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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

How to send a copy or PDF of a Freeform board on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

You can send a link to a copy of a Freeform board, so others can download the copy and add it to their boards—if you’re signed in to your Apple Account. You can also export your Freeform board as a PDF to send a copy of it to others.

Anyone with the link can download the copy within 30 days, and you can send it to as many recipients as you like. Changes on your board don’t appear on their board, either.

Send a copy of a board

With just a link, you can send a copy of your board to anyone. They can make it their own. To send a copy of the board, you must be online and signed in to iCloud.

  1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPad.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • While browsing All Boards: Touch and hold the board you want to share and tap Share.
    • From inside a board: Tap the Share Board button.
  3. Tap the pop-up menu under the board name and choose Send a Copy. Tap one of the following:
    • Copy iCloud Link: The link is copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it anywhere you like.
    • Any contact or app icon: Follow the onscreen instructions.

You can send this link to as many recipients as you like. Anyone with the link can download the copy within 30 days. When browsing for the board, recipients can find it in All Boards, not the Shared section. (Shared is only for boards you’re collaborating on.)

For sharing your board collaboratively, so everyone can see one another’s updates, read our article, Share Freeform boards and collaborate.

Every new link carries a copy of the board from the moment you created the link. The link opens a new board when you send someone a copy. Changes on your board don’t appear on their board, while anything others change doesn’t affect yours.

Note: Who has access to the original board stays the same when you send a copy. To change access to a board, see our guide, Change access and permissions for boards and folders.

Send a PDF of a board

  1. Open the Freeform app on your iPad.
  2. Open a board, or tap the New Board button to start a new one.
  3. In the board you want to send, tap the Actions Menu button and then tap Export as PDF.

    If you saved scenes in your board, choose to export one of the following:

    • The entire board as a single page: Tap Board.
    • One scene per page: Tap Scenes.
  4. Choose how you want to send the PDF, such as in Messages or Mail and then follow the onscreen instructions.

    People and groups you recently communicated with appear as icons. Tap one to send the board to them.

You can also export a board as a PDF while browsing All Boards. Touch and hold the thumbnail or name of the board, tap Share, then tap Export as PDF.

Quick tip: For a PNG of your board, take a screenshot and share it from the Photos app. Or select and copy the items you want to share, then paste them into other apps, like Mail or Files, as a PNG.

See also

Tag: Freeform
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How to join a collaborative playlist in Music on iPad

by Dave Johnson

If you subscribe to Apple Music and someone invites you to collaborate on a playlist, you can join it from the link you received. Then you can add, remove, or reorder music in the collaborative playlist, react to songs with emoji, and invite others with a link.

Note: Apple Music isn’t available in all countries or regions.

  1. On your iPad, tap the link you received and then tap Join or Request to Join (if the owner of the collaborative playlist must approve you first).
  2. Do any of the following:

See also

Tag: Music
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How to collaborate on a playlist in Music on iPad

by Chris Smith

If you subscribe to Apple Music, you can share a playlist and collaborate on it with others. Everyone can add, remove, and reorder music and react with emoji to songs in the collaborative playlist.

As the owner, you can turn on Approve Collaborators to decide who joins, and you’ll see a notification when a new person requests to join. If you don’t, anyone with the link can join the collaborative playlist.

Here’s how to collaborate on a playlist in Music on iPad.

Note: Apple Music isn’t available in all countries or regions.

Invite others to collaborate on a playlist

  1. Open the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap a playlist, then tap the Collaboration button.
  3. To approve people before they can join, turn on Approve Collaborators.

    If you don’t turn on this option, anyone with the link can join the collaborative playlist.

  4. Tap Start Collaborating and choose a sharing method, such as AirDrop, Messages, or Mail, to send a link to the playlist.

    The person who receives the link must tap Join Playlist to start collaborating.

When Approve Collaborators is on and you’re the owner, notifications appear in the top-right corner as new people request to join the collaborative playlist.

