iPad User Guide
- Welcome
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- iPad models compatible with iPadOS 27
- iPad mini (6th generation)
- iPad mini (A17 Pro)
- iPad (9th generation)
- iPad (10th generation)
- iPad (A16)
- iPad Air (4th generation)
- iPad Air (5th generation)
- iPad Air 11-inch (M2)
- iPad Air 13-inch (M2)
- iPad Air 11-inch (M3)
- iPad Air 13-inch (M3)
- iPad Air 11-inch (M4)
- iPad Air 13-inch (M4)
- 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 11-inch (M5)
- 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)
- iPad Pro 13-inch (M5)
- Setup basics
- Make your iPad your own
- Streamline your workflow on iPad
- Do more with Apple Pencil
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- What’s new in iPadOS 27
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- Turn on and set up iPad
- Wake, unlock, and lock
- Connect to the internet
- Manage Wi-Fi settings
- Set up cellular service
- View or change cellular data settings
- Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts
- Change the name of your iPad
- Change the date and time
- Change the language and region
- Change the default apps
- Change your default search engine on iPad
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- Find settings
- Learn the meaning of the status icons
- Get information about your iPad
- Adjust the volume and silence
- Turn the iPad flashlight on or off
- Drag and drop
- Rotate your iPad screen
- Access features from the Lock Screen
- Perform quick actions
- Search with Spotlight
- View and respond to notifications
- Change notification settings
- Manage storage on iPad
- Travel with iPad
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- Get started with Calendar
- 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
- Use FaceTime audio call tools
- Use Live Captions and Live Translation
- Use other apps during a call
- Make a Group FaceTime call
- 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
- Screen and filter calls
- Block a FaceTime call and report it as spam
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- Get started with the Apple Games app
- Set up your Game Center profile
- Find and download games
- Subscribe to Apple Arcade
- Connect with friends in the Apple Games app
- Play with friends in the Apple Games app
- Manage your game library
- Connect a game controller
- Change game-related settings
- Report a problem with a game
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- Get started with Home
- Intro to Home
- Set up accessories
- Control accessories
- Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
- View electricity usage and rates
- Adaptive Temperature and Clean Energy Guidance
- 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
- Use Apple Intelligence with Home cameras and notifications
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- Get started with Mail
- Check your email
- Use categories
- Automatically clean up iCloud Mail
- Set email notifications
- Search for email
- Organize your email in mailboxes
- Use iCloud Mail rules to automatically apply actions to emails
- Change Mail settings
- Delete and recover emails
- Add a Mail widget to your Home Screen
- Print emails
- Use keyboard shortcuts
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- Get started with Music
- Get music
- Customize Music
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- Play music
- Use the music player controls
- Play lossless audio
- Play Spatial Audio
- Listen to radio
- Play music together using SharePlay
- Play music together in the car
- Queue up your music
- Transition songs
- Shuffle or repeat songs
- Sing along with Apple Music
- Show song credits and lyrics
- Tell Apple Music what you enjoy
- Adjust the sound quality
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- Get started with News
- Get News notifications and newsletters
- Use News widgets
- See news stories chosen just for you
- Read and share stories
- Read local news
- Follow your favorite teams with My Sports
- Listen to Apple News Today on iPad
- Search for channels, topics, stories, or recipes
- Save stories
- Clear your reading history
- Customize the tab bar
- Subscribe to individual news channels
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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
- Delete and recover 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
- Show passwords in large text
- Use passkeys to sign in to websites and apps
- Sign in with Apple
- Share passwords
- Automatically fill in strong passwords
- See websites excluded from AutoFill
- Change weak or compromised passwords
- View your passwords and related information
- View password history
- 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
- See your Mac FileVault recovery key
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- Make a call
- Record and transcribe a call
- Change your Phone settings
- View and delete the call history
- Answer or decline incoming calls
- While on a call
- See translations during phone calls
- Have a conference or three-way call
- Set up Voicemail
- Check voicemail
- Change voicemail greeting and settings
- Select ringtones
- Make calls using Wi-Fi
- Set up call forwarding
- Set up call waiting
- Screen and block calls
