diff --git a/src/app/components/page/Page.tsx b/src/app/components/page/Page.tsx
index bcad116d3..1bbdde74a 100644
--- a/src/app/components/page/Page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/components/page/Page.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { Box, Header, Line, Scroll, Text, as } from 'folds';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
 import { ContainerColor } from '$styles/ContainerColor.css';
 import { ScreenSize, useScreenSizeContext } from '$hooks/useScreenSize';
+import { mobileOrTabletLayout } from '$utils/user-agent';
 import * as css from './style.css';
 
 type PageRootProps = {
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ export function PageRoot({ nav, children }: PageRootProps) {
   return (
     <Box grow="Yes" className={ContainerColor({ variant: 'Background' })}>
       {nav}
-      {screenSize !== ScreenSize.Mobile && (
+      {screenSize !== ScreenSize.Mobile && !mobileOrTabletLayout() && (
         <Line variant="Background" size="300" direction="Vertical" />
       )}
       {children}
diff --git a/src/app/pages/MobileFriendly.tsx b/src/app/pages/MobileFriendly.tsx
index 83009cda5..5fb203286 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/MobileFriendly.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/MobileFriendly.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react';
 import { useMatch } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { ScreenSize, useScreenSizeContext } from '$hooks/useScreenSize';
+import { mobileOrTabletLayout } from '$utils/user-agent';
 import { DIRECT_PATH, EXPLORE_PATH, HOME_PATH, INBOX_PATH, SPACE_PATH } from './paths';
 
 type MobileFriendlyClientNavProps = {
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ export function MobileFriendlyClientNav({ children }: MobileFriendlyClientNavPro
   const inboxMatch = useMatch({ path: INBOX_PATH, caseSensitive: true, end: true });
 
   if (
-    screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile &&
+    (screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile || mobileOrTabletLayout()) &&
     !(homeMatch || directMatch || spaceMatch || exploreMatch || inboxMatch)
   ) {
     return null;
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ export function MobileFriendlyPageNav({ path, children }: MobileFriendlyPageNavP
     end: true,
   });
 
-  if (screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile && !exactPath) {
+  if ((screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile || mobileOrTabletLayout()) && !exactPath) {
     return null;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/pages/Router.tsx b/src/app/pages/Router.tsx
index aec62cc86..fa1037b5f 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/Router.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/Router.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { Room } from '$features/room';
 import { Lobby } from '$features/lobby';
 import { PageRoot } from '$components/page';
 import { ScreenSize } from '$hooks/useScreenSize';
+import { mobileOrTabletLayout } from '$utils/user-agent';
 import { ReceiveSelfDeviceVerification } from '$components/DeviceVerification';
 import { AutoRestoreBackupOnVerification } from '$components/BackupRestore';
 import { RoomSettingsRenderer } from '$features/room-settings';
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ const getFirstSession = () => {
 
 export const createRouter = (clientConfig: ClientConfig, screenSize: ScreenSize) => {
   const { hashRouter } = clientConfig;
-  const mobile = screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
+  const mobile = screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile || mobileOrTabletLayout();
 
   const routes = createRoutesFromElements(
     <Route>
diff --git a/src/app/pages/client/direct/Direct.tsx b/src/app/pages/client/direct/Direct.tsx
index a8ba93f2b..e0fb1df81 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/client/direct/Direct.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/client/direct/Direct.tsx
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ import {
 import { useDirectCreateSelected } from '$hooks/router/useDirectSelected';
 import { useDirectRooms } from './useDirectRooms';
 import { SidebarResizer } from '$pages/client/sidebar/SidebarResizer';
-import { mobileOrTablet } from '$utils/user-agent';
+import { mobileOrTabletLayout } from '$utils/user-agent';
 import { useScreenSizeContext, ScreenSize } from '$hooks/useScreenSize';
 
 type DirectMenuProps = {
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ export function Direct() {
   );
 
