iPad User Guide
- Welcome
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- iPad models compatible with iPadOS 18
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- iPad mini (6th generation)
- iPad (7th generation)
- iPad (8th generation)
- iPad (9th generation)
- iPad (10th generation)
- iPad Air (3rd generation)
- iPad Air (4th generation)
- iPad Air (5th generation)
- iPad Air 11-inch (M2)
- iPad Air 13-inch (M2)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation)
- iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
- Setup basics
- Make your iPad your own
- Keep in touch with friends and family
- Customize your workspace
- Do more with Apple Pencil
- Customize iPad for your child
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- What’s new in iPadOS 18
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- Change or turn off sounds
- Create a custom Lock Screen
- Change the wallpaper
- Adjust the screen brightness and color balance
- Customize the text size and zoom setting
- Change the name of your iPad
- Change the date and time
- Change the language and region
- Use and customize Control Center
- Change your default web browser or email app
- Rotate your iPad screen
- Customize sharing options
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- Create and edit events in Calendar
- Send invitations
- Reply to invitations
- Change how you view events
- Search for events
- Change Calendar settings
- Schedule or display events in a different time zone
- Keep track of events
- Use multiple calendars
- Use reminders in Calendar
- Use the Holidays calendar
- Share iCloud calendars
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- Get started with FaceTime
- Create a FaceTime link
- Take a Live Photo
- Turn on Live Captions
- Use other apps during a call
- Make a Group FaceTime call
- View participants in a grid
- Use SharePlay to watch, listen, and play together
- Share your screen in a FaceTime call
- Request or give remote control in a FaceTime call
- Collaborate on a document in a FaceTime call
- Use video conferencing features
- Hand off a FaceTime call to another Apple device
- Change the FaceTime video settings
- Change the FaceTime audio settings
- Change your appearance
- Leave a call or switch to Messages
- Block a FaceTime call and report it as spam
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- Get started with Freeform
- Create a Freeform board
- Draw or handwrite
- Solve handwritten math problems
- Add text in sticky notes, shapes, and text boxes
- Add shapes, lines, and arrows
- Add diagrams
- Add photos, videos, and other files
- Apply consistent styles
- Position items on a board
- Navigate and present scenes
- Send a copy or PDF
- Print a board
- Share boards and collaborate
- Search Freeform boards
- Delete and recover boards
- Change Freeform settings
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- Intro to Home
- Upgrade to the new Home architecture
- Set up accessories
- Control accessories
- Control your home using Siri
- Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
- View electricity usage and rates on iPad (participating U.S. providers only)
- Set up HomePod
- Control your home remotely
- Create and use scenes
- Use automations
- Set up security cameras
- Use Face Recognition
- Configure a router
- Invite others to control accessories
- Add more homes
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- Set up Messages
- About iMessage
- Send and reply to messages
- Send later
- Unsend and edit messages
- Keep track of messages
- Search
- Forward and share messages
- Group conversations
- Watch, listen, or play together using SharePlay
- Share screens
- Collaborate on projects
- Use iMessage apps
- Take and edit photos or videos
- Share photos, links, and more
- Send stickers
- Create and send Memoji
- React with Tapbacks
- Style and animate messages
- Draw and handwrite messages
- Send and save GIFs
- Request, send, and receive payments
- Send and receive audio messages
- Share your location
- Turn read receipts on or off
- Change notifications
- Block, filter, and report messages
- Delete messages and attachments
- Recover deleted messages
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- Get music
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- Play music
- Use the music player controls
- Use Siri to play music
- Play lossless audio
- Play Spatial Audio
- Listen to radio
- Play music together using SharePlay
- Play music together in the car
- Adjust the sound
- Queue up your music
- Shuffle or repeat songs
- Apple Music Sing
- Show song credits and lyrics
- Tell Apple Music what you enjoy
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- Get started with Notes
- Create and format notes
- Use Quick Notes
- Add drawings and handwriting
- Enter formulas and equations
- Add photos, video, and more
- Record and transcribe audio
- Scan text and documents
- Work with PDFs
- Add links
- Search notes
- Organize in folders
- Organize with tags
- Use Smart Folders
- Share and collaborate
- Export or print notes
- Lock notes
- Add or remove accounts
- Change the Notes view
- Change Notes settings
- Use keyboard shortcuts
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- Use passwords on iPad
- Find your password for a website or app
- Change the password for a website or app
- Remove a password
- Recover a deleted password
- Create a password for a website or app
- Use passkeys to sign in to apps and websites
- Sign in with Apple
- Share passwords
- Automatically fill in strong passwords
- Change weak or compromised passwords
- View your passwords and related information
- Find your Wi-Fi password
- Share passwords securely with AirDrop
- Make your passwords available on all your devices
- Automatically fill in verification codes
- Sign in with fewer CAPTCHA challenges
- Use two-factor authentication
- Use security keys
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- Get started with Photos
