iPad Pro M4 Tips in 2026: iPadOS 26, Apple Pencil Pro and Battery
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The M4 iPad Pro is still a powerful iPad in 2026, but it is no longer Apple’s newest iPad Pro. Apple introduced the M5 iPad Pro on October 15, 2025. If you already own the 2024 M4 model, the useful question is not how to make it behave like a rumored future device; it is how to use the features the M4 actually supports under iPadOS 26.
The 11-inch M4 iPad Pro has an Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED display, supports Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil hover, and offers an optional nano-texture display on 1TB and 2TB configurations. The tips below are built around current Apple documentation rather than invented performance percentages.
1. Use the iPadOS 26 windowing system, not only old Split View habits
iPadOS 26 gives iPad a newer windowing model, while Stage Manager remains available. On supported iPads, including M4 iPad Pro, you can choose windowing behavior under Settings → Multitasking & Gestures. Stage Manager can also be toggled from Control Center.
If you are coming from an older iPadOS release, our iPadOS 26 tips guide covers the broader system changes.
2. Customize Apple Pencil Pro squeeze
M4 iPad Pro supports Apple Pencil Pro. In Settings → Apple Pencil → Squeeze, choose what a squeeze does in supported apps, such as showing the tool palette or another available action. Squeeze is useful because it can keep common drawing controls under the hand holding the Pencil.
3. Use barrel roll where the app supports it
Apple Pencil Pro can detect barrel rotation. Apple documents barrel roll for tools such as the fountain pen and highlighter in Apple apps including Freeform, Notes, and Markup. Third-party support varies, so do not assume every art app implements the feature identically.
4. Set double-tap and haptic feedback to your preference
Apple Pencil Pro also supports double-tap and haptic feedback. Under Settings → Apple Pencil, you can configure the double-tap action and turn Pencil haptics on or off. These are real productivity settings; there is no need to install a third-party utility just to change them.
5. Consider the 80% charge limit if the iPad spends a lot of time plugged in
Apple supports an 80% Limit on iPad Pro (M4) and later. Open Settings → Battery → Battery Health to enable or disable it. With the feature on, iPad normally stops around 80%, may resume when charge falls to about 75%, and occasionally charges to 100% so the system can maintain accurate state-of-charge estimates.
This is a battery-longevity option, not a requirement. If you routinely need maximum unplugged runtime, charging to 100% can still be the practical choice.
6. Keep heat in mind when charging
Apple says battery aging is affected by temperature history and charging patterns. iPad can reduce charging current as the battery approaches full charge, and high ambient temperatures can permanently reduce battery lifespan. Avoid covering the iPad or leaving it in a hot car while it charges.
7. Use an external display for a larger workspace
M4 iPad Pro supports high-resolution external displays through USB-C/Thunderbolt. With iPadOS 26 on compatible hardware, apps and windows can be moved between the iPad and an external display. This is more useful for documents, editing, reference material, and multi-app work than mirroring the same screen everywhere.
8. Match cables to the job
The USB-C connector does more than charge. The M4 iPad Pro supports Thunderbolt/USB 4-class workflows, but the actual result depends on the cable, dock, display, and storage device. A charge-only or low-bandwidth cable will not magically provide high-speed external-storage or display performance.
9. Treat the nano-texture display differently
If your 1TB or 2TB M4 iPad Pro has the optional nano-texture glass, Apple says to use the included polishing cloth for normal dust and smudges. For infrequent hard-to-remove marks, Apple permits moistening that cloth with a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution. Do not apply generic display-cleaning advice to nano-texture glass without checking Apple’s instructions.
10. Know what changed after the M4 generation
Apple’s M5 iPad Pro arrived in October 2025 with newer silicon and wireless hardware. That does not remove the M4 model’s tandem OLED display, Apple Pencil Pro support, iPadOS 26 windowing, 80% charge limit, or existing Thunderbolt workflows. It simply means a 2026 guide should describe M4 as a previous-generation model rather than “the new iPad Pro.”
Official Apple references
See Apple’s iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) technical specifications, iPad battery charging guidance, nano-texture cleaning instructions, and Apple’s October 15, 2025 M5 iPad Pro announcement.