   const screenSize = useScreenSizeContext();
-  const isMobile = mobileOrTablet() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
+  const isMobile = mobileOrTabletLayout() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
   const hideText = curWidth <= 80 && !isMobile;
 
   return (
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ export function Direct() {
           </PageNavContent>
         )}
       </PageNav>
-      {!mobileOrTablet() && (
+      {!mobileOrTabletLayout() && (
         <SidebarResizer
           setCurWidth={setCurWidth}
           sidebarWidth={roomSidebarWidth}
diff --git a/src/app/pages/client/explore/Explore.tsx b/src/app/pages/client/explore/Explore.tsx
index bfc72709e..0c1469584 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/client/explore/Explore.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/client/explore/Explore.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import { stopPropagation } from '$utils/keyboard';
 import { SidebarResizer } from '$pages/client/sidebar/SidebarResizer';
 import { settingsAtom } from '$state/settings';
 import { useSetting } from '$state/hooks/settings';
-import { mobileOrTablet } from '$utils/user-agent';
+import { mobileOrTabletLayout } from '$utils/user-agent';
 import { getMxIdServer } from '$utils/mxIdHelper';
 import { useScreenSizeContext, ScreenSize } from '$hooks/useScreenSize';
 
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ export function Explore() {
     setCurWidth(roomSidebarWidth);
   }, [roomSidebarWidth]);
   const screenSize = useScreenSizeContext();
-  const isMobile = mobileOrTablet() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
+  const isMobile = mobileOrTabletLayout() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
   const hideText = curWidth <= 80 && !isMobile;
 
   return (
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ export function Explore() {
           </Box>
         </PageNavContent>
       </PageNav>
-      {!mobileOrTablet() && (
+      {!mobileOrTabletLayout() && (
         <SidebarResizer
           setCurWidth={setCurWidth}
           sidebarWidth={roomSidebarWidth}
diff --git a/src/app/pages/client/home/Home.tsx b/src/app/pages/client/home/Home.tsx
index 791fc897b..0d8c9c7ea 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/client/home/Home.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/client/home/Home.tsx
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ import { UseStateProvider } from '$components/UseStateProvider';
 import { JoinAddressPrompt } from '$components/join-address-prompt';
 import { useHomeRooms } from './useHomeRooms';
 import { SidebarResizer } from '$pages/client/sidebar/SidebarResizer';
-import { mobileOrTablet } from '$utils/user-agent';
+import { mobileOrTabletLayout } from '$utils/user-agent';
 import { ScreenSize, useScreenSizeContext } from '$hooks/useScreenSize';
 
 type HomeMenuProps = {
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ export function Home() {
   );
 
   const screenSize = useScreenSizeContext();
-  const isMobile = mobileOrTablet() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
+  const isMobile = mobileOrTabletLayout() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
   const hideText = curWidth <= 80 && !isMobile;
 
   return (
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ export function Home() {
           </PageNavContent>
         )}
       </PageNav>
-      {!mobileOrTablet() && (
+      {!mobileOrTabletLayout() && (
         <SidebarResizer
           setCurWidth={setCurWidth}
           sidebarWidth={roomSidebarWidth}
diff --git a/src/app/pages/client/inbox/Inbox.tsx b/src/app/pages/client/inbox/Inbox.tsx
index 5e3926cce..a4de6f763 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/client/inbox/Inbox.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/client/inbox/Inbox.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { SidebarResizer } from '$pages/client/sidebar/SidebarResizer';
 import { useSetting } from '$state/hooks/settings';
 import { settingsAtom } from '$state/settings';
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
-import { mobileOrTablet } from '$utils/user-agent';
+import { mobileOrTabletLayout } from '$utils/user-agent';
 import { ScreenSize, useScreenSizeContext } from '$hooks/useScreenSize';
 
 function InvitesNavItem({ hideText }: { hideText?: boolean }) {
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export function Inbox() {
     setCurWidth(roomSidebarWidth);
   }, [roomSidebarWidth]);
   const screenSize = useScreenSizeContext();
-  const isMobile = mobileOrTablet() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
+  const isMobile = mobileOrTabletLayout() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
   const hideText = curWidth <= 80 && !isMobile;
 
