Read the official iPadOS 18.2 release notes to learn about the latest Apple Intelligence capabilities and other iPad improvements in this update.
iPadOS 18.2 continues a staged Apple Intelligence rollout after iPadOS 18.1 brought the first wave of AI features to the public. To download and install an over-the-air update, go to Settings > General > Software Update and follow the instructions.
The new Apple Intelligence capabilities in iPadOS 18.2 include AI image generation (Image Playground, Image Wand and Genmoji), ChatGPT integration in Siri and Writing Tools and the ability to rewrite text in a specific style, like a poem. Apple Intelligence requires an iPad running the Apple M1 chip or newer.
iPadOS 18.2 also brings tweaks to the built-in Photos and Safari apps. The video player in Photos no longer shows black bars and you can now scrub frame-by-frame. There’s also a toggle in the Photos settings to disable auto-looping video playback. You can also swipe to go back when browsing Collections views and clear your Recently Viewed and Recently Shared album history for added privacy.
Safari brings four new wallpapers to customize the Start and New Tab pages. You’ll also find some new sections in the Safari settings to export your browsing data from Safari and import browsing data from another app into Safari. And if you start downloading a file in Safari and switch to another app, the file will continue downloading in the background with the download progress depicted as a live activity on the Lock and Home Screens.
iPadOS 18.2 release notes: Everything new for your iPad
You can read the iPadOS 18.2 release notes in Software Update and on Apple’s website. We’ve pasted the full iPadOS 18.2 release notes right ahead.
This update introduces new features powered by Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that unlocks powerful new ways to communicate, work, and express yourself, all while protecting your data with an extraordinary step forward for privacy in Al. New features include Image Playground which lets you create delightful, fun images, Genmoji to create original emoji to share with family and friends, ChatGPT support integrated right into Siri and Writing Tools and more. This release also includes enhancements to Photos and Safari, as well as other features, bug fixes and security updates for your iPad.
Apple Intelligence (iPad with M1 and later)
Image Playground
● A new app that lets you use concepts, descriptions and people from your photo library to create fun, playful images in multiple styles
● Quick previews are created for you to swipe through and choose from as you add concepts to your playground
● Swipe through previews and choose from as you add concepts to your playground
● Choose from animation and illustration styles when creating your image
● Create images in Messages and Freeform, as well as third party apps
Genmoji
● Genmoji allows you to create a custom emoji right in the keyboard
● Genmoji are synced in your sticker drawer across all your devices with iCloud
ChatGPT support
● ChatGPT from OpenAI can be accessed right from Siri or Writing Tools
● Compose in Writing Tools allows you to create something from scratch with ChatGPT
● Siri can tap into ChatGPT when relevant to provide you an answer
● A ChatGPT account is not required and your requests will be anonymous and won’t be used to train OpenAI’s models
● Sign in with ChatGPT to access your account benefits, and requests will be covered by OpenAI’s data policies
● Image Wand turns sketches and handwritten or typed notes into images in Notes
● Describe your change in Writing Tools allows you to suggest how you’d like something rewritten, for example as a poem
Photos
● Video viewing improvements, including the ability to scrub frame-by-frame and a setting to turn off auto-looping video playback
● Improvements when navigating Collections views, including the ability to swipe right to go back to the previous view
● Recently Viewed and Recently Shared album history can be cleared
● Favorites album appears in the Utilities collection in addition to Pinned Collections
Safari
● New background images to customize your Safari Start Page
● Import and Export enables you to export your browsing data from Safari and import browsing data from another app into Safari
● HTTPS Priority upgrades URLs to HTTPS whenever possible
● File Download Live Activity shows the progress of a file download in the dynamic island and on your home screen
Other improvements and fixes:
● Share Item Location in Find My helps you locate and recover misplaced items by easily and securely sharing the location of an AirTag or Find My network accessory with trusted third parties, such as airlines
● Natural language search in Apple Music and Apple TV app lets you describe what you’re looking for using any combination of categories like genres, moods, actors, decades and more
● Favorite Categories in Podcasts allows you to choose your favorite categories and get relevant show recommendations that you can easily access in your Library
● Personalized Search page in Podcasts highlights the most relevant categories and editorially curated collections tailored to you
● Sudoku for News+ Puzzles provided in three difficulty levels and available for News+ subscribers
● Support for the Hearing Test feature on AirPods Pro 2 in France, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom
● Support for the Hearing Aid feature on AirPods Pro 2 in United Arab Emirates
● Pre-market price quotes in Stocks lets you track NASDAQ and NYSE tickers prior to market open
● Fixes an issue where recently captured photos do not appear immediately in the All Photos grid
Apple’s security page provides information about the security content of iPadOS 18.2, including important bug fixes and patches for serious vulnerabilities.
Another worthwhile release
Whether you couldn’t care less about Apple Intelligence or your iPad doesn’t support it, there are other meaningful changes in iPadOPS 18.2 to justify updating.
These include sharing an AirTag location via al ink, natural language search in the TV and Music apps, a new Favorite Categories section in the Podcasts app and Sudoku puzzles for News+ subscribers, to name but a few.