iPadOS 16.1 Features, Problems, Fixes, Improvements & More

Apple has rolled out iPadOS 16.1 build number 20B82. This marks the official iPadOS 16 release, one month and 12 days after iOS 16 premiered on September 12! Check out all the new features as well as problems and issues reported for this release!

iPadOS 16.1 Problems

Before you update your iPad check the issues that have been currently reported for this release:

• 1. WiFi disconnects every 30-40 seconds after iPadOS 16.1 update. Reported by Craig (iPad Pro M1).
  Fix: Resetting Network Settings won’t help. A clean install might be required using a computer.
  Update: A potential workaround has been provided by Tony. Please check it out here.
• 2. iPad not booting up after iPadOS 16.1 update. Reported by Neelesh (iPad Air 3).
  Fact: This looks to be an isolated case. Connect iPad to computer and restore via Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows).
• 3. App folder blur issue when opening a folder from the dock. The top part of the screen isn’t blurred. Reported by qw3rts and Filly.
  Workaround: Remove app folder from Dock. More details here.
  
  

  iPadOS 16.1 app folder blur bug. | Thanks Otavio for the screenshot.

• 4. Apple Pencil lag in Notes app after iPadOS 16.1 update. Reported by Reddit user.
• 5. Stage Manager not available on iPad! Reported by Levi.
  Fact: This iPadOS 16.1 feature is only available on iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd gen. and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st gen. and later) and iPad Air (5th gen.) according to this Apple support document.
• 6. Instagram not working properly after iPadOS 16.1 update. Zoom-in option not available, post stories button not showing up. Reported by Karin (iPad Pro 4).
  Workaround: You can use the web version to browse an enlarged Instagram version on your iPad, however there are some downsides too. More details here.
• 7. Animation bug found by Chris.
• 8. iPad freezing for a couple of seconds for some users.
• 9. Explicit music cannot be played in Apple Music. Reported by fragrantS.
  Fix: You have to turn On Screen Time restrictions and then allow Explicit content.
• 10. To be updated! (Contribute in the comments!)

Fact: We recommend you to also check Apple’s Developer release notes for more known issues.

iPadOS 16.1 Download

• This update is available over-the-air in Settings -> General -> Software Update.
• Tap Download and Install and be patient until the release is requested, downloaded, prepared, verified and installed on your iPad.

Tip: iPadOS 16.1 comes with many security patches. Check them out in Apple’s security document for this update.

iPadOS 16.1 Features

Apple has published an extended update log that informs about numerous changes and new features. All of them are listed here:

• iCloud Shared Photo Library

  • Separate library for seamlessly sharing photos and videos with up to five other people.
  • Setup rules allow you to easily contribute past photos based on start date or people in the photos when you set up or join a library.
  • Library filters for quickly switching between viewing the Shared Library, your Personal Library, or both libraries together.
  • Shared edits and permissions let everyone add, edit, favorite, caption, and delete photos.
  • Sharing toggle in Camera lets you choose to send photos you take straight to the Shared Library, or enable a setting to share automatically when other participants are detected nearby using Bluetooth.

• Messages

  • Edit a message for up to 15 minutes after sending it and recipients see a record of edits.
  • Undo send allows you to recall any message up to 2 minutes after sending it.
  • Mark as unread makes it easy to come back to a conversation later.
  • SharePlay in Messages lets you enjoy activities like watching movies, listening to music, playing games, and more with friends while messaging.
  • Collaboration provides a simple way to invite others to collaborate on a file via Messages and get activity updates in the thread when someone makes an edit to a shared project.

• Mail

  • Improved search delivers more accurate, complete results and provides suggestions as soon as you begin to type.
  • Undo send allows vou to cancel delivery of a message within 10 seconds of hitting send.
  • Scheduled send for sending an email at a specific day and time.
  • Follow-up surfaces sent emails that have not been replied to, to the top of your inbox so you can quickly follow-up.
  • Remind me lets you schedule a date and time to be reminded about an email.

