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If iPad multitasking gestures stop working, first check which multitasking mode is selected in Settings > Multitasking & Gestures, then use the gesture for that mode. Windowed Apps, Stage Manager, and Full Screen Apps behave differently, and the available options depend on the iPad model and iPadOS version.

1. Check your iPadOS version and multitasking mode

Apple’s current instructions describe iPadOS 26. Open Settings > Multitasking & Gestures and check the selected option. In iPadOS 26, the choices include Windowed Apps, Stage Manager, and Full Screen Apps. If Full Screen Apps is selected, Windowed Apps behavior will not be available; a gesture you expect to open or arrange windows may therefore not match the active setup. For the exact setting details, see Apple’s Windowed Apps instructions and multitasking guide.

Labels and window behavior can differ on earlier iPadOS versions, so confirm your installed version before following version-specific steps. Apple says that setting a window as Slide Over is available in iPadOS 26.2 or later.

2. Confirm that your iPad supports the mode

Compatibility varies by mode. Apple’s iPadOS 26 Windowed Apps list includes iPad (8th generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), and iPad mini (5th generation and later), as well as listed newer configurations such as iPad (A16), iPad Air (M2 and later), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad Pro (M4 configurations). Check Apple’s complete Windowed Apps model list against your exact iPad model. Stage Manager has its own supported-model list; consult Apple’s Stage Manager compatibility information before troubleshooting that mode.

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3. Use the gesture or action for the selected mode

Windowed Apps: open a second app or switch windows

  1. To place two apps side by side, open the first app, then open the Dock, App Library, or Spotlight. Touch and hold the second app and drag it to the left or right edge of the screen.
  2. To switch among open windows, swipe up from the bottom edge and pause in the center of the screen. Lift your finger, then tap the window you want.
  3. In Safari or Notes, you can also touch and hold the app icon and choose New Window to open another window.

These are the Windowed Apps actions in Apple’s iPad multitasking guide.

Stage Manager: try its alternate ways to switch apps

If the gesture you normally use does not bring up the app you want, Stage Manager provides several alternatives:

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  • Tap an app in the recent-app list or in the Dock.
  • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the center to view recent apps.
  • Swipe left or right along the bottom edge with one finger.
  • Swipe left or right with four or five fingers.

On an iPad with a Home button, Apple’s guide specifies a slight arc for the one-finger bottom-edge swipe. See Apple’s Stage Manager guide for the documented controls.

Slide Over: bring a hidden window back

If a Slide Over window has been moved off screen, swipe inward from the screen edge where it was moved. Apple says an arrow indicates its location. In iPadOS 26.2 or later, Apple also documents setting a window as Slide Over using window controls or by dragging an app over the relevant edge arrow; see Apple’s Slide Over instructions.

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4. If multitasking still does not respond

Check that the selected mode supports the action you are attempting, that your iPad model supports that mode, and that you are following instructions for your iPadOS version. The Apple instructions establish the settings and intended gestures, but do not provide a general diagnostic procedure for a gesture that fails.

If other touch actions work but one multitasking action does not, use Apple’s version-specific guidance to check the mode and gesture. If touch input also fails elsewhere on the screen, the cited multitasking instructions do not establish the cause; contact Apple Support for device-specific help rather than assuming a particular accessory, reset, or repair will fix it.

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