- View photos and videos
- See photo and video information
- Customize the Photos app
- Filter and sort the photo library
- Back up and sync your photos with iCloud
- Delete or hide photos and videos
- Search for photos and videos
- Get wallpaper suggestions
- Make stickers from your photos
- Duplicate and copy photos and videos
- Merge duplicate photos
- Import and export photos and videos
- Print photos
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- Get started with Reminders
- Set reminders
- Make a grocery list
- Add details
- Complete and remove items
- Edit and organize a list
- Search your lists
- Organize multiple lists
- Tag items
- Use Smart Lists
- Share and collaborate
- Print a list
- Work with templates
- Add or remove accounts
- Change Reminders settings
- Use keyboard shortcuts
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- Browse the web
- Search for websites
- See highlights
- Customize your Safari settings
- Change the layout
- Create multiple Safari profiles
- Use Siri to listen to a webpage
- Bookmark a website
- Bookmark a website as a favorite
- Save pages to a Reading List
- Find links shared with you
- Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
- Automatically fill in forms
- Get extensions
- Clear your cache and cookies
- Enable cookies
- Shortcuts
- Tips
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- Power adapter and charge cable
- Use headphone audio-level features
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- Apple Pencil compatibility
- Pair and charge Apple Pencil (1st generation)
- Pair and charge Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
- Pair and charge Apple Pencil (USB-C)
- Pair and charge Apple Pencil Pro
- Enter text with Scribble
- Draw with Apple Pencil
- Take and mark up a screenshot with Apple Pencil
- Quickly write notes
- HomePod and other wireless speakers
- External storage devices
- Connect Bluetooth accessories
- Play audio from your iPad on a Bluetooth accessory from your iPad
- Apple Watch with Fitness+
- Printers
- Polishing cloth
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- Work across devices using Continuity
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Cut, copy, and paste between iPad and other devices
- Stream video or mirror the screen of your iPad
- Allow phone calls and text messages on your iPad
- Share your internet connection with Personal Hotspot
- Use iPad as a webcam for Apple TV
- Insert sketches, photos, and scans on Mac
- Use iPad as a second display for Mac
- Use a keyboard and mouse or trackpad across your Mac and iPad
- Connect iPad and your computer with a cable
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- Get started with accessibility features
- Use accessibility features during setup
- Change Siri accessibility settings
- Quickly turn accessibility features on or off
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- Overview of accessibility features for vision
- Zoom in
- View a larger version of text you’re reading or typing
- Change display colors
- Make text easier to read
- Reduce onscreen motion
- Use iPad more comfortably while riding in a vehicle
- Customize per-app visual settings
- Hear what’s on the screen or typed
- Hear audio descriptions
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- Turn on and practice VoiceOver
- Change your VoiceOver settings
- Use VoiceOver gestures
- Operate iPad when VoiceOver is on
- Control VoiceOver using the rotor
- Use the onscreen keyboard
- Write with your finger
- Keep the screen off
- Use VoiceOver with an external keyboard
- Use a braille display
- Type braille on the screen
- Customize gestures and keyboard shortcuts
- Use VoiceOver with a pointer device
- Get live descriptions of your surroundings
- Use VoiceOver in apps
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- Overview of accessibility features for mobility
- Use AssistiveTouch
- Use an adjustable onscreen trackpad on iPad
- Control iPad with the movement of your eyes
- Adjust how iPad responds to your touch
- Auto-answer calls
- Change Face ID and attention settings
- Use Voice Control commands
- Adjust the top or Home button
- Use Apple TV Remote buttons
- Adjust pointer settings
- Adjust keyboard settings
- Control iPad with an external keyboard
- Adjust AirPods settings
- Adjust double tap and squeeze settings for Apple Pencil
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- Overview of accessibility features for hearing
- Use hearing devices
- Use Live Listen
- Use sound recognition
- Set up and use RTT
- Flash the indicator light for notifications
- Adjust audio settings
- Play background sounds
- Display subtitles and captions
- Show transcriptions for Intercom messages
- Get live captions of spoken audio
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- Control what you share
- Turn on Lock Screen features
- Keep your Apple Account secure
- Create and manage Hide My Email addresses
- Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay
- Use a private network address
- Use Advanced Data Protection
- Use Lockdown Mode
- Receive warnings about sensitive content
- Use Contact Key Verification
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- Important safety information
- Important handling information
- Find more resources for software and service
- FCC compliance statement
- ISED Canada compliance statement
- Apple and the environment
- Class 1 Laser information
- Disposal and recycling information
- Unauthorized modification of iPadOS
- ENERGY STAR compliance statement
- Copyright
Share your internet connection from iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) with Personal Hotspot
You can share the internet connection from your iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) with other devices using a feature called Instant Hotspot. Instant Hotspot uses your iPad device’s Personal Hotspot, and is useful when your other device doesn’t have internet access from a Wi-Fi network.
