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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

How to track time with the stopwatch in Clock on iPad

by Emily Long

In the Clock app, you can use the stopwatch to measure the duration of an event. It keeps timing even when you open another app or iPad goes to sleep, and you can record laps or splits. You can also switch between digital and analog stopwatch faces in portrait orientation.

A stopwatch in the Clock app shows the overall time passed in an event, and below it are several laps listed within that event.

  1. Start the Clock app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Stopwatch.

    Note: With iPad in portrait orientation, you can switch between the digital and analog faces by swiping the stopwatch.

  3. Tap Start.

    The timing continues even if you open another app or if iPad goes to sleep.

  4. To record a lap or split, tap Lap.
  5. Tap Stop to record the final time.
  6. Tap Reset to clear the stopwatch.

See also

Tag: Clock
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How to share location of a lost item in Find My on iPad

by Emily Long

In the Find My app on your iPad, you can create a temporary webpage to share the location of a lost AirTag or other item. You might share it with an airline to help them track your mishandled bag, and you can view and manage the shared location later.

To keep the location updated, at least one of your Apple devices signed in to your Apple Account needs to be online. You can also see who visited the webpage and when it expires.

If you want to share an item with a contact, see Share an AirTag.

Note: Sharing an item’s location isn’t possible if it’s within proximity of the device sharing your location.

Create and share a webpage for location updates

  1. Open the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Items, tap the item that you want to share location updates for, and then tap the more button.
  3. Tap Share Item Location.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions to create and share a temporary webpage.

    Note: To provide updated locations, at least one of your Apple devices where you’re signed in to your Apple Account needs to be online.

  5. Tap Done.

View and manage the shared item location

  1. Open the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Items, tap the item with the shared webpage, and tap the more button.
  3. Tap Share Item Location, then do any of the following:
    • Copy the URL: Tap the field at the top.
    • View the details: View the Visited By and Expiration rows.
    • Share the webpage with additional people: Tap Share Location Link and choose a sharing option (such as AirDrop or Mail).

Stop sharing location updates

Sharing stops after 7 days, or sooner if you reunite with the item or end it manually.

  1. Open the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Items, tap the item with the shared webpage, and tap the more button.
  3. Tap Stop Sharing Item Location.

See also

Tag: Find My
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How to share an AirTag or other item in Find My on iPad

by Abigail Shilets

If you want to share an item that’s paired with an AirTag (or a third-party item that works with Find My), you can share it so the borrower can see it on a map and find it. If it’s nearby, Find My can play a sound, and the people you share with don’t get tracking notifications when the item moves with them.

You can see the status of everyone you invited, and when someone accepts, the shared AirTag appears in Find My below Items. And when you’re done lending it, you can stop sharing anytime.

If the following requirements are met, you can share an AirTag or other item with no more than five borrowers on top of yourself, for a total of six users per item:

  • Two-factor authentication must be turned on for your Apple Account.
  • The person you share with must have an Apple Account and be signed in to it. They must also be using iCloud. You can’t share with a child account.
  • The owner and borrowers must have iCloud Keychain turned on.
  • The owner and borrowers must be using iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, or later.

Note: You share a third-party item just like you share an AirTag.

Share an AirTag

  1. Go to the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Items and tap the name of the AirTag you want to share. Tap the more button.
  3. Tap Add Person below Share AirTag (or Share This Item).
  4. Enter the Apple Account information of the person you want to add.

    To add more people, tap the Add button.

  5. Tap the name of the person you want to share with. Tap their Apple Account.

    Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each person you want to add.

  6. When you’re finished adding borrowers, tap the done button in the top-right corner.

    A list of everyone you invited appears on the item’s main screen, along with the status of their invitations.

    When someone accepts an invitation, the shared AirTag appears in Find My below Items and the recipient is notified that an item is being shared with them. If someone declines the invitation, their name is removed from the list, and you no longer see it.

Ask the owner of an AirTag to share it in Find My

If the owner of an AirTag shares it with you but doesn’t do so in Find My, you’ll receive an unknown AirTag notification and tracking notifications. To stop receiving tracking notifications for the AirTag, ask the owner to share it with you in Find My.

Note: Asking an owner to share only works if you’re both in the same Family Sharing group. To add a member, see our guide, Add a member to a Family Sharing group.

  1. In the tracking notification you receive, tap Ask Owner to Share AirTag.
  2. Tap Ask Owner.

    If the owner wants to add you as a borrower, you receive an invitation to share the AirTag.