Add more people to collaborate on a playlist

You can share the link to the playlist with more people if you own the collaborative playlist, or if the owner hasn’t turned on Approve Collaborators.

  1. Open the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap a collaborative playlist, tap the Manage Collaboration button, and then do one of the following:
    • Add someone who is nearby: Tap QR Code. Others can join the playlist by using the camera on their iPad to scan the code displayed on your iPad.
    • Add someone else: Tap generate a new link (if necessary) and tap Share Invite Link. Then follow the steps to invite others to collaborate on a playlist.

Manage shared settings for a collaborative playlist

After collaboration on a playlist begins, the owner can change access and permissions, either for everyone or for individuals.

The Manage Collaboration screen in the Music app.

  1. Open the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap a collaborative playlist, tap the Manage Collaboration button, and then do any of the following:

    • Invite others: See Add more people to collaborate on a playlist.

      Note: If you didn’t turn on Approve Collaborators, anyone collaborating on the playlist can share the link to the collaborative playlist.

    • Approve people before they can join: Turn on Approve Collaborators.
    • Accept request: Tap the Accept Request button to allow the person to join the collaborative playlist.
    • Decline request: Tap the Decline Request button if you don’t want the person to join the collaborative playlist.

Stop collaborating on a playlist with one or more people

If you’re the owner, you can remove people from the playlist or stop collaborating on it altogether.

  1. Open the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap a collaborative playlist, tap the Manage Collaboration button, and then do any of the following:
    • Remove one person: Swipe left on the person’s name and tap Remove.
    • Stop collaborating on a playlist: Tap Stop.

Remove yourself from a collaborative playlist

  1. Open the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap a collaborative playlist and tap the Manage Collaboration button. Tap Leave.

See also

Tag: Music
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How to multitask with Picture in Picture on iPad

by Chris Smith

With Picture in Picture, you can watch a video or use FaceTime while you use other apps. The video window scales down to a corner of your screen, and you can resize it, move it to a different corner, hide it off the edge of the screen, or return to a full video screen.

Note: Picture in Picture works only with supported apps and videos, so if the option isn’t available, it’s possible the app or video doesn’t support it.

Start Picture in Picture

While watching a video, tap the Minimize Video button or press the Home button (on an iPad with a Home button).

Because the video window scales down to a corner of your screen, the Home Screen stays visible and you can open other apps.

Manage the Picture in Picture window

You can do any of the following while the video window is showing:

  • Resize the video window: To make the small video window larger, pinch open. To shrink it again, pinch closed.
  • Show and hide controls: Tap the video window.
  • Move the video window: Drag it to a different corner of the screen.
  • Hide the video window: Drag it off the left or right edge of the screen.
  • Close the video window: Tap the Close button.
  • Return to a full video screen: Tap the Restore Full Screen button in the small video window.

See also

Tag: Multitasking
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How to use Contact Key Verification on iPad

by Moses Johnson

You can use Contact Key Verification to receive automatic alerts that help verify you’re communicating only with the people you intend. You can also generate unique codes that you and your contacts can compare simultaneously in the Messages app to further verify each other’s identities.

You can even post your Public Verification Code to a social media account so other people can confirm that it’s you when they send you a message, and you can save other people’s codes in the Contacts app. Your devices need to be passcode or password protected, and the person you’re trying to verify must be in your contacts.

Note: Contact Key Verification is designed to prevent highly sophisticated cyberattacks; it isn’t designed to prevent fraud such as phishing or other text-based scams.

Before you begin

Before you use Contact Key Verification, check that the following are true:

  • Your devices are passcode or password protected.
  • You’re signed in to iCloud and iMessage with the same Apple Account and you have two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple Account.
  • The person you’re trying to verify is in your contacts.

Turn on Contact Key Verification

  1. Open Settings, tap [your name], and then tap Contact Key Verification.
  2. Turn on Verification in iMessage and tap Continue.

