For example, upon launching the Podcasts app, you’ll encounter options like Home, Browse, Top Charts, and a search icon.
- You can navigate various sections of the app by selecting a tab.
- To delve deeper into additional menus, just press the button located on the left. This action will immediately convert the tab bar into a sidebar that stays affixed to the left side of the interface.
- Given our familiarity with sidebars in Safari and other applications, navigating the new sidebar should be a breeze.
Utilizing the new app tab bar in iPadOS 18 is incredibly straightforward.
How to Customize Floating Tab Bar in iOS 18
One of the standout features of the floating tab bar in iPadOS 18 is its customization capability, allowing you to add your most frequently used tabs. This means you can quickly access a commonly used sidebar tab by incorporating it into the floating tab bar. Here’s how to personalize an app’s tab bar in iPadOS 18.
- Press and hold on the tab bar located at the top of your screen.
- Certain tabs within the tab bar are permanently anchored. Take the Podcasts app, for example: Home, Browse, and Top Charts remain ever-present, and the search icon consistently holds its place.
- From the sidebar menu, locate the menu items marked under the Library section. Only these highlighted items are eligible to be added to the tab bar.
- To move the preferred menu items, simply drag them from the sidebar and drop them into the tab bar.
- After implementing the modifications, simply tap ‘Done’ located at the top-right corner of the sidebar.
- To eliminate a menu item from the tab bar, just deselect it within the Library section of the sidebar.
Limitations in customizing the floating tab bar
Although you can tailor the app tab bar in iPadOS 18 to match your preferences, it does come with some restrictions.
- Certain elements in the tab bar are irremovable, such as the Today tab in News or the Top Charts in Podcasts.
- Not all apps allow you to personalize the tab bar. This feature is available solely in applications that include a sidebar offering extra menu options. For instance, the App Store’s tab bar cannot be modified since it lacks a sidebar and consequently, any supplementary menus.
With iPadOS 18 still in its Developer Beta 1 stage, the system exhibits several inconsistencies. Take the Files app, for example: while it features a sidebar, the floating tab bar remains non-customizable. It is anticipated that Apple will address these issues in future updates.
At WWDC 2024, Apple unveiled several exciting features tailored for the iPad. Highlights include the long-anticipated Calculator app, a new Maths Notes app, enhanced handwriting capabilities, and notable improvements to the Files app. With the stable release of iPadOS 18 expected later this year, upgrading will certainly be worthwhile.
What did you think of the floating tab bar in iPadOS 18? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
