Welcome
- 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
- Models compatible with iPadOS 17
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- iPad mini (6th generation)
- iPad (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 Pro 10.5-inch
- 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 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
- 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)
What’s new in iPadOS 17
- Turn on and set up iPad
- Wake and unlock
- Set up cellular service
- Connect to the internet
- Find settings
- Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts
- Learn the meaning of the status icons
- Read and bookmark the user guide
- - Learn basic gestures
  - Learn advanced gestures
- Adjust the volume
- Drag and drop
- Access features from the Lock Screen
- Perform quick actions
- Search on iPad
- Get information about your iPad
- View or change cellular data settings
- Travel with iPad
- Change or turn off sounds
- Create a custom Lock Screen
- Change the wallpaper
- Adjust the screen brightness and color balance
- Magnify the screen
- Change the name of your iPad
- Change the date and time
- Change the language and region
- Use and customize Control Center
- Change or lock the screen orientation
- Add or change keyboards
- Use emoji and stickers
- Take a screenshot
- Take a screen recording
- Fill out forms and add signatures to documents
- Use Live Text to interact with content in a photo or video
- Use Visual Look Up to identify objects in your photos and videos
- Lift a subject from the photo background
- - Get apps
  - Use App Clips
  - Manage purchases, subscriptions, settings, and restrictions
  - Install and manage fonts
- - Buy books and audiobooks
  - Read books
  - Annotate books
  - Access books on other Apple devices
  - Listen to audiobooks
  - Set reading goals
  - Organize books
  - Read PDFs
- - Create and edit events in Calendar
  - Send invitations
  - Reply to invitations
  - Change how you view events
  - Search for events
  - Change calendar and event settings
  - Schedule or display events in a different time zone
  - Keep track of events
  - Use multiple calendars
  - Use the Holidays calendar
  - Share iCloud calendars
- - Take photos
  - Take a selfie
  - Take a Portrait mode selfie
  - Take videos
  - Change advanced camera settings
  - Adjust HDR camera settings
  - View, share, and print photos
  - Use Live Text
  - Scan a QR code
- - See the world clock
  - Set an alarm
  - Use the stopwatch
  - Use multiple timers
- - Add and use contact information
  - Edit contacts
  - Add your contact info
  - Send Contacts on iPad
  - Use other contact accounts
  - Hide duplicate contacts
- - Get started with FaceTime
  - - Make FaceTime calls
    - Receive FaceTime calls on iPad
  - 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
  - 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 audio settings
  - Change your appearance
  - Leave a call or switch to Messages
  - Block unwanted callers
- - Connect external devices or servers
  - Modify files and folders
  - Search for files and folders
  - Organize files and folders
  - Send files
  - Set up iCloud Drive
  - Share files and folders in iCloud Drive
- - Adjust map settings
- - Get started with Freeform
  - Create a Freeform board
  - Draw or handwrite
  - Add text
  - Add shapes
  - Add files
  - Apply consistent styles
  - Position items on a board
  - Search Freeform boards
  - Share and collaborate
  - Delete and recover boards
- - Get started with Health
  - Fill out your Health Details
  - - Download health records
    - View health records
  - - Log menstrual cycle information
    - View menstrual cycle predictions and history
  - - Track your medications
    - Learn more about your medications
  - Track your mental wellbeing
  - - Check your headphone levels
    - Use audiogram data
  - Back up your Health data
- - 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
  - 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
- - Get music, movies, and TV shows
  - Get ringtones
  - Manage purchases and settings
- - Magnify nearby objects
  - Change settings
- - - Add and remove email accounts
    - Set up a custom email domain
  - Check your email
  - Set email notifications
  - Search for email
  - Organize your email in mailboxes
  - - Flag or block emails
    - Filter emails
  - - Use Hide My Email
    - Use Mail Privacy Protection
  - Change email settings
  - Delete and recover emails
  - Add a Mail widget to your Home Screen
  - Print emails
  - Use keyboard shortcuts
- - View maps
  - Get traffic and weather info
  - Share your ETA
  - Download offline maps
  - Look around places
  - Take Flyover tours
  - Find your Maps settings
- - Measure
  - View and save measurements
  - Measure a person’s height
- - Set up Messages
  - About iMessage
  - Send and reply to messages
  - Unsend and edit messages
  - Keep track of messages
  - Search
  - Forward and share messages
  - Group conversations
  - Watch, listen, or play together using SharePlay
  - Collaborate on projects
  - Use iMessage apps
  - Take and edit photos or videos
  - Share photos, links, and more
  - Send stickers
  - Request, send, and receive payments
  - Send and receive audio messages
  - Share your location
  - Animate messages
  - Change notifications
  - Block, filter, and report messages
  - Delete messages and attachments
  - Recover deleted messages
- - Get music
  - View albums, playlists, and more
  - Play music
  - Show song credits and lyrics
  - Queue up your music
  - Listen to broadcast radio
  - Listen to music with Apple Music Voice
  - Change the way music sounds
- - Get started with News
  - Use News widgets
  - See news stories chosen just for you
  - Read stories
