Apple’s Stage Manager is an entirely new multitasking experience that automatically organizes apps and windows, making it quick and easy to switch between tasks. For the first time on iPad, users can create overlapping windows of different sizes in a single view, drag and drop windows from the side, or open apps from the Dock to create groups of apps for faster, more flexible multitasking. The window of the app users are working on is displayed prominently in the center, and other open apps and windows are arranged on the left-hand side in order of recency.
on iPad Pro and iPad Air with the M1 chip, Stage Manager also unlocks full external display support with resolutions of up to 6K, so users can arrange the ideal workspace, and work with up to four apps on iPad and four apps on the external display.
Many of the people who agree that iPad needs a windowed multitasking system think that the tablet should use the exact same one as macOS. Doing so has the advantage of familiarity, but it also assumes that the macOS system is the best possible one. With Stage Manager, Apple is developing a better multitasking system.
Mac experts – the people making most of the complaints about the new system, as far as I can tell – see no reason for this. I disagree.
I remember when Mac OS multitasking worked quite differently from today’s macOS system. It’s better now. And Apple is continuing the improvement process, with Stage Manager the next step. That’s why it’s available for macOS as well as iPadOS.
As noted, it seems to me that much of the criticism of Apple’s windowed multitasking system for iPad can be summed up with “It doesn’t work like Mac.”
Also, if you’re someone who typically has 263 windows open simultaneously, Stage Manager isn’t your friend. But macOS is enabling you to be disorganized. The new system could make you more productive, in the same way iPadOS won’t let you dump all your files in a big heap on the desktop the way macOS will.
As I see it, Stage Manager is a multitasking system better suited for average users than the macOS one. It doesn’t leave windowing up to the user, but tries to help them arrange their app windows in the best way.
That said, there’s no doubt there’s bugs.
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: You can also use Stage Manager to organize apps and windows on Mac running macOS Ventura or later.
To turn Stage Manager on or off, click Control Center in the menu bar, then click Stage Manager.
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Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb – the quote doesn’t offer any insight why Windows should go on a tablet. Bill Gates could have predicted the failure of Stage Manager about 20 years ago.
Tried it and found it utterly disrupted my work flow. YMMV but for me it’s a no-brainer to leave off and never revisit. Mac user since 1983 or so.
I am a Mac User since 1985, with the Fat Mac 512k which I still have and still works.:-) Currently I’m on my 70th life time Mac.
When first using Stage Manager it was a major WTF. However, once I made it easy to turn it on and off by adding it to the menu bar it became a friend. It quickly allows me to FOCUS on ONE thing without a zillion windows distraction. However, when I need to interact between two program’s windows, a click in the menu bar reveals all and I am back to window chaos, uh, 😉 I mean window interactions.
If I am working on something that requires say 4 different software programs, it is convenient to have them on the side so I can switch between them, but it still allows me to focus on one thing at a time.
I dare say, it has been very “Zen”. Really.
Calling BULLSHIT!!!!!
Used iPad at work from day 1 and it became my sole computing device in 2016, I can’t imagine a full time tablet user ever asking for stage manager. This is a feature that appeals to those who have one foot in touch and one foot in legacy desktop workflows…nothing wrong with that, but don’t put lipstick on this pig of a feature. I tested it out and it made my workflow unnecessarily harder.
Stage Manager is beyond stupid. Apple should be embarrassed at how asinine the have made iPad and macOS. Only a drooling idiot uses Stage Manager.
FIRE Tim Cook!
It does enhance the use of the iPad when working in multiple programs. My Macs are plugged into large screens – 32″ or 43″ and the overlapping windows is not a problem. Not sure I understand theater the top hate stuff from some of the idiots commenting here, to be honest. Must be MAGA maggots. They hate everything.
After some experiment, I can maximize multitasking with Stage Manager. After 16 years of using Mac, I think this is the best feature. Trust me, once you understand the magic of Stage Manager, you can’t live without it. My scenario is working with multiple documents opened on multiple desktops. Multitasking was never been this easier, I’m much more productive. The usage of multiple desktops is now much more logic and natural when combined with Stage Manager.
My setup with Stage Manager looks like: desktop 1 for POAC/PDCA monitoring; 2 for all-in stickies note taking; 3 for working with reviewing set of docx, finder, pdfs, corporate apps, and some Google Sheets opened; 4 same with 3 but another documents set; 5 for working with paperwork’s analysis documents set; 6 also for other analysis documents set; 7 for research activities with windows and tabs; 8 for my side hustle works and hobbies; 9 for my family activities. With Mission Control keyboard shortcut set Control+1 to 9 for it’s desktop number, I can directly go those specific works on exact desktop. At the end of work hours I’ve never shutdown my MBP for months with this setup, ready to work instantly every morning. Super time saver.