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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

How to make the pointer easier to see when using a mouse or trackpad with iPad

by Abigail Shilets

If you have difficulty seeing or following the pointer when you use a mouse or trackpad with iPad, you can change its size and color so it’s easier to locate on the screen. You can also increase its contrast, hide it automatically, and adjust its animations and scrolling speed.

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control, then adjust any of the following:

  • Increase Contrast
  • Automatically Hide Pointer
  • Color
  • Pointer Size
  • Pointer Animations
  • Trackpad Inertia (available when a supported multi-touch trackpad is connected)
  • Scrolling Speed

To customize the buttons of the pointing device, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch > Devices.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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How to scan a QR code with your iPad camera

by Moses Johnson

You can use Camera or Control Center to scan Quick Response (QR) codes for websites, apps, coupons, tickets, and more. In Camera’s Photo mode, a link appears at the bottom of the screen once the QR code is inside the camera frame. With the Scan Code control in Control Center, you can even add more light with the flashlight.

Use Camera to scan a QR code

  1. Open Camera on your iPad.
  2. In Photo mode, position iPad so that the QR code appears inside the camera frame.
  3. Tap the link that appears at the bottom of the screen.

Use Control Center to scan a QR code

  1. Open Control Center on your iPad.
  2. If you don’t see the Scan Code control, add it to Control Center (see Customize controls).
  3. Tap the Scan Code button. Position iPad so that the code appears on the screen.

    Tip: Tap the flashlight to add more light.

See also

Tag: camera
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How to organize recordings in Voice Memos on iPad

by Moses Johnson

You can mark audio recordings as favorites and organize your recordings into folders.

Recordings you mark as favorites automatically appear in the Favorites folder. Related recordings can go together into folders, so you can locate them easily, and you can delete or reorder folders later. You can also mark several recordings as favorites at once, and move recordings into a folder.

Here’s how to organize recordings in Voice Memos on iPad.

Note: Smart Folders hold your Apple Watch recordings, recently deleted recordings, and favorites, gathering files automatically by type and subject matter.

Mark recordings as favorites

  1. Go to the Voice Memos app on your iPad.
  2. In the list of recordings, do any of the following:
    • Tap the recording you want to mark as a favorite, then tap the Favorite button above the waveform.
    • Tap Edit above the list of recordings, select one or more recordings, tap Move to Folder, then tap Favorites. (If there isn’t a Favorites folder, create one by entering Favorites in the field.)

Recordings you mark as favorites automatically appear in the Favorites folder.

Organize recordings into folders

To locate related recordings easily, you can group them together into folders.

  1. Open the Voice Memos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Edit above the list of recordings.
  3. Select one or more recordings, tap the Share button, tap Move to Folder, and choose a folder.

    To create a new folder, tap the New Folder button, type a name for the folder, then tap Save.

To view your folders, tap the Sidebar button; tap a folder to check its contents.

To return to the list of recordings, tap All Recordings above the folders.

Delete or reorder folders

  1. Open the Voice Memos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Sidebar button to go to the list of folders.
  3. Tap Edit above the folders and then do any of the following:
    • Delete a folder: Tap the Delete button next to the folder. Tap the Trash button.
    • Change the order of the folders: Drag the Reorder button next to any folder.
  4. Tap Done.

See also

Tag: Voice Memos
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How to find links shared with you in Safari on iPad

by Dave Johnson

You can easily find and organize web links that friends share with you in Messages conversations. Links shared with you are added to the Shared with You section of the Sidebar in Safari, and you can keep them on your start page, remove them, or organize related links into Tab Groups.

You can display them on your Safari start page, so you see them every time you open a new page, and you can continue the conversation without leaving Safari.

See links from friends in Safari

To find links shared with you easily, show them on your Safari start page, where they’re listed every time you open a new page.

  1. Go to the Safari app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Show Sidebar button and then tap Shared with You.

    If you don’t see Shared with You, tap the Back button at the top of the sidebar.

    You can also have links shared with you appear on your start page, under Suggestions. See Customize your start page.

Quick tip: You don’t have to leave Safari to continue the conversation. Tap the button below the link preview, and the Messages conversation where the link was shared opens.

Remove a link from the Shared with You section

  1. Open the Safari app on your iPad.
  2. In Shared with You, touch and hold the preview image of a link.
  3. Tap Remove Link.

Organize shared links in a Tab Group

You can group related shared web links into Tab Groups to make them easier to find.

  1. Open the Safari app on your iPad.
  2. In Shared with You, touch and hold the preview image of the link you want to move. Then tap Open in Tab Group.
  3. Tap New Tab Group to create one, or add the link to a Tab Group you already have.

See also

Tag: Safari
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How to subscribe to Apple News+ on iPad

by Chris Smith

When you subscribe to Apple News+, you can access hundreds of magazines and newspapers, along with recipes, puzzles, and audio stories. You can share issues with others or download them for offline reading.