  - Follow your favorite teams with My Sports
  - Search for news stories
  - Save stories in News for later
  - Subscribe to individual news channels
- - Get started with Notes
  - Add or remove accounts
  - Create and format notes
  - Draw or write
  - Add photos, videos, and more
  - Scan text and documents
  - Work with PDFs
  - Add links
  - Create Quick Notes
  - Search notes
  - Organize in folders
  - Organize with tags
  - Use Smart Folders
  - Share and collaborate
  - Export or print notes
  - Lock notes
  - Change Notes settings
  - Use keyboard shortcuts
- - Take photos
  - Delete, share, or copy a photo
  - View and edit Photo Booth photos in the Photos app
- - View photos and videos
  - Play videos and slideshows
  - Delete or hide photos and videos
  - Edit photos and videos
  - Trim video length and adjust slow motion
  - Edit Live Photos
  - Edit Cinematic videos
  - Edit portraits
  - Use photo albums
  - Edit, share, and organize albums
  - Filter and sort photos and videos in albums
  - Make stickers from your photos
  - Duplicate and copy photos and videos
  - Merge duplicate photos
  - Search in Photos
  - Identify people and pets in Photos
  - Browse photos by location
  - Share photos and videos
  - Share long videos
  - View photos and videos shared with you
  - Watch memories
  - Personalize your memories
  - Manage memories and featured photos
  - - Use iCloud Photos
    - Create shared albums
    - Add and remove people in a shared album
    - Add and delete photos and videos in a shared album
    - Set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library
    - Add content to an iCloud Shared Photo Library
    - Use iCloud Shared Photo Library
  - Import and export photos and videos
  - Print photos
- - Find podcasts
  - Listen to podcasts
  - Follow your favorite podcasts
  - Use the Podcasts widget
  - Organize your podcast library
  - Download, save, and share podcasts
  - Subscribe to podcasts
  - Listen to subscriber-only content
  - Change download settings
- - Add or remove accounts
  - Make a grocery list
  - Add items to a list
  - Edit and manage a list
  - Search and organize lists
  - Work with templates
  - Organize with tags
  - Use Smart Lists
  - Share and collaborate
  - Print reminders
  - Use the Reminders widget
  - Change Reminders settings
  - Use keyboard shortcuts
- - Browse the web
  - Search for websites
  - Customize your Safari settings
  - Change the layout
  - Use Safari profiles
  - Use Siri to listen to a webpage
  - Bookmark favorite webpages
  - 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
  - Hide ads and distractions
  - Clear your cache
- Shortcuts
- - Check stocks
  - Manage multiple watchlists
  - Read business news
  - Add earnings reports to your calendar
  - Use a Stocks widget
- Tips
- - Translate text, voice, and conversations
  - Translate text in apps
  - Translate with the camera view
- - Connect apps and add your TV provider
  - Subscribe to Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass, and Apple TV channels
  - Get shows, movies, and more
  - Control playback
  - Manage your library
  - Change the settings
- - Make a recording
  - Play it back
  - Edit or delete a recording
  - Keep recordings up to date
  - Organize recordings
  - Search for or rename a recording
  - Share recordings
  - Duplicate a recording
- - Check the weather
  - Check the weather in other locations
  - View weather maps
  - Manage weather notifications
  - Use Weather widgets
  - Learn the weather icons
- Use Siri
- Find out what Siri can do
- Tell Siri about yourself
- Have Siri announce calls and notifications
- Add Siri Shortcuts
- About Siri Suggestions
- Change Siri settings
- Set up Family Sharing
- Add Family Sharing members
- Remove Family Sharing members
- Share subscriptions
- Share purchases
- Share locations with family and locate lost devices
- Set up Apple Cash Family and Apple Card Family
- Set up parental controls
- Set up a child’s device
- Get started with Screen Time
- Protect your vision health with Screen Distance
- Set up Screen Time for yourself
- Set communication and safety limits and block inappropriate content
- Set up Screen Time for a family member
- Set up Apple Pay
- Use Apple Pay in apps, App Clips, and Safari
- Use Apple Cash
- Use Apple Card
- Manage payment cards and activity
- Power adapter and charge cable
- - Use AirPods
  - Use EarPods
- Use headphone audio-level features
- - Wirelessly stream videos and photos to Apple TV or a smart TV
  - Connect to a display with a cable
- HomePod and other wireless speakers
- External storage devices
- Bluetooth accessories
- Apple Watch with Fitness+
- Printers
- Share your internet connection
- Make and receive phone calls
- Use iPad as a second display for Mac
- Use iPad as a webcam
- Use a keyboard and mouse or trackpad across your Mac and iPad
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Cut, copy, and paste between iPad and other devices
- Stream video or mirror the screen of your iPad
- Use AirDrop to send items
- Connect iPad and your computer with a cable
- Get started with accessibility features
- Turn on accessibility features for setup
- Change Siri accessibility settings
- Open features with Accessibility Shortcut
- - Overview
  - Use Guided Access
- Use built-in privacy and security protections
- Keep your Apple ID 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
- Turn iPad on or off
- Force restart iPad
- Update iPadOS
- Back up iPad
- Return iPad settings to their defaults
- Restore all content from a backup
- Restore purchased and deleted items
- Sell, give away, or trade in your iPad
- Erase iPad
- Install or remove configuration profiles
- 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

