How to use Stage Manager with iPad and Mac

Multitasking on The iPad isn’t the most intuitive experience. Even with features like Split View and Slide Over where you can work on multiple apps at the same time, it’s not immediately clear how to activate these tools, let alone how to make the most of them. This is partly why Apple introduced Stage Manager last year with iPadOS 16, a new multitasking feature that mimics the desktop operating system.

Stage Manager organizes your open apps on the left side of the screen where you can see them at a glance. You can also group apps and even resize and overlap windows. This is a big deal on the iPad, but is also available on MacBooks running macOS Ventura—handy if you often have a lot of apps open and need organizational help. While it’s easy to use, once you get the hang of it, there is a learning curve. To help, here we will explain how to use Stage Manager on iPad and Mac.

Is your device compatible?

Apple initially announced that Stage Manager would only work with M1-based iPad Pro models and newer models. But the company later extended support for iPad Pro models with A12X and A12Z chips. The following iPads support Stage Manager:

• iPad Pro 12.9 inch (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11 inch (all generations)
• iPad Air (5th generation)

There is one caveat. The ability to move apps and windows between iPad and an external display using Stage Manager only works with the following models:

• iPad Pro 12.9 inch (5th generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11 inch (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Air (5th generation)

To check the specific model of your iPad, go to Settings > General > About and look for a section called Model name.

For Mac computers, Stage Manager supports any model with macOS Ventura. The following Macs support the latest OS:

• macbook: 2017 and later
• Macbook Air: 2018 and later
• Macbook Pro: 2017 and later
• Mac Mini: 2018 and later
• iMac: 2017 and later
• iMac Pro: 2017 and later
• Mac Pro: 2019 and later
• Studio Mac: 2022

To check the specific Mac model you own, click the Apple icon in the menu bar at the top left corner of the screen and select About this Mac.

Update your iPad and Mac

If your device supports Stage Manager, the next step is to make sure it’s running the latest version of iPadOS or macOS. Before updating, we strongly recommend that you back up your files. To find out the exact software version of your iPad, tap Settings > General > Software update. Click on the latest version (iPadOS 16.2) and select Download and install. For a Mac, click the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen, and then click About this Mac to make sure you are using macOS Ventura. If not, go to System Settings > Software Update and press Update now (or Update now). From there, the download and installation process will begin.

How to enable the scene manager

To enable Stage Manager on iPad: