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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

How to use Offline Mode to read downloaded News content on iPad

by Moses Johnson

Apple News+ subscribers can use Offline Mode to automatically download News content, then access it when there’s no Wi-Fi or cellular connection—for example, when taking a flight or riding the subway. You can download your recent and saved stories, magazine issues, recipes, and puzzles.

Note: Content that can be downloaded for Offline Mode may include stories, issues, audio stories, recipes, and puzzles. Not all content types are available in all countries or regions.

Turn on Automatic Downloads for Apple News+

  1. Sign in to your Apple Account.
  2. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  3. Tap Apps, then tap News.
  4. Turn on Background App Refresh.
  5. Tap Automatic Downloads, turn on Allow Automatic Downloads, and turn on any of the following:

    • Recent Stories: Downloads the latest stories in the Today feed, Best of News+ feed, Sports feed, Shared with You, and History.
    • Saved Stories: Downloads the latest stories in your Saved Stories list.
    • Magazine Issues: Downloads the latest issues of magazines you follow.
    • Food & Recipes: Downloads the Food feed, the Recipe Catalog, and Saved Recipes.
    • Puzzles: Downloads the Puzzles feed, the feed for each puzzle type, and the puzzles in these feeds.
    • Audio Stories: Downloads audio stories in the Today feed and Audio section.

    Note: To download smaller versions of images in stories and recipes, turn on Optimize Storage.

With sufficient storage space and a connection to Wi-Fi and power, your iPad downloads News content. On cellular without Wi-Fi, it’ll automatically download only Top Stories in the Today feed.

Use News in Offline Mode

If you don’t have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, No Internet Connection appears at the top of the screen and any content in the app that isn’t downloaded is dimmed. To switch from the currently loaded version of each feed to the downloaded version, tap Show Stories Downloaded for Offline Mode.

When you reconnect to the internet, tap Check for New Stories at the top of the screen. All feeds in the app are refreshed and display the latest content.

See also

Tag: News
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How to browse and read Apple News+ stories and issues on iPad

by Tyler Stephen

To get the most out of Apple News+, follow your favorite publications and browse through current and back issues.

You follow an Apple News+ publication by following its channel, and you can find it from Today, News+, or Search. You can open a story or issue, and access back issues, too. Apple News+ stories and issues appear in your Today feed, the Best of News+ feed, and channel feeds.

Here’s how to browse and read Apple News+ stories and issues on iPad.

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

The Discover page in Apple News+. In the tab bar, News+ is selected, and below that, the Best of News+ category is selected.

Follow and unfollow publications

You follow an Apple News+ publication by following its channel.

  1. Open the News app on your iPad.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • Tap Today or News+ in the sidebar or tab bar, tap a story or issue from an Apple News+ publication, tap the publication’s name at the top of the screen, then tap the Follow button.
    • Tap the Search button in the sidebar or tab bar, enter the publication’s name in the search field, then tap the Follow button.
    • Tap News+ in the sidebar or tab bar, tap Newspapers or Catalog near the top of the screen, then tap Follow below the publication’s cover.

To unfollow a publication, swipe left on the publication in the sidebar, then tap Unfollow.

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

Browse Apple News+ issues and stories

  1. Open the News app on your iPad.

    Stories and issues from Apple News+ appear in the Today feed, Best of News+ feed, and channel feeds. Stories (but not issues) can also be found in topic feeds and search results.

  2. To access entire issues, tap News+ in the sidebar or tab bar, where you can do any of the following:

    • View News+ content chosen just for you: Near the top of the screen, tap Best of News+.
    • View all available publications: Tap Catalog near the top of the screen.
    • View a specific content category: Tap Catalog and tap Featured. Tap a category such as Money & Business, Entertainment, or Sports.
    • View new and recent issues: Tap My Magazines. By default, new issues appear near the top of the screen. The issue you most recently read appears first. If you recently downloaded an issue, it appears next. To choose a different sorting option, tap the More button. Then tap Sort by Name or Sort by Date.

      Note: If you block an Apple News+ publication, its issues are removed from My Magazines.

Open a story or issue

  1. Open the News app on your iPad.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • Tap an issue cover in News+ or the Today feed.
    • Tap the Search button in the sidebar or tab bar, enter the name of the Apple News+ channel in the search field, tap the channel, then tap the issue.
    • Follow a link to a story or issue that someone shared with you.

Access back issues

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

    • Tap News+ in the sidebar or tab bar, tap My Magazines, tap the More button below the issue cover (or touch and hold the cover), then tap Browse Back Catalog.
    • In the sidebar, tap a channel you follow, or search for a channel, then tap it. Below Recent Issues, swipe to the issue you want to read, then tap to open it. To browse all available issues, tap Sections near the top of the screen, then tap Issues.

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

Read Apple News+ issues

  1. Open the News app on your iPad.
  2. Open the issue, where you can do any of the following:
    • Page through an issue: Swipe left to go to the next story, or swipe right to go to the previous story.
    • View the table of contents: When you’re reading a story, tap the More button. Then tap Go to Issue.
    • Change the text size: Tap the Text Size button. Then tap the smaller or larger letter to change the text size in the story and all other stories in the channel. If the issue is a PDF, pinch to zoom.

If you sign out in Settings > [your name] > Media & Purchases, you can only access free stories—you must sign back in to access stories and download issues that require an Apple News+ subscription.

See also

Tag: News
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How to screen and filter FaceTime calls on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

You can control how FaceTime handles calls from unknown numbers and suspected spam. You can screen unknown FaceTime audio calls to get more information from callers, or silence unknown callers so their calls go to voicemail. Missed calls from unknown numbers and spam calls can also be filtered into their own lists.

Screen unknown FaceTime audio calls

By screening FaceTime audio calls from unknown numbers, you get more information from callers before the call comes through. Read our article, Screen and block calls.

Silence or filter FaceTime calls

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Apps, then tap FaceTime.
  3. Do any of the following:
    • Silence unknown callers: Turn on Silence Unknown Callers. Calls from unknown numbers are silenced, sent to voicemail, and displayed on the Recents list. Incoming calls will continue to ring from people in your contacts, recent outgoing calls, and Siri Suggestions.
    • Filter calls from unknown numbers: Turn on Unknown Callers. Missed calls and voicemails from unknown numbers are moved to the Unknown Callers list in your call history (tap the Filter button to see the list).
    • Filter calls identified as spam: Turn on FaceTime Spam. Spam calls are silenced and moved to the Spam list in your call history (tap the Filter button to see the list).

See also

Tag: FaceTime
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How to create, edit, and delete music playlists on iPad

by Tyler Stephen

You can create playlists to suit specific moods or to organize songs with a certain theme.

In the U.S., you can use Playlist Playground to tell Apple Music what kind of music you want, by describing the mood or vibe. You can then customize a playlist by adding, reordering, or removing tracks, and delete it later. You can also add music to an existing playlist.

Here’s how to create, edit, and delete music playlists on iPad.

Playlist Playground open in Apple Music, showing the title field, the Add Songs button, and a search field with playlist suggestions below it.

Create a playlist with Playlist Playground (U.S. only)

  1. Start the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap New Playlist below Playlists in the sidebar.
  3. Do one of the following:

    • Use Playlist Playground: Tell Apple Music what kind of music you want to listen to by describing the mood, vibe, or providing details. For example, you can type something like, “morning coffee music” and get 25 suggested tracks with a custom title.

      Customize the playlist by adding, reordering or removing tracks.

    • Create manually: Add the tracks you want by tapping Add Songs and selecting the tracks you want to add.
  4. Tap the More button for more customization options and tap the Done button.

Note: Playlist Playground is available in beta only to subscribers 13 and older in the U.S. and in English.

Create a playlist

  1. Start the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap New Playlist below Playlists in the sidebar.
  3. Enter a playlist title.
  4. To give your playlist cover art, tap the Camera button and then take a photo, choose an image from your photo library, or choose a file on your device.
  5. Tap the Done button, then tap Add Music.

    You can search for music, select music from your library, or choose from the suggested songs listed at the bottom of the screen.

  6. Tap the Add button to add music to the playlist.

Quick tip: If you’d like songs to land in your library whenever you add them to a playlist, go to Settings > Apps > Music and turn on Add Playlist Songs.