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- Browse your photo library
- Browse your photo collections
- View photos and videos
- View reference images
- See photo and video information
- Sort and filter the photo library
- Get started with Photos
- Apply star ratings
- Back up and sync your photos and videos with iCloud
- Delete or hide photos and videos
- Add keywords
- Search for photos and videos
- Get wallpaper suggestions
- Clean up, extend, and reframe photos
- Make stickers from your photos
- Save a video frame as a photo
- Duplicate and copy photos and videos
- Hide people, memories, or holidays
- Merge duplicate photos
- Import and export photos and videos
- Print photos
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- Get started with Podcasts
- Find podcasts
- Play podcasts on iPad
- View podcast transcripts
- Follow your favorite podcasts
- Rate or review podcasts
- Use the Podcasts widget
- Select your favorite Podcasts categories and channels
- Organize your podcast library
- Download, save, remove, and share podcasts
- Subscribe to podcasts
- Connect app subscriptions to Podcasts on iPad
- Change download settings
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- Get started with Reminders
- Create reminders
- Make a grocery list
- Add details
- Complete items
- Delete and recover reminders
- 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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- Get started with Safari
- Browse the web
- Search for websites
- Customize your Safari settings
- Change the layout
- Create multiple Safari profiles
- Listen to a webpage
- Mute audio in tabs
- Bookmark a website
- Open as Web App
- Bookmark a website as a favorite
- Save pages to a Reading List
- Find links shared with you
- Download a PDF
- Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
- Fill in forms
- Get extensions
- Clear your cache and cookies
- Enable cookies
- Shortcuts
- Tips
- TV
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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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- Intro to Continuity
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Copy and paste between 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 your iPad as a webcam for Apple TV 4K
- Insert sketches, photos, and scans on Mac
- Use your iPad as a second display
- Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
- Connect iPad and your computer with a cable
- Transfer files between devices
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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
- Share your Accessibility settings with another device
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- Overview of accessibility features for vision
- Read or listen to text in apps with Accessibility Reader
- Zoom in
- View a larger version of text you’re reading or typing
- Change display colors
- Make text easier to read
- Make onscreen elements easier to see
- Customize 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
- Use Braille Access with a braille display
- Customize gestures and keyboard shortcuts
- Use VoiceOver with a pointer device
- Hear what’s on your screen and around you
- 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
- Control iPad with the movement of your head
- Adjust how iPad responds to your touch
- Auto-answer calls
- Change Face ID and attention settings
- Use Voice Control
- Adjust the top or Home button
- Use Apple TV 4K 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
- Get notified when your name is called
- Set up and use RTT
- Flash the indicator light or screen 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
- Block contacts
- 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
- Install Background Security Improvements
- Receive warnings about sensitive content
- Use Contact Key Verification
- Use Impersonation Risk Detection
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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 and trademarks
Set up and turn on Switch Control on iPad
To set up Switch Control, you need to connect and add one or more switches, then assign an action to each switch. You can choose a scanning style and fine-tune other settings to suit your needs. After you turn on Switch Control, you may need to change the assigned actions or readjust the settings. If you have difficulty performing these steps, you can get personalized help at your nearest Apple Store.
Step 1: Connect an external switch (optional)
If you want to use an adaptive accessory, joystick, game controller, or MFi device for Switch Control, you need to first connect it to iPad by following the manufacturer’s instructions. If the switch connects using Bluetooth®, you need to pair it with iPad.
You can also add nonexternal switches, such as sounds or AirPod Gestures. See Step 2: Add switches, recipes, and switch sets.
Turn on the switch.
Go to Settings
> Bluetooth, turn on Bluetooth, tap the name of the switch, then follow the onscreen instructions.
Step 2: Add switches, recipes, and switch sets
You can use only one switch, or you can use multiple switches to accommodate different actions. Each switch performs an assigned action, such as selecting an item or moving the cursor to the next item.