You can subscribe to Apple News+ or to Apple One Premier, which includes Apple News+ and other Apple services. With Family Sharing, you can share Apple News+ with up to five other family members, and they don’t need to do anything to get it.

Here’s how to subscribe to Apple News+ on iPad.

Note: Apple News, Apple News+, Apple One and puzzles aren’t available in all countries or regions.

Subscribe to Apple News+

  1. Open the News app on your iPad.
  2. Do one of the following:

    • Tap the subscription button shown in a magazine, puzzle, recipe, or story.
    • Tap News+ in the sidebar or tab bar, then tap the subscription button.
  3. Follow the onscreen instructions.

    You may be asked to sign in to your Apple Account.

Share Apple News+ with family members

When you subscribe to Apple News+ or Apple One Premier, Apple News+ is something you can share with up to five other family members if you use Family Sharing. They don’t need to do anything, since Apple News+ is available the first time they open News after your subscription begins.

Your own subscription isn’t renewed on your next billing date if you already subscribe and join a family group with Apple News+ or Apple One Premier. You use the group’s subscription instead, and a family group without one uses yours.

Note: If you don’t want to share Apple News+ with a family group anymore, cancel the subscription, leave a Family Sharing group, or remove a member from a Family Sharing group.

Cancel or change your Apple News+ subscription

  1. Open the News app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Subscriptions (in the sidebar below Manage).

    If you don’t see the sidebar, tap the Sidebar button.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • Apple News+ only: Tap Cancel Subscription and then follow the onscreen instructions.
    • Apple News+ and individual channels: Select Apple News+, tap Cancel Subscription, and then follow the onscreen instructions.

See also

Tag: News
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How to share contacts on iPad

by Dave Johnson

You can use the Contacts app to share your own contact information, or another person’s, with someone else using Messages, Mail, or another sharing option. You just choose the contact and the fields you want to include, and send it. You can also add or remove accounts in Contacts.

  1. Start the Contacts app on your iPad.
  2. Select the contact you want to share.
  3. Tap Share Contact, select the fields you want to include, and tap Done.
  4. Select a method to share the contact, then tap Send.

See also

Tag: Contacts
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How to adjust iPad display and text settings

by Emily Long

You can increase the size of text on your iPad, make the text bold, choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass, and display more content on the screen.

On supported models, Display Zoom makes text and buttons smaller, so more content fits. If you turned on Reduced Transparency or Increased Contrast, those need to be off before you can change the Liquid Glass look.

Here’s how to adjust iPad display and text settings.

The Display and Brightness screen in Settings.

Adjust the text size

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Appearance, then tap Text Size.
  3. Drag the slider left or right to change the text size.

Make the text bold

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Appearance, then turn on Bold Text.

Choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Appearance, then tap Liquid Glass.
  3. Drag the slider to the right to increase the tint of Liquid Glass, and to the left to make Liquid Glass more clear.

    Note: If you turned on Reduced Transparency or Increased Contrast in Accessibility settings, you need to turn them off to change the look for Liquid Glass.

Fit more content on your screen

Display Zoom on supported models can make text and buttons smaller, so more content fits on your screen.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Appearance, tap Display Zoom, and then tap More Space.
  3. Tap the Done button and tap Use More Space.

See also

Tags: accessibility, Settings
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How to make text easier to read on iPad

by Abigail Shilets

You can make it easier to read text on iPad by increasing its size, making it bold, and more. A single preferred text size can apply to all supported apps, like Calendar, Mail, Messages, and Notes, and Larger Accessibility Sizes give you even more. You can also turn on Display Zoom, or zoom in on the screen.

An iPad with the Mail app open. Emails are displayed with large, bold text.

Make text bigger and bolder

A single preferred text size can apply to all supported apps, including Calendar, Mail, Messages, Notes, Settings, and more, and you can also turn on bold text.

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, and then tap Display & Text Size.
  2. Do any of the following:

    • Make text bigger: Tap Larger Text and drag the slider to adjust the text size.

      For additional text sizes, turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes.

    • Make text heavier: Turn on Bold Text.

Quick tip: You can change the size of text while you’re in an app. Just open Control Center and adjust the Text Size slider. If the Text Size slider isn’t there, tap the Add button (top-left corner), then tap Add a Control, and then tap the Text Size control.

For bigger text plus larger interface elements like icons and buttons, you can also turn on Display Zoom.

You can also temporarily hover over text to see it larger, change display colors on iPad to make it easier to see what’s onscreen or zoom in on the screen.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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How to zoom in on the iPad screen

by Kevin Hollington

In many apps, you can zoom in or out on specific items. For example, you can look closer in Photos or expand webpage columns in Safari. You can also use the Zoom feature to magnify the screen no matter what you’re doing.

You can magnify the entire screen (Full Screen Zoom), magnify only part of the screen with a resizable lens (Window Zoom), or magnify a portion of the screen that stays in one place (Pinned Zoom). And you can use Zoom together with VoiceOver.