Add music to an existing playlist

After you create a playlist, you can add music to it in several ways.

  1. Start the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Touch and hold an album, playlist, song, or music video, tap Add to a Playlist, then choose a playlist.
    • From the Now Playing screen, tap the More button, tap Add to a Playlist, then choose a playlist.

Edit a playlist

You can rename playlists, change the artwork, add and remove songs, and more.

Note: In a collaborative playlist, the owner can change anything. Everyone else can only add, remove, or reorder songs.

  1. Start the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the playlist, tap the More button and tap Edit. Do any of the following:

    • Rename the playlist: Tap the current name, then enter a new name.
    • Edit cover art: Select from a variety of Apple templates or tap the Camera button to add your own.
    • Show (or hide) the playlist in your Apple Music profile: Turn on (or off) the Show on My Profile and in Search option.
    • Add songs from your library: Tap the Add button, go to any place in your library and tap the Add button next to the song.

      You can also touch and hold an item (song, album, playlist, or music video), tap Add to a Playlist, then choose a playlist.

    • Add a Suggested Song: Tap the Add button, swipe below the Library options, and then tap the Add button next to the song.

      Suggested Songs also appears at the bottom of your playlist song list. To refresh the list of suggestions, tap the Refresh Suggested Songs button.

    • Delete a song: Tap the song, then tap the Delete button.

      Note: Deleting a song from a playlist doesn’t delete it from your library.

    • Change the song order: Drag the Reorder button next to a song.

Changes you make to your music library are updated across all your devices when Sync Library is turned on (go to Settings > Apps > Music, then turn on Sync Library). If you’re not an Apple Music subscriber, the changes appear in your music library the next time you sync with your computer.

Sort a playlist

  1. Start the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap a playlist and tap the More button at the top right of the screen.
  3. Tap Sort By, then choose an option.

Delete a playlist

If you delete a playlist, its songs stay in your library and on your iPad. Delete a collaborative playlist you own, though, and the collaboration ends. The playlist leaves your library but remains in the participants’ library.

  1. Start the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Touch and hold the playlist and tap Delete from Library.

    You can also tap the playlist, tap the More button, then tap Delete from Library.

See also

Tag: Music
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How to organize playlists in folders in Music on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

You can create folders for your playlists to keep them organized.

You can add or remove items from a playlist folder, rename a folder, and even put a playlist or folder inside another folder. A playlist can go back to the main Playlists list, too, and when Sync Library is turned on, changes to your playlist folders update across all your devices.

Here’s how to organize playlists in folders in Music on iPad.

The Music app open on iPad with the sidebar on the left and the list of playlists on the right. At the top are buttons to create a new playlist or create a new folder. A blue arrow is pointing to a playlist folder named Roadtrips.

Create a new playlist folder

  1. Start the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Show Sidebar button, tap All Playlists.
  3. Tap the More button at the top right and then tap New Folder.
  4. Type a name for the folder, then tap Create.

    To rename a folder, tap the More button at the top right, tap Rename, then type the new name.

Add or remove items from a playlist folder

  1. Start the Music app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Show Sidebar button, touch and hold a playlist or folder, and then tap Move to Folder.

    Tip: You can also drag a playlist or folder into another folder.

  3. Tap the folder and then tap the Done button.

    If a playlist is already in a folder and you want to move it back to the main Playlists list, don’t select a folder—just tap Move.

Quick tip: To create a new folder and move a playlist into it, touch and hold the playlist in your library, tap “Move to,” and then tap New Folder.

Changes you make to your playlist folders are updated across all your devices when Sync Library is turned on (go to Settings > Apps > Music, then turn on Sync Library). If you’re not an Apple Music subscriber, the changes appear in your music library the next time you sync with your computer.

See also

Tag: Music
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How to change game-related settings on iPad

by Dave Johnson

You can customize your gaming experience on iPad by changing settings for the Apple Games app and Game Center. These settings let you control notifications, friend requests, multiplayer gaming, and content restrictions.

You can accept or decline friend requests, and choose whether apps can access your list of Game Center friends. You can also reset the identifier used to report Games usage statistics to Apple.