   return (
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ export function Inbox() {
           </Box>
         </PageNavContent>
       </PageNav>
-      {!mobileOrTablet() && (
+      {!mobileOrTabletLayout() && (
         <SidebarResizer
           setCurWidth={setCurWidth}
           sidebarWidth={roomSidebarWidth}
diff --git a/src/app/pages/client/space/Space.tsx b/src/app/pages/client/space/Space.tsx
index 39db42aa8..902b1ef28 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/client/space/Space.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/client/space/Space.tsx
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ import { ContainerColor } from '$styles/ContainerColor.css';
 import { AsyncStatus, useAsyncCallback } from '$hooks/useAsyncCallback';
 import { BreakWord } from '$styles/Text.css';
 import { InviteUserPrompt } from '$components/invite-user-prompt';
-import { mobileOrTablet } from '$utils/user-agent';
+import { mobileOrTablet, mobileOrTabletLayout } from '$utils/user-agent';
 import { lastVisitedRoomIdAtom } from '$state/room/lastRoom';
 import { SwipeableOverlayWrapper } from '$components/SwipeableOverlayWrapper';
 import { useCallEmbed } from '$hooks/useCallEmbed';
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ export function Space() {
   }, [lastRoomId, spaceIdOrAlias, mx, navigate]);
 
   const screenSize = useScreenSizeContext();
-  const isMobile = mobileOrTablet() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
+  const isMobile = mobileOrTabletLayout() || screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
   const hideText = curWidth <= 80 && !isMobile;
   return (
     <Box
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ export function Space() {
           </PageNavContent>
         </SwipeableOverlayWrapper>
       </PageNav>
-      {!mobileOrTablet() && (
+      {!mobileOrTabletLayout() && (
         <SidebarResizer
           setCurWidth={setCurWidth}
           sidebarWidth={roomSidebarWidth}
diff --git a/src/app/utils/user-agent.ts b/src/app/utils/user-agent.ts
index e1a2e0a61..5e4932ad9 100644
--- a/src/app/utils/user-agent.ts
+++ b/src/app/utils/user-agent.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ const isMobileOrTablet = (() => {
   const { os, device } = result;
   if (device.type === 'mobile' || device.type === 'tablet') return true;
   if (os.name === 'Android' || os.name === 'iOS') return true;
+  // iPad on iOS 13+ sends a macOS Safari user agent by default ("Request Desktop Website").
+  // ua-parser-js therefore reports os.name === 'Mac OS' with no device.type.
+  // Real Macs never have maxTouchPoints > 1 (Magic Trackpad reports 1 at most in browsers),
+  // so this safely identifies iPads masquerading as desktop Safari.
+  if (os.name === 'Mac OS' && navigator.maxTouchPoints > 1) return true;
   return false;
 })();
 
@@ -15,11 +20,23 @@ const normalizeMacName = (os?: string) => {
   return os;
 };
 
+// True only for phone-form-factor devices for layout/nav decisions.
+// Tablets (native iPadOS UA or "Request Desktop Website") always get the desktop
+// two-panel layout; only phones collapse to the single-panel mobile layout.
+const isMobileOrTabletLayout = result.device.type === 'mobile';
+
 const isMac = result.os.name === 'Mac OS';
 
 export const ua = () => result;
 export const isMacOS = () => isMac;
 export const mobileOrTablet = () => isMobileOrTablet;
+/**
+ * True only for phones. Use this for layout/nav decisions (sidebars, route registration).
+ * Tablets — whether using native iPadOS UA or iPad "Request Desktop Website" — return false,
+ * so they always get the full desktop two-panel layout.
+ * Use `mobileOrTablet` for touch/keyboard/scroll-lock behaviour instead.
+ */
+export const mobileOrTabletLayout = () => isMobileOrTabletLayout;
 
 export const deviceDisplayName = (): string => {
   const browser = result.browser.name;