Accept or decline an invitation to share

If you’re invited to share an AirTag, you receive a notification.

To see the invitation in Find My, tap Items, then do one of the following:

  • Accept the invitation: Tap Add.

    The AirTag appears in your Items list, below [Sharer]’s Items. You stop receiving tracking notifications for as long as you borrow the AirTag.

  • Decline the invitation: Tap Don’t Add.

Stop sharing an AirTag

Own an AirTag you no longer want to share? You can stop sharing in Find My.

  1. Start the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Items, tap the name of the item you’re sharing, and then tap the more button.
  3. Tap the name of the person you’re sharing it with and tap Stop Sharing.

    The person you were sharing with no longer sees the AirTag’s location, but may still get tracking notifications when the AirTag is moving with them.

See also

Tag: Find My
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How to erase a device in Find My on iPad

by Dave Johnson

Use the Find My app to erase an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, or Mac. In order to remotely erase a device, you must turn on Find My [device] before it’s lost.

When you erase a device remotely, a confirmation email is sent to your Apple Account email address, and Activation Lock remains on to protect it. You can cancel an erase, too.

Here’s how to erase a device in Find My on iPad.

What happens when you erase a device in Find My?

  • A confirmation email is sent to your Apple Account email address.
  • When you erase a device remotely using Find My, Activation Lock remains on to protect it. Your Apple Account password is required to reactivate it.
  • If you erase a device that had iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or later installed, you can use Find My to locate or play a sound on the device. Otherwise, you won’t be able to locate or play a sound on it. You may still be able to locate your Mac or Apple Watch if it’s near a previously used Wi-Fi network.

Erase a device

  1. Open the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Devices at the bottom-left side of the screen, tap the name of the device you want to erase, and then tap the more button.
  3. Tap Erase and tap Continue.

    If the device is a Mac, enter a passcode to lock it (you need to use the passcode to unlock it).

  4. If the device is lost and you’re asked to enter a phone number or message, you may want to indicate that the device is lost or how to contact you. The number and message appear on the device’s Lock Screen.
  5. Tap Erase.
  6. Enter your Apple Account password, then tap Erase again.

If your device is offline, Erase Pending appears, and the remote erase starts the next time the device connects to a Wi-Fi or cellular network.

Cancel an erase

If you erase an offline device and find it before it comes online again, you can cancel the erase request.

  1. Open the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Devices at the bottom-left side of the screen and tap the name of the device whose erase you want to cancel. Tap the more button.
  3. Tap Cancel Erase, then enter your Apple Account password.

If you lose your iPad, you can erase it using Find Devices on iCloud.com.

See also

Tag: Find My
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How to remove a device from Find My on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

You can use the Find My app to remove a device from your Devices list or turn off Activation Lock on a device you already sold or gave away. When you remove Activation Lock, someone else can activate the device and connect it to their Apple Account.

If you still have the device, you can remove it from your account and turn off Activation Lock on the device itself. You can also remove an iPhone Wallet with MagSafe. A device you’re not planning on using can come off your Devices list, though it may need to be offline first.

Remove a device from your Devices list

You can remove a device you’re not planning on using from your Devices list, but it may need to be offline before you can.

When it comes online again, the device shows up in your Devices list if it’s an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch that still has Activation Lock turned on, or AirPods or Beats headphones still paired with your iOS or iPadOS device.

  1. Do one of the following:
    • For an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch: Turn off the device.
    • For AirPods: Put AirPods in their case and close the lid or turn the AirPods off.
    • For Beats headphones: Turn off the headphones.
  2. Open the Find My app on your iPad.
  3. Tap Devices at the bottom-left side of the screen and tap the name of the offline device. Then tap the more button.
  4. Tap Remove.

Remove an iPhone Wallet with MagSafe

To keep an iPhone Wallet with MagSafe and Find My support out of the Find My app, remove it from your Devices list. Removing it from Find My means someone else can connect it to their Apple Account.

  1. Open the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Devices at the bottom of the screen, tap the name of your iPhone Wallet with MagSafe, and tap the more button.
  3. Tap Remove and then follow the onscreen instructions.

Turn off Activation Lock on a device you have

Selling, giving away, or trading in a device? Remove Activation Lock first so the device is no longer associated with your Apple Account.

Turn off Activation Lock on a device you no longer have

The Find My app can still remove Activation Lock if you forgot to turn off Find My [device] before you sold or gave away your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch.

