Working with Procreate on an iPad has become the foundation of my daily routine. of many people who illustrate, design or simply draw on the iPad For fun. When a major system update comes out, like iOS 26, the question is immediate: do we maintain the same workflow, or do we have to relearn half the iPad to keep producing at the same level?
Besides the performance of Procreate itself, there is another key piece of the puzzle: the multitaskUntil now, the combination of Procreate with Slide Over, Photos, and Pinterest was the perfect pair for creating mood boards, collecting references, and having them readily available while drawing. With Slide Over gone and Apple opting for new window modes, it's natural to wonder if the workflow improves, worsens, or simply changes shape.
Procreate on iPad with iOS 26: overall performance and impressions
In essence, Procreate It continues to work very solidly on iOS 26The app maintains its usual fluidity when drawing; the Apple Pencil strokes feel immediate, and there are no drastic changes to its internal interface simply from updating the system. If you use Procreate professionally, you shouldn't notice a drop in performance when upgrading to iOS 26, provided your iPad has enough storage and isn't already at its capacity limit.
The response of Apple Pencil It remains one of the strengths of the iPad + Procreate comboLatency is very low, the drawing looks clean even with heavier brushes, and familiar gestures (pinch to zoom, rotate canvas, double-tap undo, etc.) continue to behave the same as in previous versions of the system. In that sense, iOS 26 doesn't break routines or force you to change the way you interact with the canvas.
Where you can notice differences is in very heavy projects with many layersAs with every new version of iOS, memory management and system priorities may vary slightly, and this means that Procreate will close large projects sooner if the iPad is running low on resources or if you have many apps open in the background. Close apps you're not using And limiting the number of canvases open at one time is still a good practice.
In terms of stability, Procreate maintains a very low failure rate.There is no wave of reports of unexpected shutdowns clearly linked to iOS 26, beyond the isolated cases that usually arise with any major update. Update Procreate Also, downloading the latest version optimized for the new system is highly recommended to avoid small but annoying incompatibilities.
Changes to multitasking: Goodbye Slide Over, hello new window modes
The big shift in workflow comes from the part of iOS 26 dedicated to multitasking.One of the most valued habits of Procreate users was having Slide Over enabled with Photos, Pinterest, or other inspiration apps, allowing them to drag and drop images while drawing. The disappearance of Slide Over as we knew it forces us to look to the new window modes and options like Stage Manager or tiled view.
Until now, the typical routine consisted of pinning Procreate to full screen and create a floating column in Slide Over using the Photos app or Pinterest. This way, you could have a discreet reference board that could be hidden and revealed with a quick gesture, without completely covering the canvas. For many artists, this combination was perfect because it allowed them to focus on the drawing but consult the supporting images when needed. It was also common to use inspiration apps specific to maintain visual consistency.
With iOS 26, Apple is pushing harder towards a windowing model closer to a desktop.The apps can be arranged in different sizes, partially overlap, and organized into workgroups. This might feel less "mobile" at first for those coming from SlideOver, but it opens the door to more stable configurations, where the space dedicated to Procreate and the area for mood boards are clearly defined once you've arranged them. Features such as Stage Manager They take advantage of models with larger screens and more power.
The advantage of these new window modes is that you can reserve a fixed area of ​​the screen for reference.without needing to constantly hide and show the supporting app. On iPads with large screens, you can work very comfortably with Procreate occupying most of the space, and a medium-sized Photos or Pinterest window always visible to the right or left.
The main drawback for those who loved Slide Over is the loss of that lightweight floating panel which could be moved and hidden with ease. The new windowing approach requires a little more initial time to set up your workspace. However, once you achieve a window arrangement you like, you can maintain and retrieve it thanks to recent app groups and the system's management of those spaces.
Using Photos and Pinterest as references and mood boards with iOS 26
If your workflow is based on having mood boards with reference imagesThe Procreate + Photos + Pinterest combination remains perfectly viable in iOS 26, just organized differently. Photos and pin boards continue to be just as accessible, and the drag-and-drop gesture within Procreate is also retained.
