TL;DR
iOS 26 introduces a new Preview app on iPhone and iPad, built on the Mac's Preview features for viewing, annotating and editing PDFs and images. Using it alongside the Files app and iPadOS 26 windowing has made managing multiple documents and marking up forms faster for one reviewer.
What happened
With iOS 26 Apple added two system apps — Preview and Apple Games — and Preview has been extended to both iPhone and iPad. Modeled after the Mac app, Preview serves as a dedicated viewer and editor for PDFs and images, offering tools for sketching, markup, page management and form filling. The app integrates with Files so documents remain accessible, but now open in a standalone environment where edits and signatures can be applied with touch or Apple Pencil. The writer tested Preview from the iOS/iPadOS 26 betas starting in June and found it useful for document-heavy tasks such as a home-buying process. A key productivity benefit reported is being able to use Files’ Quick Look to keep one PDF open in Files while another stays in Preview, letting the user switch between documents quickly via the app switcher. On iPad, the new windowing system allows side-by-side Preview and Files configurations that speed navigation and multitasking.
Why it matters
- A dedicated Preview app centralizes PDF and image editing tools that were previously only available inside Files or separate apps.
- Integration with Files plus Quick Look makes it easier to handle multiple documents at once, improving multitasking on iPhone and iPad.
- Apple Pencil support and sketching tools bring closer feature parity with the Mac version of Preview for markup and signatures.
- Improved PDF editing (add/remove pages, form AutoFill, Markup signing) can simplify workflows that involve frequent document handling.
Key facts
- iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add two new system apps: Preview and Apple Games.
- Preview is available on both iPhone and iPad and is inspired by the Mac's Preview app.
- The app provides viewing, editing and markup tools for PDFs and images and supports Apple Pencil or touch input.
- Users can access PDFs and images stored in the Files app directly from Preview.
- Preview can create a blank page for drawing or notes and supports AutoFill to complete PDF forms.
- Files’ Quick Look still allows viewing a PDF inside Files while another opens in Preview, aiding multitasking.
- On iPadOS 26, Preview benefits from the new windowing system for side-by-side layouts.
- The author tested Preview in iOS/iPadOS 26 betas beginning in June and found it helpful during a document-heavy home-buying process.
- Preview includes tools for adding/removing PDF pages and signing with Markup.
What to watch next
- not confirmed in the source: whether Apple will add deeper cloud collaboration or version control features to Preview in future updates.
- not confirmed in the source: how broadly users will adopt Preview in place of third-party PDF editors or the Files app.
- not confirmed in the source: whether Apple Games' presence alongside Preview signals a larger strategy for adding system apps.
Quick glossary
- Preview (app): A document viewer and editor originating on macOS; in iOS 26 it provides PDF and image viewing, markup, and simple editing on iPhone and iPad.
- PDF: Portable Document Format, a widely used file type for documents designed to preserve formatting across devices.
- Files app: Apple’s file management app for iPhone and iPad that organizes files from local storage and cloud services.
- Quick Look: A Files app feature that lets users preview certain file types without opening a dedicated app.
- Apple Pencil: Apple's stylus for iPad that enables pressure-sensitive drawing, handwriting and precise input.
Reader FAQ
Is Preview available on iPhone?
Yes — Preview arrives on both iPhone and iPad with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26.
Does Preview replace the Files app?
No — Files remains the system file manager; Preview is a separate app for viewing and editing PDFs and images while still accessing files stored in Files.
Can I use Apple Pencil with Preview?
Yes — Preview supports Apple Pencil input for sketching and markup, per Apple's description.
Does Preview add collaboration or cloud versioning features?
not confirmed in the source
iOS 26 has three new iPhone features I’ve been really loving Ryan Christoffel Dec 29 2025 IOS 26 PREVIEW iOS 26 adds new ‘Preview’ app on iPhone, here’s how I’m…
Sources
- iOS 26 adds new ‘Preview’ app on iPhone, here’s how I’m using it
- New features available with iOS 26
- iPadOS 26 Review: Small Changes. Big Impact
- iOS 26
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