Stage Manager Still Has Several Issues as iPadOS 16 Nears Release

Apple is set to release iPadOS 16 to the public this month, yet users continue to face several issues with the new Stage Manager feature.

ipados 16 stage manager
In the latest iPadOS 16 beta seeded earlier this week, developer Steve Troughton-Smith and MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci highlighted various user interface issues they continue to face from time to time while using Stage Manager, including the dock disappearing when rotating the iPad, content failing to scale properly when a window is resized, keyboard input failing to register in certain apps, and more.

In August, Viticci criticized Apple for its "fundamentally misguided" approach to Stage Manager. The feature has improved in the weeks since, but it's clear from the latest beta that several issues persist even as iPadOS 16 nears release.



Apple recently expanded Stage Manager to older iPad Pro models with A12X and A12Z chips released in 2018 and 2020, albeit without external display support, which limits the feature to four apps on the built-in display on these models. Apple also delayed external display support for iPad models with the M1 chip until later this year.

Stage Manager allows users to have up to four apps open in overlapping windows on an iPad's display for an improved multitasking experience. A modified version of Stage Manager is also available on macOS Ventura for keeping windows front and center.

Apple says iPadOS 16 will be released in October, but it not did confirm a specific day. The software update will be labeled iPadOS 16.1, and it will likely be released alongside iOS 16.1 for the iPhone, as the updates share the same build number.

Related Forum: iOS 16

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Top Rated Comments

gpat Avatar
29 months ago
Main issue is the feeling of uselessness.
It doesn't look like it was conceived to be a compelling feature, at all.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brofkand Avatar
29 months ago
Scrap it and give iPadOS a windowed UI next year. Stop with this crap software.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
29 months ago
Is it weird that I’m not even excited about this feature anymore.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rpmurray Avatar
29 months ago
Step 1. Announce new feature before it's fully baked.
Step 2. Continue to have problems implementing it.
Step 3. Either a miracle happens or ship it as is and promise a future update to fix it.
Step 4. PROFIT.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stuey3D Avatar
29 months ago
For me it wasn’t Stage Manager I wanted on my non M1 Pro I just wanted proper scaled 2nd screen support, even on Windows or macOS I almost exclusively keep everything maximised or in full screen mode anyway.

What would’ve been more useful is the ability to run an app on the 2nd screen whilst running another on the main screen, such as Teams on the iPad screen and Safari on the 2nd screen so that I don’t have to hide teams to do a simple web search, and I know I could split screen but thats a sub par experience if a 2nd screen is sat there simply mirroring the main display because it cant do anything else.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GubbyMan Avatar
29 months ago
Of course! They had to work their asses off to support A12X. Don't forget Apple is a small company with limited resources. It's unrealistic to expect them to deliver such a big feature within a limited time. :rolleyes:
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)