The iOS Photos app remains very useful for organizing references by albumsYou can group your images by project, client, style, or theme and have them always ready to open in a separate window while you work on your canvas. The difference is that, instead of using Slide Over, you'll now have them in a separate window, occupying a defined portion of the screen.
Pinterest continues to be a goldmine of inspiration, but it requires good organization.. The ideal is prepare specific boards For each project or type of illustration, so you don't have to search too much while you draw. With the new window modes, you can leave a specific board permanently open while you move around Procreate, simply by swiping or resizing each app.
Dragging and dropping images from Photos or Pinterest into Procreate remains one of the quickest gestures To build internal mood boards on your canvases, you can create a layer exclusively for references within the same file, import photo thumbnails or pins, and place them on one side of the canvas so you don't have to constantly switch windows.
Another convenient option is to use the clipboard and the image paste function in Procreate.You copy from Photos or Pinterest, drag and drop onto the canvas, and paste onto a new layer or an existing one, depending on your needs. While it might seem slower than drag and drop, it can be useful when working in more confined window settings, where dragging elements between apps isn't as easy.
Adapt your Procreate workflow to the changes in iOS 26
The key to keeping Procreate just as productive with iOS 26 is adjusting your workflow to the new multitasking.Instead of trying to force the system to behave as it did before, if your routine relied heavily on Slide Over, you'll need to spend some time experimenting with the new window sizes until you find a comfortable configuration.
A practical way to start is to define two or three "use scenarios".For example: one space for sketching with Procreate in almost full screen and a small Photos window; another for coloring with Procreate taking up more area and Pinterest in a sidebar; and a third where you have Procreate along with a browser or notes to review customer feedback.
Saving and reusing these scenarios is more a matter of habit. that's in advanced settings. The system remembers the groups of apps you've opened together, so you can reopen a Procreate + Photos or Procreate + Pinterest combo from the recent apps view without having to set everything up from scratch each time.
It's also a good time to review how you organize your canvases within Procreate.If you tend to create multiple documents, it can be more efficient to consolidate the phases of a single project into fewer files with more layers, reserving some of them solely for color tests, internal mood boards, or quick studies. This reduces the number of times you switch between apps and windows.
Gestures and shortcuts remain your best ally to compensate for changes in the system interface.Adjust the sensitivity of the undo gestures, configure the double-tap Apple Pencil (if your model allows it) and using keyboard shortcuts on an external keyboard can make all the difference when you want to maintain the same working speed you had before the upgrade.
Practical tips for working comfortably with Procreate and iOS 26
If you've already updated to iOS 26 and notice that your Procreate workflow has been disruptedIt is worth applying a series of small adjustments that, together, restore the feeling of control that comes from working with a system you are used to.
Start by checking the multitasking and window settings in your system.Enable all options that allow the use of resizable windows, Stage Manager (if your iPad model is compatible), and advanced drag-and-drop features. The more flexible the environment, the more likely you are to replicate what you previously did with Slide Over.
Next, take some time to define how you're going to use your reference apps.If you previously relied heavily on Slide Over with Pinterest, consider whether it's more cost-effective to transfer many images to Photos to work from local albums, or if you prefer to continue using your online boards and keep Pinterest in a fixed window next to Procreate.
Don't neglect the organization of Procreate itself either.Label your canvas galleries, archive old projects you no longer need to have readily available, and back up important work. iOS 26 doesn't change Procreate's internal file system, but keeping everything more organized will make the new Windows ecosystem feel less overwhelming.
Finally, listen to your own work rhythm and adjust it calmly.It's normal to feel a bit lost in the first few days after a major system update, especially if you used Slide Over and specific gestures extensively. Give yourself time to experiment with different configurations, resize windows, and rearrange your favorite apps until you find a combination that feels natural again.
With a little adaptation, Procreate remains a very powerful tool on iPad with iOS 26It's perfectly capable of handling complex workflows with mood boards, photo references, and Pinterest boards. While the immediate convenience of Slide Over is missed, the new window modes allow you to create equally efficient, and even more stable, workspaces, provided you take the time to mold the system to your needs instead of fighting with it.
