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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

How to take Live Photos with your iPad camera

by Abigail Shilets

A Live Photo captures what happens just before and after you take a photo, including the audio. You take a Live Photo just like you do a normal photo.

Live Photo is on by default in Photo mode, and your Live Photos are saved automatically in your photo library. You can add effects such as bounce and loop, or turn off Live Photos. If you’ve already taken a Live Photo, you can turn the effect off later, too.

Take a Live Photo

  1. Open Camera on your iPad.
  2. Make sure Camera is set to Photo mode and that Live Photo is turned on.

    Note: Live Photo is on by default. When it’s on, you see the Live Photo button in yellow on the right side of the screen.

  3. Tap the Shutter button to take a Live Photo.
  4. To play the Live Photo, tap the photo thumbnail below the Shutter button. Touch and hold the screen.

Your Live Photos go into your photo library in the Photos app automatically. For effects like bounce and loop on your Live Photos, see our guide, Add effects to a Live Photo.

Turn off Live Photos

  1. Open Camera on your iPad.
  2. Make sure Camera is set to Photo mode.
  3. Tap the Live Photo button on the right side of the screen so that a slash appears through the button.

To turn the effect off on a Live Photo you’ve already taken, read our article, Make Live Photo edits.

See also

Tags: camera, Photos
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How to use trackpad gestures on iPad

by Stacey Butler

You can use Magic Trackpad or the trackpad built into the Magic Keyboard for iPad and the Magic Keyboard Folio to open apps, go to the Home Screen, open Slide Over, and more (all trackpads sold separately).

When your iPad is near your Mac (macOS 12.3 or later required on supported models), you can also share a trackpad between both devices, and many of these trackpad gestures are supported by Mac trackpads. Gestures can open the Dock, Control Center, Notification Center, and the App Switcher. And there’s more with Magic Trackpad 2 and Magic Keyboard, like gestures to scroll, zoom, and switch between open apps.

Trackpad gestures for Magic Trackpad, Magic Trackpad 2, Magic Keyboard for iPad, and Magic Keyboard Folio

Gesture Description
An illustration symbolizing a click on a trackpad. Click. Press with one finger until you feel a click.
An illustration symbolizing the touch-and-hold gesture on a trackpad. Click and hold. Press and hold with one finger.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for dragging an item. Drag. Click and hold an item, then slide your finger across the trackpad to move it.
An illustration symbolizing a click on a trackpad. Wake iPad. Click the trackpad.

Or, if you’re using an external keyboard, press any key.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for opening the Dock. Open the Dock. Use one finger to swipe the pointer past the bottom of the screen.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for showing the Home Screen. Go Home. Use one finger to swipe the pointer past the bottom of the screen. After the Dock appears, swipe the pointer past the bottom of the screen again.

Alternatively, click the bar at the bottom of the screen (on an iPad with Face ID).
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for opening Slide Over. View Slide Over. Use one finger to swipe the pointer past the right edge of the screen. To hide Slide Over, swipe right again.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for opening Control Center. Open Control Center. Use one finger to move the pointer to select the status icons at the top right, then click.

Or, select the status icons at the top right, then swipe up with one finger.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for opening Notification Center. Open Notification Center. Use one finger to move the pointer to select the status icons at the top left, then click.

Or, use one finger to move the pointer past the top of the screen near the middle.

Additional gestures for Magic Trackpad 2, Magic Keyboard for iPad, and Magic Keyboard Folio

Gesture Description
An illustration symbolizing the gestures on a trackpad for scrolling up and down. Scroll up or down. Swipe two fingers up or down.
An illustration symbolizing the gestures on a trackpad for scrolling left and right. Scroll left or right. Swipe two fingers left or right.
An illustration symbolizing the gestures on a trackpad for zooming in and out. Zoom. Place two fingers near each other. Pinch open to zoom in, or pinch closed to zoom out.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for returning to the Home Screen. Go Home. Swipe up with three fingers.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for opening the App Switcher. Open the App Switcher. Swipe up with three fingers, pausing before you lift your fingers.