    Note: When you turn on Contact Key Verification, you’re prompted to update all of your Apple devices to compatible software. If you have a device that can’t be updated, you need to sign out of iMessage on that device before you can turn on this feature.

Share a Public Verification Code

Other people can verify your identity with your Public Verification Code, which you can share in a message or post on a social media account.

  1. Open Settings, tap [your name], and then tap Contact Key Verification.
  2. Tap Show Public Verification Code.
  3. To share your Public Verification Code, tap Copy Verification Code, tap OK, and then paste the code wherever you want to share it.

It works the other way, too. Someone else’s Public Verification Code lets you verify their identity. If the code someone shares with you doesn’t match the one displayed on their social media profile, for example, stop sending them messages until you can confirm their identity.

Generate verification codes in Messages

If you want a higher level of security, generate a verification code in Messages with your contacts and save each other’s Public Verification Codes in Contacts. That’s useful for verifying each other simultaneously, or when a Public Verification Code you received and the one your contact shares with you don’t match.

  1. Start the Messages app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the person’s name at the top of the conversation, scroll down, and tap Verify Contact.

    When the other person taps Verify Contact on their device, a contact verification code appears.

  3. Compare the verification codes on both devices. Do one of the following:

    • If the codes match: Tap Mark as Verified, tap Update to add the verification code to the other person’s contact card, and tap Done.
    • If the codes don’t match: You might not be communicating with the person that you intend. Tap No Match. Stop sending messages to the person until you can verify their identity.

Verified contacts get a checkmark next to their name in Messages. Their verification status also shows in the Conversation Details, and you’ll find their Public Verification Code in Contacts.

See also

Tag: Messages
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How to update apps from the App Store on iPad

by Chris Smith

Apps installed by default on your iPad are updated whenever you update iPadOS. Apps that you download from the App Store app are automatically updated by default, but you can manually update an app.

You can also turn off automatic app updates, and update apps one at a time or all at once. Updated apps show up below Updated Recently. And you can get apps and change settings and restrictions in the App Store.

Turn off automatic app updates

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Apps and then tap App Store.
  3. Turn off App Updates.

Manually update apps

  1. Start the App Store app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the My Account button or your picture at the top right.
  3. Tap App Updates and then tap Update next to apps you want to update, or tap Update All.

After an app is updated, it appears in the list of apps below Updated Recently.

See also

Tag: App Store
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How to see translations during phone calls on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

During a call in the Phone app with someone who speaks a different language, you can use Live Translation—powered by Apple Intelligence—to hear and read the translation in your preferred language.

Live Translation works for one-on-one calls in languages like English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Apple Intelligence is available on iPad models with M1 or later and on iPad mini (A17 Pro). It isn’t available in all languages or regions, and usage limits may apply.

Before using Live Translation, download the input and output languages you expect to use on calls. See Download languages.

Go to the Phone app on your iPad.

  1. During a phone call, tap the More button and tap Live Translation.
  2. Choose the caller’s language and your preferred language.
  3. Tap Start Translation.

Note: Live Translation in the Phone app is available for one-on-one calls in English (UK, U.S.), French (France), German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Apple Intelligence on iPadOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPad mini (A17 Pro) and iPad models with M1 or later. Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.*

*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions. Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.

See also

Tags: Phone, Translate
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How Apple Intelligence protects your privacy on iPad

by Tyler Stephen

Apple Intelligence delivers intelligence that is relevant for you and grounded in your personal context while protecting your privacy. In many cases, Apple Intelligence models run entirely on device so that a task can be completed without data leaving your device.

For more complex requests that require more computational capacity, Apple Intelligence can use Private Cloud Compute, which extends the privacy and security of your Apple products like iPad into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence. It uses larger, server-based models, and the data it processes is not stored or made accessible to Apple. That data is used only to fulfill your request, then the results are returned securely to your device, and independent privacy and security researchers can verify this promise at any time. You can even create a report of the requests your iPad sends.