Go to the Settings app
Tap Accessibility, tap Switch Control, then tap Switches.
Tap Add New Switch, then choose External, Screen, Camera, Back Tap, Sound, and AirPod Gestures.
If you’re trying to add an external switch but it isn’t shown in the list, make sure it’s connected to your iPad as described above in Step 1: Connect an external switch (optional).
Assign an action to the switch.
The action for the switch depends on the number of switches you have and the scanning style you choose in Step 3: Choose a scanning style, below. If you don’t know which action to assign, choose Select Item, which is compatible with Auto Scanning (the default scanning style). You can return to this setting later to change the assigned action.
Tip: Turn your iPad into a game controller that uses gestures you’ve already set up, like the same switch (or alternative input method) that you navigate and control your iPad with.
You can also assign recipes—a set of temporary, specialized actions—to your switches. Use recipes for repetitive, complex actions in apps such as turning pages in the Books app. To create a recipe, go to Settings
If you have multiple sets of switches or recipes that you switch between, you can create a Switch Set for your settings. To create a profile, go to Settings
Step 3: Choose a scanning style
By default, the cursor automatically moves from one item to the next after a specified duration. If you prefer to move the cursor manually, you can choose a different scanning style.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Switch Control > Scanning Style, then choose one of the following:
Auto Scanning: The cursor automatically moves to the next item after a specified duration. This is the default scanning style.
If you use Auto Scanning with just one switch, make sure the Select Item action is assigned to the switch.
Manual Scanning: When you activate your Move to Next Item switch, the cursor moves to the next item.
Manual Scanning requires at least two switches. Make sure the Move to Next Item action is assigned to one switch, and the Select Item action is assigned to another switch.
Single Switch Step Scanning: When you activate the Move to Next Item switch, the cursor moves to the next item; if no action is taken within a specified duration, the current item is automatically selected.
This scanning style requires only one switch. Make sure the Move to Next Item action is assigned to the switch.
Step 4: Fine-tune Switch Control settings
You can adjust the behavior of Switch Control in a variety of ways, to suit your specific needs and style. For example, you can change the scanning speed or have iPad speak the highlighted items.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Switch Control, then adjust any of the following:
Auto Scanning Time: Adjust the item scanning speed.
Pause on First Item: Set scanning to pause on the first item in a group.
Loops: Choose how many times to cycle through the screen before hiding Switch Control.
Move Repeat: Set the delay before moving to the previous or next item while a switch is pressed.
Long Press: Set whether a different action occurs when you press and hold a switch, and how long to wait before performing that action.
Tap Behavior: Choose a tap behavior and set the interval for performing a second switch action to show the Scanner menu.
Focused Item After Tap: Choose whether Switch Control resumes scanning at an item you tap or from the beginning.
Scan Same Key After Tap: Turn on scanning the same key after tapping.
Always Tap Keyboard Keys: Turn on always tapping keyboard keys.
Extended Predictions: Turn on extended predictions.
Hold Duration: Specify how long you need to press and hold a switch before it’s accepted as a switch action.
Ignore Repeat: Ignore accidental repeated switch triggers.
Sound Effects: Turn on sound effects.
Speech: Speak items as they’re scanned.
Menu Items: Choose the actions shown in the Scanner menu and the order in which they appear.
Group Items: Group items for faster navigation.
Large Cursor: Make the highlight more prominent.
Cursor Color: Choose a different highlight color.
Saved Gestures: Create a custom gesture.
Confirm with Switch Control: Turn on Confirm with Switch Control to confirm payments with your passcode or any time double-clicking the top button is required.
Step 5: Turn on Switch Control
Important: When Switch Control is turned on, you can’t use the standard gestures on the touchscreen to exit Switch Control.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Switch Control, then turn on Switch Control.
Tip: You can add Switch Control to Accessibility Shortcut, then quickly turn it on or off by triple-clicking the Home button (on an iPad with a Home button) or the top button (on other iPad models).