• Safari and Passkeys

  • Shared Tab Groups let vou share a set of tabs with others and see the Tab Group update instantly as you work together.
  • Tab Group start pages can be customized with different background images and favorites for each Tab Group.
  • Pinned tabs in Tab Groups enable you to pin frequently visited websites for each Tab Group.
  • Safari web page translation adds translation for web pages in Turkish, Thai, Vietnamese, Polish, Indonesian, and Dutch.
  • Passkeys offer support for an easier and safer sign-in method to replace passwords.
  • Passkey syncing through iCloud Keychain makes your passkeys available across all your Apple devices while keeping them end-to-end encrypted.

• Stage Manager

  • A new way to multitask on iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later) and iPad Air (5th generation).
  • Overlapping and resizable windows allow you to adjust the size of your apps and arrange your ideal workspace.
  • Recent Apps arranged on the left of the screen allow you to quickly switch between apps.
  • App groups allow you to create sets of apps that you can quickly get back to.

• New Display Modes

  • Reference Mode delivers reference color for popular color standards and hem. video formats on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Liquid Retina DR display and with Sidecar, use it as a reference display for your Apple silicon Mac.
  • New display scaling setting that increases the pixel density so you can view more in your apps on iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation and later) and iPad Air (5th generation).

• Weather

  • Weather app on iPad is optimized for the larger display, including immersive animations, detailed maps, and tappable forecast modules.
  • Weather maps show precipitation, air quality, and temperature alongside the location view or in full screen.
  • Tappable modules reveal more detail such as hourlv temperature or precipitation forecasts for the next 10 davs.
  • Air quality displays a color coded scale for air quality, level and category, and you can view air quality on a map to see related health recommendations, pollutant breakdown, and more.
  • Animated backgrounds represent the sun position, clouds, and precipitation with thousands of variations.
  • Severe weather notifications let you know when a severe weather alert has ,werful new productivity and been issued near you.

• Game Center

  • In-Game Dashboard Activity shows you what your friends are accomplishing in this game, and what they are playing and achieving across all games in one place.
  • Game Center Profiles highlight your achievement and leaderboard activity across all of the games you play.
  • Contacts integration shows your friends’ Game Center profiles and lets you see what they are playing and accomplishing in games.

• Live Text

  • Live Text video support allows you to interact with text in a paused video frame so you can copy, translate, lookup, share, and more available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models.
  • Quick actions let you take action on data detected in photos and videos with a single tap, so you can track flights or shipments, translate foreign languages, convert currencies, and more, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models.

• Visual Look Up

  • Lift subject from background isolates the subiect of an image so you can copy and paste it into apps like Mail and Messages, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models.
  • Visual Look Up adds recognition of birds, insects, spiders, and statues in your photos available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models.

• Siri

  • Easy Shortcuts setup makes it possible to run shortcuts with Siri as soon as you download an app with no upfront setup.
  • A new setting allows you to send messages without Siri asking you to confirm before sending.
  • “Hey Siri, what can I do here?” helps you discover Siri capabilities in iPadOS and apps just by asking, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models.
  • Call hang up option for ending Phone and FaceTime calls with Siri by saying “Hey Siri, hang up”, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro
  12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models.
  • Emoji support lets you insert emoji using your voice when sending messages on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models.

• Dictation

  • All-new Dictation experience supports using your voice along with keyboard or Apple Pencil to enter and edit text, available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd
  generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad Pro 11-inch all models.
  • Automatic punctuation inserts commas, periods, and question marks as you dictate.
  • Emoji support lets you insert emoji using your voice available on iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) and iPad
  Pro 11-inch all models.

• Maps

  • Multi-stop routing supports adding up to fifteen stops along your driving route in Maps.
  • Transit fares show you how much your journey will cost in the San Francisco Bay Area, London, New York, and more.

• Home

  • Redesigned Home app makes it easier to navigate, organize, view, and control your smart home accessories.
  • Home tab now integrates all your accessories, rooms, and scenes into a single tab for a whole-house view, allowing you to see your entire home at a glance.
  • Categories for lights, climate, security, speakers and TVs, and water let you quickly access all the relevant accessories organized by room, and
  updates, please visit this
  displays more detailed status information
  • New camera view displavs up to four cameras front and center in the Home tab, scroll to see any additional camera views in your home
  • Redesigned accessory tiles feature more visually recognizable icons that are color-matched to their category, and new behaviors for more precise accessory controls
  • Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, is supported enabling a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems.