Or, pinch four fingers together, pausing before you lift your fingers.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for switching between open apps. Switch between open apps. Swipe left or right with three fingers.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for opening Today View. Open Today View. When the Home Screen or the Lock Screen is visible, use two fingers to swipe right.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for opening search from the Home Screen. Open search from the Home Screen. Swipe down with two fingers.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a trackpad for a secondary click. Secondary click. Click with two fingers to show the Quick Actions menu for items like icons on the Home Screen, messages in a mailbox, and the Camera button in Control Center.

Or, if you’re using an external keyboard, you can press the Control key while you click the trackpad.
Tag: Trackpad and Mouse
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How to use your iPad as a second display for your Mac

by Emily Long

You can extend the workspace of your Mac by using your iPad as a second display with the Sidecar feature. The extended workspace allows you to use different apps on the different screens, or to use the same app across both screens, but control different aspects of it. For example, when you use the same app on both screens, you can view your artwork on your Mac while you use Apple Pencil and an app’s tools and palettes on iPad.

You can move windows between your Mac and iPad, and use the sidebar and Touch Bar on iPad.

A Mac screen next to an iPad screen. Both screens show the Mac desktop.

Before you begin

You’ll want to confirm each of the following first:

  • Both devices have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, and Handoff turned on.
  • You’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both devices.
  • Both devices meet minimum system requirements for Sidecar.

If you’re using a VPN, make sure its configuration allows local networking. Preventing it may interfere with some Continuity features.

Set up Sidecar

  1. On your Mac, open the System Settings app.

    Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.

  2. Click Displays in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)

    Tip: You can also connect your Mac and iPad using a USB cable. You can use the USB cable that came with your iPad or another cable that matches the ports on your Mac and iPad.

  3. Click the Add Display menu on the right and choose your iPad.
  4. To change Sidecar options (for example, to extend or mirror your Mac display), choose your iPad in Displays and choose from the available options.

    You can also adjust the arrangement of your Mac and iPad displays. Click Arrange, then drag your displays into a new position.

    Tip: You can also use Control Center to set up Sidecar. Click screen mirroring in the menu bar, click Screen Mirroring, then choose your iPad. You can adjust some Display settings here, or click Display Settings for more options.

Use Sidecar with your Mac or iPad

With Sidecar running, you can do any of the following:

  • Move windows between Mac and iPad: Drag a window to the edge of the screen until the pointer appears on the other device. Or while using an app, choose Window > “Move to”.
  • Use the sidebar on iPad: With your finger or Apple Pencil, tap the icons in the sidebar to show or hide the Menu Bar, show or hide the Dock, or show the onscreen keyboard. Or tap one or more modifier keys, such as Control, to use keyboard shortcuts.
  • Use the Touch Bar on iPad: With your finger or Apple Pencil, tap any button in the Touch Bar. The buttons available vary depending on the app or task.
  • Use Apple Pencil on iPad: With your Apple Pencil, tap to select items such as menu commands, checkboxes, or files. If your Apple Pencil supports it (and you selected the option in Displays settings), you can double-tap the lower section of your Apple Pencil to switch drawing tools in some apps.
  • Use gestures on iPad: Use basic gestures, such as tap, swipe, scroll, and zoom, as well as gestures for entering and editing text. See the Learn basic gestures to interact with iPad.
  • On iPad, switch between the Mac desktop and the iPad Home Screen: To show the Home Screen, swipe up from the bottom edge of your iPad. To return to the Mac desktop, swipe up, then tap the Continuity icon.

Turn off Sidecar

Once you’re done using your iPad as a second display for your Mac, you can do one of the following:

  • On a Mac: Click the Control Center status in the menu bar, click Screen Mirroring, then deselect your iPad from the list below “Mirror or extend to.”
  • On an iPad: Tap the Disconnect button at the bottom of the sidebar.

If Sidecar isn’t working

  • Make sure you’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both devices.
  • Make sure that both devices have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff turned on and are on the same Wi-Fi network.

