Those who own a Mac or iPad and would like to improve their device’s Wi-Fi speed are in luck. Apple has released free software updates for numerous models in both product lines that offer exactly this.
iPadOS 26.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.2 were rolled out midway through December, but this feature wasn’t noticed at the time. Only now has it been spotted that they contain an improvement to Wi-Fi performance.
According to MacRumors, and referencing updated tech specs in an Apple support document, iPads and Macs equipped with Wi-Fi 6E are now capable of a maximum channel bandwidth of 160MHz when connected to 5GHz Wi-Fi. That’s double the previous limit of 80MHz, and matches what was already offered on 6GHz networks (which are far less common, and require newer router hardware). In other words, you can now get the smooth streaming, speedy file transfers, and other benefits of 6GHz’s higher bandwidth limit, without the difficulties of actually connecting to 6GHz.
Fortunately, plenty of iPads and Macs support Wi-Fi 6E. The iPad Pro M2 and later, the iPad Air M2 and later, and the iPad mini A17 Pro all do so. As do the MacBook Pro M2 (Pro/Max) and later, the MacBook Air M3 and later, the iMac M3 and later, the Mac mini M2 and later, and the Mac Studio M2 (Max/Ultra) and later. Owners of a standard iPad miss out, as do Mac Pro users, though anyone using one probably has it hooked up to an Ethernet cable anyway.
iPhone 16 and 17 models already support this higher bandwidth, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro.
Not to mention that the software updates contain other new features and tweaks that are worth having. macOS Tahoe 26.2, for example, adds a new ‘Edge Light’ for improved video calls and brings new AI features to the Mac Studio. iPadOS 26.2, meanwhile, is packed with critical security updates, including a pair of zero-day WebKit flaws.
To update iPadOS on your iPad, open the Settings app and go to General > Software Update. The system will tell you if any new updates are available; if there are, simply follow the instructions to install them. On Mac, open System Settings and go to General > Software Update.