Here’s how to change game-related settings on iPad.

Change Apple Games app settings

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Apps and tap Games. Then do any of the following:
    • Show or hide relevant content by combining your gaming activity: Turn on Combine Gaming Activity.
    • Reset the identifier used to report Games usage statistics to Apple: Tap Reset Identifier.

Change Game Center settings

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Game Center, then do any of the following:
    • View friends: Tap All Friends.
    • Accept or decline friend requests: Tap Friend Requests.
    • Allow or disallow apps to access your list of Game Center friends: Tap Share Friends List. Turn on Share Friends List.
    • Allow Game Center friends to find you with the email and phone number associated with your Apple Account: Turn on Help Friends Find You.
    • Manage activity sharing: Choose Everyone, Friends Only, or Only You to specify who can see your profile, achievement progress, leaderboard updates, and recently played games.
    • Allow invitations from nearby players: Turn on Nearby Players to allow nearby Game Center players in the same game to invite you to a multiplayer game over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth®.
    • Sign out of Game Center: Tap Sign Out.

Change Game Center restrictions

For a safer, more controlled gaming experience, set Game Center restrictions that limit features like multiplayer games, in-app purchases, and friend requests.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Screen Time and tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. Then turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  3. Tap App Store, Media, Web & Games, scroll down to Game Center, and then set any of the following restrictions:
    • Multiplayer Games
    • Adding Friends
    • Connect with Friends
    • Screen Recording
    • Nearby Multiplayer
    • Private Messaging
    • Profile Privacy Changes
    • Avatar & Nickname Changes

See also

Tag: Apple Games
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How to connect with friends in the Apple Games app on iPad

by Dave Johnson

It’s more fun to play games with friends. In the Apple Games app, you can invite friends, see friend requests, and more.

You can also add a friend from their contact card in the Contacts app, see your friends’ recent activity, and report a user or remove a friend. When you get a friend request, there are several ways to respond.

Here’s how to connect with friends in the Apple Games app on iPad.

Add friends

  1. Open the Apple Games app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Friends, then tap the Invite Icons button.
  3. Find a contact by entering their name and tap Invite.
  4. Tap the Send button to send the invitation using the Messages app.

You can also add a friend in the Contacts app. Open their contact card, then tap Add Friend on Game Center.

Respond to friend requests

You can respond to a friend request from a contact in the Apple Games app in a number of ways:

  • In the Apple Games app: Tap your avatar, then tap Friend Requests.
  • In the Messages app: Tap the friend request link.
  • In the Settings app: Tap Game Center, then tap Friend Requests.

See your friends’ recent activity

You’ll find your friends’ shared gaming history there, and you can compare achievements and send friends invite links and party codes.

  1. Open the Apple Games app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Friends.
  3. In Friends & Groups, scroll down to see your friends’ recent activity.

You can also see your friends’ profiles and recent activity by going to the Settings app, tapping Game Center, then tapping All Friends.

Report a user or remove a friend

You can report a user for cheating, an inappropriate picture or nickname, or another problem. You can also remove someone from your Friends list.

  1. Open the Apple Games app on your iPad.
  2. Tap your avatar in the top right and then tap All Friends.
  3. Tap the friend you want to report or remove and tap the More button. Choose Report Friend or Remove Friend.

See also

Tag: Apple Games
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How to get started with the Apple Games app on iPad

by Moses Johnson

The Apple Games app is your central hub for the games you enjoy and the friends you play them with. It brings together your game library, activity from your games and friends, and personalized recommendations, and you can challenge your friends and see your Game Center achievements.

You can find recommendations tailored to your preferences, check which games your friends are playing, and compete with friends or players around the world. Your profile shows your Game Center achievements, friends list, and activity.

Sign in to the same Apple Account in both Game Center and the App Store, then use the Apple Games app to keep track of what’s new in the games you’re playing, discover new games, and stay connected with friends.

Discover new games

Find recommendations tailored to your preferences and see what games your friends are playing. Tap Home, then tap a game to learn more, download it, or jump right in if you already have it installed.

Play with friends

Play and compete with friends or players around the world. Tap Friends, then tap Challenge Your Friends.