  1. Open the Find My app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Devices at the bottom-left side of the screen and tap the name of the device you want to remove. Tap the more button.
  3. Erase the device.

    Because the device isn’t lost, don’t enter a phone number or message.

    If the device is offline, the remote erase begins the next time it connects to a Wi-Fi or cellular network. You receive an email when the device is erased.

  4. When the device is erased, tap Remove This Device and then tap Remove.

    All your content is erased, Activation Lock is turned off, and someone else can now activate the device.

Using iCloud.com, you can also remove a device online.

See also

Tag: Find My
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How to add content to an iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

You can keep adding to an iCloud Shared Photo Library after you set up or join one in the Photos app. Anything you move there leaves your personal library and becomes visible to all participants. Here are the ways to add more photos and videos:

  • Manually move photos from your personal library
  • Save photos and videos you take directly to the shared library from Camera
  • Share photos you take when other members of the shared library are nearby
  • Share photos and videos you take at home

Note: iCloud Shared Photo Library works on iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1, macOS 13, or later. Earlier versions of the software can’t show photos and videos added to a shared library.

Manually add photos and videos to an iCloud Shared Photo Library

Individual photos and videos from your personal library can go into the iCloud Shared Photo Library.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the photo or video you want to add. Or to add multiple photos and videos at the same time, tap Select. Tap the thumbnails you want to add.
  3. Tap the More button. Then tap Move to Shared Library.

After content is moved to the shared library, it’s no longer in your personal library and is visible to all of the shared library participants. To move content from the shared library back to your personal library, follow the steps above, but tap Move to Personal Library instead of Move to Shared Library.

Add photos and videos to an iCloud Shared Photo Library directly from Camera

After you set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library, when you open Camera, a Shared Library button appears on the side of the screen to let you switch between saving photos and videos to your personal library and saving them to the shared library. By default, Camera saves to your personal library. To switch, tap the Personal Library button to save to the shared library; tap the Shared Library button to switch back to your personal library.

To turn the feature on or off after you complete the setup process, go to Settings > Apps > Photos > Shared Library > Sharing from Camera, then turn Sharing from Camera on or off.

Add photos and videos to an iCloud Shared Photo Library when participants are nearby

While you set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library, there’s an option to automatically add photos you take when you’re near other people in the shared library.

To allow iPad to detect when participants of your shared library are nearby, participants need to be signed in to their Apple Account on their device and have Bluetooth® turned on in Settings > Bluetooth.

To turn the feature on or off after you complete the setup process, do the following:

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections. Tap your account in the top-right corner.
  3. Tap Shared Library, then tap Sharing from Camera.
  4. Tap Share Automatically.

Automatically add photos and videos taken at home to an iCloud Shared Photo Library

You can also have photos and videos you take at home added to the shared library automatically, an option you choose when you set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library.

To turn the feature on or off after you complete the setup process, do the following:

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections. Tap your account in the top-right corner.
  3. Tap Shared Library, then tap Sharing from Camera.
  4. Turn Share When At Home on or off.

Turn iCloud Shared Photo Library sharing suggestions on or off

Sharing suggestions recommends photos you might want to add to your iCloud Shared Photo Library, such as photos you took when participants of the shared library were nearby, or photos of people you indicated interest in during the setup process. iPad sends a notification to review sharing suggestions. To turn suggestions on or off, follow these steps:

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections. Tap your account in the top-right corner.
  3. Tap Shared Library, then turn Shared Library Suggestions on or off.

If you want to get sharing suggestions for additional people, tap Add People, tap a person, then tap Add. The person doesn’t have to be a member of the shared library.

See also

Tags: iCloud, Photos
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How to use iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPad

by Tyler Stephen

After you set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library, you can share photos and videos with friends and family in the Photos app. You and up to five other participants can add photos and videos to the library, and any edits, comments, or other adjustments made to them are seen by everyone in real time. Content in a shared library is also added to everyone’s memories, featured photos, and the Photos widget.

Photos and videos in the shared library are kept separate from your personal library, and you can switch between viewing the shared library, your personal library, or both. You can also move shared content to your personal library.

Switch between viewing your iCloud Shared Photo Library and personal library

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Sort and Filter button and select the following:
    • View your Photos content and iCloud Shared Photo Library content: Tap Both Libraries.
    • View only your personal Photos content: Tap Personal Library.
    • View only iCloud Shared Photo Library content: Tap Shared Library.

If you’re viewing both your personal and shared library, a badge in the top-right corner of the thumbnail marks content that’s part of the shared library.