Note: Apple Intelligence on iPadOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPad mini (A17 Pro) and iPad models with M1 or later. Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.*

About Private Cloud Compute

When a user makes a request, Apple Intelligence analyzes whether it can be processed on device. For more complex requests, it can draw on Private Cloud Compute, which extends the privacy and security of your iPad into the cloud. With Private Cloud Compute, only the data that is relevant to your request is processed on Apple silicon servers, before being removed. The data being processed in Private Cloud Compute is not stored or made accessible to Apple. It is processed only to fulfill your request, after which point the results are returned securely to your device and are not retained by Private Cloud Compute. Independent privacy and security researchers can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers that enable Private Cloud Compute to verify this privacy promise at any time.

The Apple silicon servers that form the foundation of Private Cloud Compute provide unprecedented cloud security, Apple says. This starts with the Secure Enclave, which protects critical encryption keys on the server just as it does on a user’s iPad, while Secure Boot ensures the OS running on the server is signed and verified, just like in iPadOS. Trusted Execution Monitor makes sure only signed and verified code runs, and attestation enables a user’s device to securely verify the identity and configuration of a Private Cloud Compute cluster before sending a request. And to verify Apple’s privacy promise, independent experts can inspect the software that runs on Private Cloud Compute servers.

Create an Apple Intelligence Report

You can generate a report of requests your iPad has sent to Private Cloud Compute.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Privacy & Security.
  3. Tap Apple Intelligence Report. Then choose a report duration for the last 15 minutes (default) or last 7 days. Choose off to disable the report.

    Note: The report may be empty if there haven’t been any Private Cloud Compute requests since you changed the duration.

  4. Tap Export Activity and choose a place to store the file. Then tap Export.

    The report is saved as a file named Apple_Intelligence_Report.json.

  5. Open the file with a text reader.

*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions. Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.

Tag: Apple Intelligence
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How to have a conference or three-way call on iPad

by Abigail Shilets

When you’re on a phone call, you can add an additional caller or callers if you want to include more people in the conversation. If you get another incoming call, you can also respond to or ignore it.

Depending on your carrier, GSM lets you set up a conference call with up to five people, though conference calling may not be available with VoLTE or Wi-Fi Calling. While on the call, you can talk privately with one person, add an incoming caller, or drop someone.

Here’s how to have a conference or three-way call on iPad.

Start a conference or three-way call

With GSM, you can set up a conference call with up to five people (depending on your carrier).

Note: When your call uses VoLTE (Voice over LTE) or Wi-Fi Calling, conference calls, or parts of conference calling, might not be available.

  1. Start the Phone app on your iPad.
  2. While on a call on iPad, tap Add Call, make another call. Tap Merge Calls.

    Repeat this step to add more people to the call.

  3. During the call, do any of the following:

    • Talk privately with one person: Tap the More Info button. Then tap Private next to the name of the person. Tap Merge Calls to resume the conference call.
    • Add an incoming caller on the same line: Tap Hold Call & Answer, then tap Merge Calls.
    • Drop one person: Tap the More Info button next to the name of the person you want to drop and then tap End.

See also

Tag: Phone
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How to use other apps during a FaceTime call on iPad

by Tyler Stephen

While you’re on a call using the FaceTime app, you can use other apps—for example, to look up information, write a note, or perform a calculation. You can get back to the FaceTime screen at any time, and you can even share your screen with the other people in your call while you use another app.

  1. Go to the Home Screen on your iPad.
  2. Tap an app icon to open the app.
  3. To return to the FaceTime screen, tap the green bar (or the FaceTime icon) at the top of the screen.

While using another app, you can share your screen with the other people in your FaceTime call, too. See our guide, Share your screen in a FaceTime call.

Tag: FaceTime
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