• News

  • My Sports enables you to easily follow your favorite teams and leagues and watch highlights right in the News app.
  • Favorites give you easy access to the channels and topics you read the most, in a consistent place near the top of your Today feed.
  • New homepages deliver visually updated and easier to navigate topic feeds for local news locales, sports teams and leagues, and more.

• Family Sharing

  • Improved child account setup makes it easier to create an account for a child with the right parental controls, including age-appropriate media restrictions.
  • Device setup for a child lets you use Quick Start to easily set up a new iOS or iPadOS device for your child with your selected parental controls in place.
  • Screen Time requests in Messages make it even easier to approve or decline requests from your child.
  • Family Checklist gives you tips and suggestions like updating a child’s parental control settings, turning on location sharing, or just reminding you to share vour iCloud+ subscription with everyone.

• Desktop-Class Apps

  • Customizable toolbars allow you to add the features you use most often in your apps.
  • Menus provide additional context for actions such as close, save, and duplicate, making it easier to edit documents and files in apps like Pages and Numbers.
  • Find and Replace is available in apps across the system, including Mail, Messages Reminders and Swift Playgrounds.
  • Availability view in Calendar shows availability of invited participants when you create meetings in Calendar.

• Safety Check

  • Safety Check is a new section in Settings to help people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations quickly reset the access they’ve granted to others.
  • Emergency reset lets you quickly take action to reset access across all people and apps, including disabling location sharing via Find My, resetting privacy permissions for apps, and more.
  • Manage sharing and access helps you review and customize which apps and people can access your information.

• Accessibility

  • Door detection in Magnifier locates a door, reads signs and symbols around it, and gives you instructions for how to open the door.
  • Live Captions (beta) automatically converts audio into text for users who are Deaf or hard of hearing to follow along more easily with calls and media content.
  • Buddy controller helps users with cognitive disabilities get support from a caregiver or friend while playing a game, by combining inputs from multiple game controllers into one.
  • VoiceOver is now available in over 20 new languages and locales, including Bangla (India), Bulgarian, Catalan, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
  • Voice Control spelling mode gives you the option to dictate names, addresses, or other custom spellings letter by letter.

• More iPadOS 16.1 Features

  • New Watercolor, Monoline, and Fountain pens in Notes.
  • AirPods Pro (2nd generation) support, including Findy My and Precision Finding for the MagSafe Charging Case as well as Personalized Spatial Audio for a more precise and immersive listening experience, also available on AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro (1st generation), and AirPods Max.
  • Handoff in FaceTime allows you to move FaceTime calls seamlessly from your iPad to your iPhone or Mac, and vice versa.
  • Memoji updates include more sticker poses, hairstyles, headwear, noses, and lip colors.
  • Translate camera lets you translate text around you using the camera in the Translate app.
  • Duplicate detection in Photos identifies duplicate photos so you can quickly clean up your library.
  • Pinned lists in Reminders helps you quickly navigate to your favorite lists.
  • Search on the Home Screen enables Spotlight to be accessed directly from the bottom of the Home Screen, making it easy to open apps, find contacts, or get information from the web.
  • Rapid Security Response gets important security improvements to your devices even faster, as they can be applied automatically between standard software updates.

Other changes not mentioned in the release notes are highlighted below:

• To be updated! (Contribute in the comments!)

Tip: For the security content of this update please visit Apple’s security updates section.

iPadOS 16.1 Not Available?

This software update isn’t showing up on your device. Make sure that your iPad is compatible with iPadOS 16. Here is the compatibility list.

Have you installed iPadOS 16.1 on iPad? What’s your feedback? Did you notice any changes not mentioned in this article? What about other bugs? Share them in the comments please!

Related: Apple has also released iOS 16.1 (20B82), macOS Ventura 13 (22A380), watchOS 9.1 (20S75), tvOS 16.1 (20K71) and HomePod 16.1 and macOS 12.6.1.