Articles on: iPadOS

Can I turn off the three dots on the top of my iPad?

Good news — iPadOS 26 removed the three-dot multitasking icon entirely. If you're seeing it, your iPad is running an older version of iPadOS, and updating will make it disappear.

iPadOS 26 — already fixed

In iPadOS 26, Apple replaced the three-dot icon with Mac-style window controls (the red, yellow, and green "traffic lights" in the top-left corner of each window).

To get the update:

Open the Settings app on your iPad;
Tap General → Software Update;
If iPadOS 26 (or later) is available and your iPad supports it, tap Update Now.

✅ TIP: Not every iPad supports iPadOS 26. If your iPad isn't on Apple's compatibility list, follow the iPadOS 18 instructions below.

iPadOS 18 and earlier — hide it in Settings

If you're on iPadOS 18 or earlier, you can turn the three-dot icon off:

Open the Settings app on your iPad;
Tap Multitasking & Gestures (on older iPadOS versions, this may be under Home Screen & Multitasking);
Toggle off Show Multitasking Controls in Apps.

📝 NOTE: Turning off the multitasking controls hides the icon, but Split View and Slide Over still work — you can launch them with gestures or from the Dock. See How do I use multitasking and Split View on iPad? for details.

What's Next

How do I use multitasking and Split View on iPad?
Welcome to Scriptation for iPad
Using the Apple Pencil on iPad

Updated on: 25/06/2026

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