How to Use Live Activities on iPad and Mac with iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe

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With iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe, Apple’s ecosystem is becoming even more seamless and interconnected, thanks to advanced Continuity features. One of the most anticipated additions is Live Activities, which originally launched on iPhone and is now arriving on iPad and Mac.

If you are wondering how Live Activities would work on iPad and Mac, you’re at the right place. Here, I’ll show you how to enable Live Activities on your iPad and Mac, customize them, and troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

How Do Live Activities Work on Mac and iPad?

Live Activities provide real-time updates without needing to dig through apps or notifications. On the iPhone, they show up on the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island, giving you quick glances at ongoing tasks like sports scores, ride-sharing statuses, or timers. You can also perform quick actions directly from the Live Activity banner.

With iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe, Apple has reimagined Live Activities for larger screens and multitasking environments:

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On iPads: They focus on monitoring background activity, like file exports or renders.
On Macs: They rely on iPhone Mirroring, allowing you to view your iPhone’s Live Activities in the Mac menu bar.

This integration ensures you stay in the loop, whether you’re working on your iPad or Mac, without interrupting your workflow. Now that you understand the basics, let’s see how to get Live Activities on your iPad and Mac.

Live Activities on iPadOS 26

This year, iPadOS 26 introduces a host of desktop-class features, including a new windowing system, app menu bar, and native Preview app. Live Activities is another powerful upgrade, especially when paired with the new Background Tasks API.

What Are Live Activities Used for on iPad?

On iPad, Live Activities help track background tasks like:

Exporting videos in Final Cut Pro
Processing images in Photoshop
Compressing large files in the Files app

Instead of remaining in the app, you can switch to another task while a Live Activity banner keeps you updated at the top of the screen. This feature enhances multitasking without interrupting your work.

Live activity appears at the top of ipad screen

Unlike iPhone’s Dynamic Island, Live Activities on iPad appear in the redesigned menu bar via swipe-down, blending into the new Liquid Glass UI. You can tap on the banner to pause or manage the task without switching apps.

How to Enable or Disable Live Activities on iPad

Live Activities are enabled by default for supported apps, but you can manage them:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode) and enter your device’s passcode.
Toggle Live Activities on or off system-wide, depending on your preference.

For tasks tied to Background Tasks, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh to control which apps can run in the background, indirectly affecting Live Activities.

Supported Apps for iPadOS 26

Apple hasn’t published a complete list yet, but based on current beta testing, here are some expected apps:

Creative Apps: Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Adobe Photoshop for tasks like video rendering or image processing.
Productivity Apps: Files app for large file transfers or compression.
Third-Party Apps: Developers can integrate Live Activities using Apple’s new Background Tasks API, so apps like Procreate or Notion may support them.

Live Activities on macOS 26 Tahoe

macOS 26 Tahoe brings iPhone-like features to Mac, including the Phone app, Call Screening, Live Translation—and now, Live Activities.

How Do Live Activities Work on Mac?

Live Activities on Mac rely on iPhone Mirroring, a Continuity feature that mirrors your iPhone’s screen and activities.

Here’s how it works:

Any Live Activity running on your iPhone—like food delivery, rideshare, or live game scores—shows up in your Mac’s menu bar.
You’ll see a Dynamic Island-style icon on the top-right, blended with the transparent Liquid Glass UI.
Clicking it expands the Live Activity, providing detailed insights such as driver location, ETA, or game status.

If you click again, it launches the corresponding iPhone app via Mirroring—so you never need to pick up your iPhone.

How to Add Live Activities to Mac

Live Activities on macOS Tahoe 26 rely on iPhone Mirroring, so you’ll need a paired iPhone running iOS 18 and later. You must sign in with the same Apple Account on both devices.

Ensure that the iPhone Mirroring is set up on your Mac and that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled on both devices.
On your Mac, go to System Settings > Notifications > Allow notifications from iPhone. Here, toggle on Allow Live Activities from iPhone.
Below the system-wide toggle, you can manage notifications for individual apps.

If you disable Live Activities on your iPhone, they will not appear on your Mac.

Supported Apps for macOS 26 Live Activities

Since Mac’s Live Activities are pulled from your iPhone, they depend on your iPhone apps. Common examples include:

Ride-Sharing: Uber, Lyft for tracking rides.
Food Delivery: DoorDash, Uber Eats for order updates.
Travel: Apps like Flighty or airline apps for flight status.
Sports: ESPN, Apple Sports for live game scores.
Timers and Fitness: Apps like Nike Run Club or Apple’s Clock for workout or timer updates.

As long as your iPhone app supports Live Activities, it’ll work on macOS 26 through Mirroring.

Limitations of Live Activities on iPadOS and macOS 26

While the feature is promising, there are a few limitations to keep in mind:

iPadOS 26:

Live Activities on iPad are primarily for tracking intensive processes, not real-time updates like on iPhone.
Only apps updated for iPadOS 26 with Background Tasks APIs will support Live Activities, which may exclude older or less-optimized apps.

macOS Tahoe 26:

Live Activities require a nearby iPhone with iOS 18 and later and iPhone Mirroring enabled. Without it, the feature is unavailable.
Mac apps don’t support native Live Activities; they rely on iPhone Mirroring instead.
Interaction is read-only until the app opens via Mirroring.
Multiple Live Activities can crowd the menu bar.

Also, since both platforms are still in beta, bugs and app compatibility issues are to be expected.

Live Activities Not Working on iPad or Mac? Try These Fixes

If Live Activities aren’t working, try these steps:

On iPad:

Ensure the app supports iPadOS 26’s Background Tasks feature. Update the app via the App Store.
Verify Live Activities is enabled on your iPad. Also, check Settings > General > Background App Refresh for the app.
A simple reboot can fix temporary glitches. Hold the power button and slide to power off, then restart.
Ensure you’re running the latest iPadOS 26 version. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

On Mac:

Ensure iPhone Mirroring is active. Ensure your iPhone is nearby, unlocked, and signed into the same Apple ID account.
Confirm Live Activities is enabled for the desired apps.
Ensure your Mac is running the latest macOS Tahoe and your iPhone is running iOS 18 or later. Check for updates in System Settings > General > Software Update.
Both devices must have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled. Go to System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff to verify Continuity settings.

If the problem continues, especially due to beta software limitations, contact Apple Support.

Stay Updated Without Losing Focus

Live Activities on iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe enhance Apple’s Continuity ecosystem like never before. Whether you’re exporting a video or tracking a delivery, these real-time updates keep you informed, without interrupting your productivity.

On iPad, you get a streamlined experience to monitor background tasks. On Mac, the iPhone’s live updates follow you to your desktop.

What’s your take on this upgrade? Let us know in the comments!

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