Make edits and changes to content in an iCloud Shared Photo Library

Any of the following changes you make to photos and videos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library show up for all participants:

  • Edits; see Edit photos and videos on iPad.
  • Favorites, captions, keywords, or date and time adjustments; See photo and video information on iPad.
  • Deleted content; see Delete or hide a photo or video.

    Note: You receive notifications if content you added to the shared library is deleted. To turn off notifications, tap your account in the top-right corner of the screen in Photos, tap Shared Library, then turn off Deletion Notifications. If content you added is deleted, you can move it from Recently Deleted back to your personal library within 30 days.

Move shared content from an iCloud Shared Photo Library to your personal library

A badge in the top-right corner also marks photos stored in your shared library. Photos and videos you contributed to the shared library can be moved back to your personal library.

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Open a photo or video in your shared library.
  3. Tap the More button at the top of the screen. Tap Move to Personal Library.

Add storage space to your iCloud Shared Photo Library

The content in an iCloud Shared Photo Library is available to every participant, while the iCloud storage used to store it counts against the library organizer’s storage space.

If the shared library content exceeds the organizer’s available storage space, the organizer can upgrade to iCloud+ or add additional storage to their existing iCloud+ subscription. See Subscribe to iCloud+.

See also

Tags: iCloud, Photos
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How to set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPad

by Tyler Stephen

With the iCloud Shared Photo Library feature, you can set up or join a shared library to share photos and videos with up to five friends or family members. You and those close to you can collaborate on the photo collection and enjoy more complete memories, all in one place. You can belong to one shared library at a time.

When you join, the photos and videos you contribute move from your personal library to the shared library, where all members can view, edit, and delete them. They appear in Photos alongside your personal content, and a filter lets you switch between your personal and shared libraries. Before you begin, iCloud Photos needs to be on, though you don’t need Family Sharing.

Note: To use iCloud Shared Photo Library, you need iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1, macOS 13, or later. On devices with earlier software versions, photos and videos added to a shared library won’t be available.

Before you begin

You need iCloud Photos turned on before you set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library.

Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then make sure Sync this iPad is on.

Note: You can set up a shared library without Family Sharing turned on.

Set up an iCloud Shared Photo Library

The organizer is the person who sets up an iCloud Shared Photo Library.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections. Tap your account in the top-right corner.
  3. Tap Shared Library and then follow the instructions onscreen to add participants and move photos and videos into the shared library.

    Note: Photos and videos you add to the shared library don’t appear in your personal library; see Switch between viewing your iCloud Shared Photo Library and personal library.

    You can preview the photos and videos you add to the shared library and make changes before you invite participants using Messages or a web link.

Join an iCloud Shared Photo Library

To join an iCloud Shared Photo Library, tap the invitation sent from the organizer, tap Get Started, then follow the onscreen instructions. During setup, you can add photos and videos to the shared library the same way as the organizer (see Set up an iCloud Shared Photo Library).

Once you join a shared library, there are several ways to add photos and videos to it, and you can access the same content within it as the organizer and other participants. See our guide, Add content to an iCloud Shared Photo Library.

Add participants to an iCloud Shared Photo Library

The organizer, who sets up the iCloud Shared Photo Library, can add new participants to the shared library.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections. Tap your account in the top-right corner.
  3. Tap Manage, then tap Add Participants.

    Note: A shared library can include up to six participants including the organizer; you can belong to one shared library at a time.

Delete or leave an iCloud Shared Photo Library

The organizer of an iCloud Shared Photo Library can delete it, while everyone else can leave the shared library.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections. Tap your account in the top-right corner.
  3. Tap Manage, then tap one of the following:
    • Delete Shared Library: When a shared library is deleted, participants who have been members of the shared library for more than 7 days can copy everything from the shared library into their own libraries. Participants who have been members for less than 7 days can copy only the content they contributed.
    • Leave Shared Library: When you leave a shared library, you can copy everything from the shared library into your own library, or just the content you contributed.

Everything added to a shared library counts toward the library organizer’s iCloud storage space. Read our article, Add storage space to your iCloud Shared Photo Library.

See also

Tags: iCloud, Photos
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How to delete or hide photos and videos on iPad

by Emily Long

In the Photos app, you can delete photos and videos from your iPad or hide them. You can also recover photos you recently deleted. Photos you delete and hide are saved in Recently Deleted and Hidden, which you unlock using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.

