Apple Enhances Wi-Fi Performance for iPad and Mac with Update

Adrian Mühlroth

January 6, 2026, 1:19 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

Apple has retroactively improved the Wi-Fi speed of certain iPad, MacBook, and Mac models through an update. Devices with newer M-series chips and support for Wi-Fi 6E now achieve higher transmission rates in 5-gigahertz networks.

Greater Channel Width in the 5-Gigahertz Band

Apple has quietly enhanced the maximum usable channel width of some Wi-Fi 6E-capable devices. The company has discreetly updated its page on the implementation of Apple platforms, as discovered by “MacRumors.” The changes are currently only available on the original U.S. site; neither the UK nor the German versions have been updated yet.

Instead of the previous 80 megahertz, Apple now specifies a maximum channel width of 160 megahertz for the affected models. This doubling allows the 5-gigahertz band to reach the same theoretical maximum speed as the 6-gigahertz band. The prerequisite is that the router used also supports 160 megahertz in the 5-GHz range.

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These Devices Get Faster Wi-Fi

Apple has enabled the higher Wi-Fi transmission rate for a wide range of additional devices. Previously, only the iPhone 15 Pro and newer, as well as the iPad Pro with the M5 chip, supported 160 megahertz on the 5-GHz band. Now, numerous iPad, MacBook, and Mac models with Wi-Fi 6E support are included.

iPad

iPad Air 11-inch and 13-inch (M2 and newer)
iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch (M2 and newer), as well as iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
iPad mini (17 Pro)

MacBook

MacBook Air 13-inch and 15-inch (M3 and newer)
MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch (M2 and newer)

Mac

Mac mini (M2/M2 Pro and newer)
iMac 24-inch with two and four ports (M3 and newer)
Mac Studio (M2 Ultra/M2 Max and newer)

Under optimal conditions, the greater channel width allows for faster file transfers, shorter upload times, and more stable streaming. The improvement is quite significant, as the 5-GHz band is still much more widespread than the newer 6-GHz counterpart. However, to utilize the full channel width, a Wi-Fi 6E-capable router is required—and it must support both 5 GHz and 6 GHz.

But with the update, older iPads, MacBooks, and Macs can now achieve transmission rates on the older band that were previously only possible with 6 GHz. This allows for performance gains without having to switch to a new Wi-Fi band.

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Technical Requirements and Limitations

It is not entirely clear which update owners of the aforementioned devices need to install to fully utilize the Wi-Fi performance. According to MacRumors, installing iPadOS 26.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.2 is necessary. However, some users report that they already had access to the higher channel width after installing macOS Sequoia.

The higher speed is only available if the router allows a channel width of 160 megahertz in the 5-gigahertz band. If the router is limited to 80 megahertz, the update provides no advantages.

Despite the improvements, the 6-GHz band remains advantageous for lower radio interference and more available frequencies. However, the update bridges the gap and makes the widely used 5-GHz band significantly more powerful for many current Macs and iPads.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.