Animate messages on iPad

In the Messages app , you can animate a single message with a bubble effect or fill the entire conversation with a full-screen effect (for example, balloons or confetti). You can send Digital Touch messages, and, on supported models, you can send animated Memoji messages that record your voice and mirror your facial expressions.

You need iMessage to send and receive message effects.

A Messages conversation with bubble and full-screen effects, as well as animations: Digital Touch and a handwritten message.

Animate the message bubble

Use effects to animate the message bubble: you can send a message with Slam or Loud so that it appears to pop out, or use Gentle so it arrives softly. You can even send a personal message with Invisible Ink that remains blurred until the recipient swipes to reveal it.

Open the Messages app on your iPad.
In a new or existing conversation, type a message or insert a photo or Memoji.
Touch and hold , then tap the gray dots to preview different bubble effects.
Tap to send the message or to cancel the effect and return to your message.

Animate effects over the full screen

You can send messages with full-screen effects—such as lively lasers, a moving spotlight, or echoing bubbles—that play when your recipient gets your message.

Open the Messages app on your iPad.
In a new or existing conversation, type a message or insert a photo or Memoji.
Touch and hold , then tap Screen.
Swipe left to preview different screen effects.
Tap to send the message or to cancel the effect and return to your message.

Messages automatically uses the following screen effects for specific text strings:

Balloons for “Happy birthday”
Confetti for “Congratulations”
Fireworks for “Happy New Year”

Send animated Memoji or Memoji recordings

On supported models, you can send Memoji messages that record your voice and mirror your facial expressions.

Open the Messages app on your iPad.
Start a new message or open a conversation, tap , tap Memoji, then swipe and tap to choose a Memoji.
Tap to record your facial expressions and voice, then tap to stop.
Tap Replay to review your message.
Tap to send your message or to cancel.

You can also take a photo or video of yourself as a Memoji, decorate it with stickers, then send it. Or you can become a Memoji in a FaceTime conversation.

Send a Digital Touch effect

You can send animated sketches, taps, kisses, heartbeats, and more. You can even add a Digital Touch effect to a photo or video.

Open the Messages app on your iPad.
Tap , swipe up or tap More, then tap Digital Touch.
Do one of the following:
- Send an animated gesture: Tap or touch and hold with one or two fingers. (Your gesture is sent automatically when you finish it.)
  Touch and hold the color dot to choose a color for the one-finger taps.
  Note: If you have Apple Watch or another sensor that records heartbeat data, Messages may use the recorded data when you touch and hold with two fingers to send a heartbeat.
- Send an animated drawing: Draw with one finger.
  You can change the color, then start drawing again.
- Add an effect to a new image: Tap , then tap to take a photo or to record a video.
Tap to send your drawing or image, or tap to delete it.

Send a handwritten message or doodle

Use your finger to write a message or draw a doodle. Recipients see what you wrote or drew, re-created before their eyes.

Open the Messages app on your iPad.
In a conversation, rotate iPad to landscape orientation.
Tap on the keyboard.
Write a message with your finger or choose a saved message at the bottom, then tap Done.
Tap to send your message or to cancel.

After you create and send a handwritten message, the message is saved at the bottom of the handwriting screen. To use the saved message again, tap it. To delete the saved message, touch and hold it until the messages jiggle, then tap .

Helpful?

iPad User Guide