An iPad showing a zoomed in image of white flowers.

Set up Zoom

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Zoom, and turn on Zoom.
  2. Adjust any of the following:
    • Follow Focus: Track your selections, the text insertion point, and your typing.
    • Smart Typing: Switch to Window Zoom when a keyboard appears.
    • Keyboard Shortcuts: Control Zoom using shortcuts on an external keyboard.
    • Zoom Controller: Turn the controller on, set controller actions, and adjust the color and opacity.
    • Zoom Region: Choose Pinned Zoom, Full Screen Zoom, or Window Zoom.
    • Zoom Filter: Choose None, Inverted, Grayscale, Grayscale Inverted, or Low Light.
    • Maximum Zoom Level: Drag the slider to adjust the level.
  3. If you use iPad with a pointer device, you can also set the following below Pointer Control:
    • Zoom Pan: Choose Continuous, Centered, or Edges to set how the screen image moves with the pointer.
    • Adjust Size with Zoom: Allow the pointer to scale with zoom.
  4. To add Zoom to Accessibility Shortcut, open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Accessibility Shortcut, and then tap Zoom.

Use Zoom

  1. Double-tap the screen with three fingers or use Accessibility Shortcut to turn on Zoom.
  2. To see more of the screen, do any of the following:
    • Adjust the magnification: Double-tap the screen with three fingers (without lifting your fingers after the second tap). Then drag up or down. Or triple-tap with three fingers. Then drag the Zoom Level slider.
    • Move the Zoom lens: (Window Zoom) Drag the handle at the bottom of the Zoom lens.
    • Pan to another area: (Full Screen Zoom) Drag the screen with three fingers.
  3. To adjust the settings with the Zoom menu, triple-tap with three fingers and then adjust any of the following:
    • Choose Region: Choose Pinned Zoom, Full Screen Zoom, or Window Zoom.
    • Resize Lens: (Window Zoom) Tap Resize Lens and then drag any of the round handles that appear.
    • Choose Filter: Choose Inverted, Grayscale, Grayscale Inverted, or Low Light.
    • Show Controller: Show the Zoom Controller.
  4. To use the Zoom Controller, do any of the following:
    • Show the Zoom menu: Tap the controller.
    • Zoom in or out: Double-tap the controller.
    • Pan: When zoomed in, drag the controller.

When you use Zoom with an Apple external keyboard, the Zoom region moves with the insertion point and keeps it in the center of the screen; see our article, iPad Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard.

To turn off Zoom, double-tap the screen with three fingers or use Accessibility Shortcut.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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How to control what you share on iPad

by Dave Johnson

Apps ask for permission the first time they want to use something on your iPad, and you control what you share. You can control which apps can access your data, location, camera, and microphone, and manage safety protections.

A messaging app, for example, may request access to your contacts, to find friends who use the same app. When an app is using Location Services, its icon appears in the status bar, and you can turn access on or off for any individual app.

The Privacy & Security screen, with settings for Location Services and Tracking, and settings to control which apps can access your data.

Control which apps have access to information on your iPad

Third-party apps can use information in your iPad apps, like Contacts, Photos, and Calendar, if you let them, and that’ll help you get things done more quickly. A messaging app might request access to your contacts to find friends using the same app, for example. And you can turn access on or off for each app individually.

How to allow access to information in iPad apps

The Location Services screen, with settings to share the location of your iPad with apps.

Control which apps can use the location of your iPad

Apps with access to your iPad’s location can help you get directions, get assistance in an emergency, and more. A ride-sharing app, for example, may ask for your location so it can pick you up. Whenever an app’s using Location Services, its icon shows in the status bar.

How to allow access to the location of your iPad

The Privacy & Security screen, with settings to control whether apps can use the camera, microphone, and other parts of your iPad.

Control which apps have access to the camera and microphone on your iPad

Letting apps use the camera and microphone makes it easier to upload content directly to them. A social networking app might ask to use your camera, for example, so you can take and post pictures there. A green indicator appears any time an app uses the camera, even when the camera and microphone are working together.

How to allow access to the camera and microphone

The Tracking screen, with a setting to control whether apps can ask to track you across websites or apps owned by other companies.

Control which apps can track you or your iPad across websites or other apps

Apple says all apps are required to ask your permission before tracking you or your iPad across websites or apps owned by other companies (for example, advertising or to share your information with data brokers). After you grant or deny permission to an app, you can change permission later. You can also stop all apps from requesting permission.

How to allow access to your web activity

The App Privacy Report screen, where you can turn on a report to show how often apps use the permissions you’ve granted them, along with their network activity.

Review how apps are using the permissions you grant them

You can see how apps are using the permissions you’ve granted them, and their network activity, by reviewing an App Privacy Report.

How to view an app privacy report

Tag: Privacy & Security
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