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iPadOS 27 includes an option to keep the menu bar visible at all times. Apple’s iPadOS 27 feature page lists “menu bar can be set to always show” among its improvements. The menu bar only appears at all when Windowed Apps or Stage Manager is turned on, so that is where you start. Apple’s published materials do not give the exact Settings path or the label of the control that turns on the persistent display, so this guide covers the prerequisite, the manual way to open the menu bar, and what the official sources do and do not confirm.
Step 1: Turn on Windowed Apps or Stage Manager
Apple’s iPad User Guide states that the menu bar appears only when Windowed Apps or Stage Manager is turned on. Without one of these enabled, the menu bar is not available on iPad, so the always-show setting has no effect. Apple uses those exact names, and this guide does the same.
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Step 2: Find the always-show setting
Apple’s iPadOS 27 feature page confirms that the menu bar can be set to always show. However, the official pages available for this guide do not describe where that control lives in Settings or what it is called. Rather than guess at a menu path, check the following:
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- Search Settings on your iPad for “menu bar” to see whether a matching entry appears under the multitasking or display options for your iPad.
- Check the current iPad User Guide on Apple’s support site, which Apple updates with each release.
- If the entry is not in Settings after you have enabled Windowed Apps or Stage Manager, the option may not be present on your device or software version.
Step 3: Open the menu bar manually
If you do not need it to stay visible permanently, you can open the menu bar for the current app whenever you need it. Apple’s User Guide describes this method:
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- Make sure Windowed Apps or Stage Manager is on.
- Open the app whose menu bar you want and make it the active app.
- Tap the app’s name in the top-left status bar.
- Choose the menu you need from the bar that appears.
With a mouse or trackpad connected, move the pointer over the app name instead of tapping it.
Keyboard and pointer access
Apple’s keyboard shortcut guide covers iPadOS 27 and later. It lists Globe-M as the “Show Menu Bar” shortcut and says to tap or click the app name next to the date at the top left. The shortcut needs a compatible keyboard with a Globe key. It is a convenience for opening the menu bar, not a requirement for the always-show setting.
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| Access method | How it works | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Touch | Tap the active app’s name in the top-left status bar | Windowed Apps or Stage Manager on |
| Pointer | Move the pointer over the app name (or click it, per the keyboard guide) | Mouse or trackpad connected |
| Keyboard | Globe-M (“Show Menu Bar”) | Compatible keyboard with a Globe key; Windowed Apps or Stage Manager on |
Compatible devices
Apple’s iPadOS 27 feature page lists the following compatible models. Check Apple’s current compatibility details before upgrading a device for this feature.
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- iPad (9th generation and later, A16)
- iPad mini (6th generation, A17 Pro)
If the menu bar does not appear
- Confirm that Windowed Apps or Stage Manager is turned on. The menu bar does not show without it.
- Confirm that the app is active. The menu bar belongs to the active app, not to the whole system.
- Confirm that your iPad is compatible with iPadOS 27 and is running it.
Apple describes the iPad menu bar as belonging to the active app, not as a system-wide bar like the one on a Mac.
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The Bottom Line
On iPadOS 27, turn on Windowed Apps or Stage Manager first. The always-show setting is confirmed by Apple, but Apple’s published materials do not give its Settings path, so check Settings and the current iPad User Guide for the control. Until you find it, tap the active app’s name in the top-left status bar, or use Globe-M on a compatible keyboard, to open the menu bar.
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