Apple released iPadOS 26.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.2 last month, but it turns out the updates had hidden Wi-Fi improvements. This change means some Mac and iPad users may notice faster Wi-Fi speeds, file transfers, and more.
This change was first discovered by mcroomersbased on updates to Apple’s Platform Deployment Guide. After updating to iPadOS 26.2 and macOS 26.2, Macs and iPads that support Wi-Fi 6E now support a maximum channel bandwidth of up to 160 MHz, up from the previous maximum of 80 MHz. This applies if your Mac or iPad is connected to a 5GHz Wi-Fi network.
The report explains:
This upgrade allows Wi-Fi 6E devices that connect to a 5GHz network to get throughput close to peak 6GHz speeds without having to connect to a 6GHz network. Users with Wi-Fi 6 or 6E setups that support 160MHz on 5GHz networks can take advantage of the increased bandwidth. A Mac with an updated 160MHz bandwidth limit will not see any improvement when connected to a 5GHz router limited to 80MHz.
Improvements include faster Wi-Fi speeds and throughput, especially for tasks like file transfers and large uploads and downloads.
Macs and iPads that support Wi-Fi 6E include:
- MacBook Air introduced in 2024 and later
- MacBook Pro introduced in 2023 and later
- iMac introduced in 2023 and later
- Mac mini introduced in 2023 and later
- Mac Studio introduced in 2023 and later
- Mac Pro introduced in 2023 and later
- iPad Pro 11 inch (4th generation), iPad Pro 12.9 inch (6th generation) or later
- iPad Air 11 inch (M2), iPad Air 13 inch (M2) or later
- iPad mini (A17 Pro) or later
For more information, see the support article on Apple’s website. Find detailed information such as Wi-Fi specifications, supported bandwidths, and device information.
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