How to Use Stage Manager on iPad

Learn to enable and use Stage Manager on iPad for better multitasking with overlapping windows, app groups, and external display support.

1. Enable Stage Manager in Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center. Tap the Stage Manager icon (overlapping rectangles). Your current app will resize into a window on the left side of the screen, with a strip of recent apps appearing on the left edge.
2. Create your first app group. Drag an app from the left strip onto your current app window to create a group. The apps will snap together, sharing the same window space. You can have up to four apps in a single group, with one app active and others accessible through tabs at the bottom of the window.
3. Resize and position windows. Drag from any edge or corner of a window to resize it. Position windows anywhere on screen by dragging from the top bar. Windows can overlap, and the most recently used window automatically moves to the front.
4. Manage multiple app groups. Create additional app groups by dragging apps from the left strip to empty areas of the screen. Switch between groups by tapping different windows. The left strip shows your four most recently used apps, with older apps accessible by scrolling.
5. Use external display features. Connect your iPad to an external display via USB-C, Thunderbolt, or AirPlay. Stage Manager extends to the external display, giving you up to eight app groups total—four on iPad and four on the external display. Drag windows between displays by moving them to the screen edges.
6. Customize Stage Manager settings. Go to Settings > Home Screen & Multitasking > Stage Manager. Toggle 'Show Recent Apps' to hide or show the left app strip. When connected to an external display, enable 'Turn on Display Zoom' for better readability on larger screens.