There are several ways to connect other devices to your Personal Hotspot:
Connect your Mac to your iPad through Wi-Fi settings.
Pair your two devices with Bluetooth®.
Connect your Mac to your iPad with a cable.
You can share the Personal Hotspot on your iPad with another iPad, an iPhone, a Mac, a Windows device, and more.
Note: Personal Hotspot isn’t available with all carriers. Additional fees may apply. The number of devices that can join your Personal Hotspot at one time depends on your carrier and iPad model. Contact your carrier for more information.
Before you begin
Make sure of the following:
The devices are within 30 feet (10 meters) of each other.
Both devices meet minimum system requirements for Instant Hotspot.
If you’re sharing your Personal Hotspot with your Apple devices, it’s faster to connect if you sign in to the same Apple Account on both devices.
Note: You can only use Personal Hotspot by sharing your iPad device’s cellular internet connection. You can’t connect your iPad to a Wi-Fi network, and then share that network with another device.
Set up Personal Hotspot on iPad
On your iPad, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot, then tap Allow Others to Join.
Optionally, you can change the Wi-Fi password. Your Wi-Fi network name is your device name, which you can change in Settings > General > About.
Note: If Cellular Data is turned on in Settings > Cellular, but you don’t see Set Up Personal Hotspot as an option, contact your carrier about adding Personal Hotspot to your plan.
Turn Personal Hotspot on and off on iPad
On your iPad, open Control Center. Tap to make your Personal Hotspot discoverable.
You can choose who is allowed to use your Personal Hotspot, set a password, and—if you’re in a Family Sharing group—decide if you want to automatically share your Personal Hotspot with specific family members.
Connect to a Personal Hotspot with Wi-Fi
You can connect another device to the Personal Hotspot on your iPadusing Wi-Fi settings. You can connect another iPad, an iPad, a Mac, a Windows device, and many other devices that are able to connect to a Wi-Fi network.
On the device that you want to connect to your iPad device’s Personal Hotspot, do any of the following:
On an iPhone with Touch ID: Swipe down from the top-right edge to open Control Center. Tap to turn Wi-Fi on, then choose your iPad.
On an iPhone with Face ID: Swipe up from the bottom to open Control Center. Tap to turn Wi-Fi on, then choose your iPad.
On an iPad: Swipe down from the top-right edge to open Control Center. Tap to turn Wi-Fi on, then choose your iPad.
On a Mac; Click in the menu bar, then choose your iPad.
On a Windows device or other device: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to connect to a Personal Hotspot.
Enter the password you set up for your Personal Hotspot to connect. If you’re connecting another Apple device and you’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both devices, you don’t need to enter a password.
Note: When a Mac is connected to your Personal Hotspot, a blue band appears at the top of your iPad screen, and appears in the status bar of the connected Mac.
When you’re not using using the hotspot, your devices automatically disconnect to save battery life.
Connect to a Personal Hotspot with Bluetooth
You can connect a Mac or Windows device to the Personal Hotspot on your iPad using Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi. Both devices must have Bluetooth turned on.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Bluetooth in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth.
On your iPad, go to Settings > Bluetooth to make it discoverable.
On your Mac, select your iPad when it appears. (It may take a moment.)
As soon as it’s connected by Bluetooth, your Mac is able to use your iPad device’s cellular connection.
To connect your Windows device to your iPad using Bluetooth, follow the manufacturer’s directions to set up a Bluetooth network connection.
Connect to a Personal Hotspot with a USB cable
You can connect a Mac or Windows device to the Personal Hotspot on your iPad using the USB cable that came with your iPad (or another cable that matches the ports on your iPad and other device).
Note: If you see an alert on your iPad that says Trust This Computer? tap Trust. You may be asked to enter your device passcode to proceed. If you see an alert on your Mac that says “Allow accessory to connect?” click Allow.
As soon as it’s connected by a cable, your Mac or Windows device is able to use your iPad device’s cellular connection.
If your Personal Hotspot isn’t working
Make sure that your devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.
Your devices must be within 30 feet (10 meters) of one another.
See the Apple Support article If Personal Hotspot is not working on your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) for additional troubleshooting steps.
Maximize compatibility in Settings > Personal Hotspot, then enable Maximize Compatibility. Maximize Compatibility may reduce performance for devices connected to your Personal Hotspot when turned on.
When you share a Personal Hotspot from your iPad, it uses cellular data for the internet connection. To monitor your cellular data network usage, go to Settings > Cellular. See View or change cellular data settings on iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular models).
If you use Family Sharing, you can share your Personal Hotspot with any member of your family. See Set up Family Sharing on iPad.