View your profile and achievements

Tap your avatar in the corner of the screen to see your Game Center achievements, friends list, and activity. You can also customize your nickname and avatar.

Manage your library

Tap Library to access your downloaded games, track achievements, and filter your collection.

To find, play, and share more games, check out these guides:

Tag: Apple Games
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How to view and manage your game library in the Apple Games app on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

In the Apple Games app, you can browse Apple Arcade titles, view your downloaded games, check in-game events, and track your achievements in your library. You can also sort and filter your games to quickly find what you’re looking for.

You can sort your games by Recent Games, Name, or Size, and filter them to show games on this iPad, Apple Arcade games, and more. You can also see recent updates, and delete a game.

Note: Apple Arcade and Apple One aren’t available in all countries or regions.

View and organize your games

  1. Start the Apple Games app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Library, then do any of the following:

    • Browse your games: Scroll through the list of games under Your Games.
    • Sort your games: Tap the Filter button. Choose a sort option (Recent Games, Name, or Size).
    • Filter your games: Tap the Filter button and choose a filter option to show specific games (On This iPad, Apple Arcade, Friends Playing, Controller Support, Support Challenge, or Categories). To clear a filter, tap the Filter button and tap Clear Filter.

      Tip: To see only the games currently installed on your iPad, select the On This iPad filter.

See in-game events or recent updates

  1. Start the Apple Games app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Library and then tap Events.
  3. Select the game you want to see in-game events or updates for.

Searching for a game, or opening its game page in the Home or Search tab, also shows you events and updates.

Check your achievements for a game

For supported games, you can track your Game Center achievements, viewing your progress and seeing which goals you’ve completed.

  1. Start the Apple Games app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Library, then tap Achievements.
  3. To organize your achievements, tap the Filter button. Choose an option.
  4. Select the game you want to check achievements for.

Browse Apple Arcade games

If you’re an Apple Arcade or Apple One subscriber, you can also browse Apple Arcade games in your Library.

  1. Start the Apple Games app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Library, then tap Apple Arcade.
  3. Tap the Filter button, then do any of the following:
    • Turn Show Previews on or off.
    • Sort games by Release Date, Last Updated, Name, or Category.
    • Filter games by Controller Support, Multiplayer, or Age Ratings.

Delete a game

Need to free up space on your iPad? Delete games directly within the Apple Games app.

  1. Start the Apple Games app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Library.
  3. Touch and hold the game you want to delete. Tap Delete Game.

See also

Tag: Apple Games
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How to connect a game controller to iPad

by Stacey Butler

You can connect a compatible game controller to your iPad through Bluetooth® or a wired connection. You can customize the buttons, add a second controller to get help from a friend, and use your controller to navigate the Apple Games app on iPad.

With Buddy Controller, two controllers work together to control the same player character. A wired controller may need an adapter, depending on your iPad model. You can also customize controls for a specific game in the Apple Games app.

Pair a Bluetooth game controller

  1. Follow the instructions that came with the controller to put it in discovery mode.
  2. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  3. Tap Bluetooth and turn on Bluetooth. Tap the name of the device.

Connect a wired game controller

You can connect a compatible wired game controller to your iPad. Depending on your iPad model and controller, you may need an adapter (sold separately). Follow the instructions that came with your controller.

Customize the game controller buttons

After you pair or connect a compatible game controller, the Apple Games app is where you can customize the buttons for supported games.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap General and then tap Game Controller.
  3. Select the controller you want to customize and then do any of the following:
    • Customize default controls: Tap Default.
    • Customize controls for a specific game: Tap Add Game and select the game. Tap Default for the selected game.
  4. Select the actions and gestures you want to use with your controller.

Add a second game controller and get help from a friend

Buddy Controller lets two controllers on iPad team up to control the same player character, which means a friend can help you get through challenging parts of a game. It works with any game that supports game controllers.

  1. Connect two compatible game controllers to iPad through Bluetooth or a wired connection.
  2. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  3. Tap General and then tap Game Controller.
  4. Tap Buddy Controller.
  5. Choose the primary controller and choose the secondary controller.

See also

Tags: Apple Games, Bluetooth
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