iPadOS 26 brings a pointer shake gesture to enable you to more easily spot the mouse or trackpad cursor on the screen, and it works just like on the Mac.
On macOS, you can turn on the shake pointer gesture in the display accessibility settings, which makes the pointer comically larger for a brief moment when you quickly move the mouse or your finger on the trackpad.
The third developer beta of iPadOS 26 adds a shake pointer gesture, and it seems to work in exactly the same way as on the Mac, people reported on X (Twitter). Of course, you’ll need a compatbile iPad with a keyboard attachment that integrates a trackpad. You can also connect a mouse or a standalone trackpad to your iPad.
iPadOS 26 brings a pointer shake gesture
If you’re unsure where your pointer is or have trouble spotting because of eye strain, just move the finger rapidly back and forth across the trackpad and iPadOS will temporarily enlarge the pointer, making it easier to locate.
iPad OS 26 beta 3 brings a Mac like feature to the iPad for the new cursor. Shaking the cursor makes it bigger so it is easier to find! Still a little buggy, but great new feature for the iPad! #iPadOS26 #Apple #AppleNews pic.twitter.com/TjxFpJ8Ki3
— Robert Bentley (@RobertBentley76) July 7, 2025
The Mac has actually had this fun little feature for a decade; it first appeared in macOS El Capitan, released in September 2015. I couldn’t confirm if pouner shake is present in iOS 26. I’d bet so because the iPhone can also use mice and trackpads.
iPadOS 26 brings over another feature from the Mac: a proper pointer. Instead of a gray dot representing the pointer, like before, iPadOS 26 uses a Mac-like cursor.
in iPadOS 26 beta 3, shake the cursor and it’ll expand in size, It’s a trick carried over from macOS to make the cursor easier to see if it gets lost on multiple screens. pic.twitter.com/gNHBDDZhI9
— Ed Hardy (@EdFromFreelance) July 7, 2025
Other changes coming with iPadOS 26
iPadOS 26 includes other changes to the iPad experience, including major productivity improvements, a proper windowing system, an upgraded Dock, a more capable Files app, a Phone app from the iPhone, a new Games app and more.
The multitasking features Split View and Slide Over have been removed in favor of the new windowing system allowing for the free window placement (instead of the invisible grid, like before) with support for multiple overlapping windows.
The operating system will be tested throughout the summer, with a version for public beta testing coming later this month. Apple will release iPadOS 26 to the public this fall, probably ahead of new iPhones in September.