When you use iCloud Photos, any photos you delete or hide are deleted or hidden on all your devices. You can delete or hide several at once, and stop hiding them later. Hidden photos can’t be viewed anywhere else.

Note: The Recently Deleted collection holds deleted photos and videos for 30 days, and you can recover or permanently remove them during that time. Then Photos permanently removes them from all devices.

Delete or hide a photo or video

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. While viewing a photo or video, do any of the following:

    • Delete: Tap the Delete button to delete a photo from your iPad and other devices where iCloud Photos is turned on and you’re signed in to the same Apple Account.

      Deleted photos and videos are kept in the Recently Deleted collection for 30 days. During that time, you can recover or permanently remove them from all devices.

    • Hide: Tap the Actions button and then tap Hide.

      Hidden photos are moved to the Hidden collection. You can’t view them anywhere else.

      To turn off the Hidden collection so it doesn’t appear in the Photos app, see Hide the Hidden collection from view.

Delete or hide multiple photos and videos

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Open your library or a collection.
  3. Tap Select and then tap the photos and videos you want to delete or hide.
  4. Do any of the following:

    • Delete: Tap the Delete button to delete the items from your iPad and other devices where iCloud Photos is turned on and you’re signed in to the same Apple Account.

      Deleted photos and videos are kept in the Recently Deleted collection for 30 days. During that time, you can recover or permanently remove them from all devices.

    • Hide: Tap the Actions button and then tap Hide.

      Hidden photos and videos are kept in the Hidden collection.

Stop hiding photos and videos

You can stop hiding a photo or video you previously hid, so that it reappears in your photo library.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections.
  3. Tap the Hidden collection (below Utilities), tap View Album, and then unlock your iPad.
  4. Tap the photo or video you want to stop hiding.
  5. Tap the Actions button, then tap Unhide.

Recover or permanently delete recently deleted items

Deleted photos and videos stay in the Recently Deleted collection for 30 days. Then they’re permanently removed from iCloud, your iPad, and every other device associated with your Apple Account. Until the 30 days are up, you can recover them or delete them permanently at any time.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections.
  3. Tap the Recently Deleted collection (below Utilities) and tap View Album. Unlock your iPad.
  4. Tap Select and choose the photos and videos you want to recover or delete.
  5. Tap the Actions button and then tap Recover or Delete.

Note: Photos missing from the Recently Deleted collection may be in the Recovered collection instead. For more, see our article, Find recovered items and save or delete them.

Lock and unlock the Recently Deleted and Hidden collections

The Recently Deleted and Hidden collections are locked by default. You can unlock these collections using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. To change the default setting from locked to unlocked, do the following:

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Apps and tap Photos.
  3. Turn off Use Face ID, Use Touch ID, or Use Passcode.

Hide the Hidden collection from view

The Hidden collection is locked by default. For an extra layer of privacy, you can also remove it from view.

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Apps and tap Photos.
  3. Turn off Show Hidden Album.

See also

Tag: Photos
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How to find receipts, QR codes, recently edited photos, and more on iPad

by Abigail Shilets

In the Photos app, you can find collections of photos and videos organized into different categories in Utilities. You can revisit photos that you captured, or recently edited, saved, or shared.

You can also find photos based on their content—like identity documents, receipts, handwriting, illustrations, and QR codes. And you can reorder the Utilities list to put the collections you use most at the top. For your privacy, some collections, like Hidden and Recently Deleted, are locked by default.

Find receipts, QR codes, and more in Utilities

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections, scroll down, and tap Utilities.
  3. Tap the collection you want to view.

    Note: Some Utilities collections, like Hidden and Recently Deleted, are locked by default for your privacy. See Lock and unlock the Recently Deleted and Hidden collections.

Reorder the Utilities list

You can reorder the Utilities list to help you find the collections you access most often.

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections, then tap Edit at the top of the screen.
  3. Touch and hold the collection you want to reorder and then drag it to a new position.
  4. When you’re done, tap the checkmark at the top of the screen.

Find recovered items and save or delete them

If a photo or video wasn’t saved properly and couldn’t be added to your library, you may find a copy of it in Recovered.

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections, scroll down, and tap Utilities.
  3. Tap Recovered and then tap the photo or video you want to recover.
  4. Tap Permanently Delete or Restore to Library.

    Important: When you delete a recovered photo or video, it’s deleted permanently. You can’t recover photos that you deleted from the Recovered collection in Utilities.

See also

Tag: Photos
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