How To Maximize the Dock on Your iPad with iPadOS 26

The Dock on an iPad is way more than just a row of apps sitting at the bottom; it’s kinda like your on-the-fly multitasking buddy that helps you jump between stuff quickly. With the new iPadOS 26, Apple threw in some slick updates—think Liquid Glass design, folders for quick access, and smarter drag-and-drop gestures—that really boost productivity. Navigating and customizing it can feel a little tricky at first, especially if you’re used to the old layout, but once figured out, it’s pretty seamless. This guide is all about making sure you get the most out of that little bar at the bottom, whether you want to hide some clutter or add your favorite folders and apps for faster workflows.

How to Access and Customize the iPad Dock

How to Access the Dock Without Quitting Your App

The Dock is basically always there when you’re on the Home Screen. To bring it up while you’re inside an app, do a gentle swipe up from the very bottom of the screen—kind of like you’re peeking underneath. Don’t go too high or you’ll just bounce back to the Home Screen. It’s pretty handy when you want to drag new apps or switch quickly. If this feels finicky, especially on some models, try a slower, deliberate swipe, because honestly, of course, iPadOS has to keep us guessing when it comes to gestures.

How to Hide or Remove Recent & Suggested Apps in the Dock

This is one of the quirkiest settings. When you notice that the right side of your Dock is full of suggested or recent apps that you don’t give a hoot about, it’s because Apple automatically shows those to boost quick access. To clean that up and make the Dock less cluttered:

Head to Settings > Home Screen & App Library
Scroll down to the Dock section
Turn off Show Suggested and Recent Apps in Dock

This helps keep only your pinned favorites visible, which is better if you like control. Sometimes, on some setups, this toggle doesn’t stick the first time — rebooting the iPad might fix that glitch, but honestly, it’s a small annoyance.

How to Hide the App Library Icon in the Dock

If the App Library icon at the far right bugs you (more clutter than useful sometimes), you can hide it:

Open Settings > Home Screen & App Library
Toggle off Show App Library in Dock

This will remove that icon, but keep in mind, you lose quick access to the App Library from the Dock, so only do this if you’re comfortable accessing it from the Home Screen instead.

How to Add and Arrange Your Favorite Apps and Folders

Want your most-used apps right at your fingertips? You can add and reorder apps in the Dock:

Long-press on any empty space or app icon until the icons jiggle. On some models, long-press an app and select Edit Home Screen.
Drag apps into the Dock from the Home Screen. Yep, just drag and drop.
To remove an app from the Dock, just tap the – button that appears in jiggle mode, then hit Remove from Home Screen. Or drag the app out of the Dock back onto the Home Screen.
Rearranging is simple: long-press an icon until everything jiggles, then drag around to your liking.

This process is kinda finicky sometimes, especially on newer iPads, but generally, it’s about tapping, dragging, and dropping. On some setups, the icons might not move immediately, so be patient or try restarting the device if things go wonky.

Adding Folders to Your Dock: Because Who Doesn’t Need Files at Their Fingertips

iPadOS 26 now lets you put folders from the Files app directly into the Dock, which is a game-changer if you’re juggling a lot of files or workflows. Just a heads-up though: you can only add folders from the Files app, not third-party apps, so no dragging Dropbox or Google Drive folders in place just yet.

Open Files and locate the folder you want (either on your iPad or in iCloud Drive).
Tap and hold the folder, then gently drag without lifting your finger.
While still holding, swipe up from the bottom to reveal the Dock. Sometimes it helps to keep the folder pressed until the Dock shows up and the app thumbnail sticks.
Drop the folder on the right side of the Dock, next to the App Library icon. You should see it sitting there, ready to access fast.

Found it weird that it only supports Files folders? Same here. Apple seems to keep it simple for now, but maybe someday third-party app folders will get in on the action.

Getting Playful with Multitasking Using the Dock

Thanks to the latest Apple hardware and software, multitasking is way better. The Dock’s role is huge in enabling Split View and Slide Over:

Slide Over: Drag an app from the Dock onto the screen, and it floats over your current app, letting you switch between tasks without leaving the current app. It’s way faster than navigating through menus or Home Screen dives.
Split View: Drag an app from the Dock to the left or right edge of the screen to split your display. Instant multitasking! For example, open Safari, then drag Notes from the Dock to jot down ideas while browsing.

Honestly, once you get the hang of dragging apps into side-by-side or floating mode, it’s surprisingly smooth. Sometimes the apps don’t want to snap exactly where you want, but that’s just Apple’s usual way of testing patience.

Using and Managing Files in Dock Folders

Folders in the Dock aren’t just for quick access; they’re basically mini file managers now. Here’s how to maximize that:

Tap the folder icon sitting in the Dock. It pops out a menu with recent files, folders, or subfolders—think like Finder on Mac but simplified.
Tap any file there to open it directly, and most files open in the Files app, or Preview for images and PDFs.
If there are subfolders, just tap to expand and see what’s inside.
Want to use a file elsewhere? Tap and drag it from the folder menu into another app—like dragging a photo into Pages or Notes.

Pro tip: long-press that folder icon for extra options, like changing how the list is sorted or viewed with different layouts (Fan View or Grid), which actually makes browsing easier.

Wrap-up…

The iPad Dock is a powerful but often overlooked part of the whole iPad experience. Between the new folder support, cleaner customization options, and enhanced multitasking, it’s more versatile than ever. Once it clicks, you’ll find it makes switching and organizing stay a lot smoother. Still, some tweaks and frustrations remain — like those odd toggles that don’t stick or the limited folder support — but overall, it’s a step in the right direction for productivity on tablets.

Summary

Access the Dock by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
Disable suggested/recent apps in Settings > Home Screen & App Library.
Hide or show the App Library icon for cleaner look.
Add, remove, or rearrange apps by long-pressing and dragging.
Drag folders from Files app into the Dock for quick access.
Use drag and drop for multitasking (Split View, Slide Over).
Manage files inside Dock folders for faster workflows.