See also

Tag: Continuity
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How to use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad

by Emily Long

You can use the keyboard and mouse (or trackpad) of your Mac to control your iPad with the Universal Control feature. You can even connect an additional Mac or iPad and work across three devices. When you use Universal Control, you can open and use apps, enter text, and drag items across devices.

Both devices need Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, Handoff, and two-factor authentication turned on, and you need to be signed in to the same Apple Account on both. Once they’re connected, you can move the pointer across screens, and change the screen arrangement between your Mac and iPad.

Before you begin

First, confirm each of the following:

  • Both devices have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, Handoff, and two-factor authentication turned on.
  • You’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both devices.
  • Both devices meet minimum system requirements for Universal Control.
  • If your Mac doesn’t have a built-in trackpad or keyboard, you must connect a keyboard and mouse or trackpad to your Mac.

When you’re using a VPN, make sure its configuration allows local networking, since preventing it may interfere with some Continuity features.

Set up Universal Control

To connect your Mac and iPad, wake and unlock both devices, then do one of the following:

  • On your Mac, use your mouse or trackpad to move the pointer to the right or left edge of the screen, whichever is closest to your other device. Pause, then move the pointer slightly past the edge of the screen. When a border appears at the edge of the other device, continue moving the pointer to the other device’s screen.
  • On your Mac, click the Control Center menu in the menu bar, click Display, then choose your other device below “Link keyboard and mouse to.” Then use your mouse or trackpad to move the pointer past the edge of the Mac screen until it appears on your other device.

With a connection established, the pointer moves across screens until you disconnect your devices or one of them goes to sleep.

Use your Mac keyboard and mouse or trackpad with your iPad

Your Mac mouse or trackpad works with many of the actions and gestures that work on your iPad with an external mouse or trackpad. See our article, Mouse actions and gestures for iPad, and our guide, Trackpad gestures for iPad.

Many iPad features available with external keyboards also work with your Mac keyboard. For these, see our guide, Switch between keyboards with iPad, and the keyboard topics after it.

Change the screen arrangement between your Mac and iPad

The side of the display you’ll use to move the pointer across devices depends on the direction you move it when establishing the Universal Control connection.

You can also adjust the arrangement of your devices.

  1. On your Mac, open the System Settings app.

    Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.

  2. Click Displays in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
  3. Drag the iPad image to the new position.

Disconnect Universal Control between your Mac and iPad

To temporarily stop using Universal Control, disconnect your Mac and iPad.

To disconnect them, do one of the following:

  • On your iPad: Press the top button on your iPad to put it to sleep.
  • On your Mac: Click the Control Center menu in the menu bar, click Display, then deselect your iPad, below “Link keyboard and mouse to.”

Stop your Mac and iPad from automatically connecting

With Universal Control set up, your Mac and iPad or another Mac reconnect automatically whenever they’re close to each other with their screens unlocked. If you’d rather your Mac and iPad or another Mac not connect automatically, turn off this option on your Mac.

  1. On your Mac, open the System Settings app.

    Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.

  2. Click Displays in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
  3. On the right, click Advanced. Then turn off Automatically reconnect to any nearby Mac or iPad.

Turn off Universal Control

Turning off Universal Control keeps your Mac keyboard and mouse or trackpad from being used across your iPad and other devices.

  1. On your Mac, open the System Settings app.

    Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.

  2. Click Displays in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
  3. Click Advanced on the right. Then do one of the following:

    • Turn off all Universal Control connections: Turn off “Allow your pointer and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad.”
    • Prevent a connection when moving the pointer to the edge of the screen: Turn off “Push through the edge of a display to connect to a nearby Mac or iPad.”

To prevent connecting your iPad keyboard and mouse or trackpad to your Mac, on iPad go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity, then turn off Cursor and Keyboard.

If Universal Control isn’t working

  • Make sure you’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both devices.
  • Make sure that both devices have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Handoff, and two-factor authentication turned on and are on the same Wi-Fi network.

See also

Tag: Continuity
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How to use a mouse with iPad: actions and gestures

by Chris Smith

You can use a mouse to open apps, go to the Home Screen, open Slide Over, and more (mouse devices sold separately). When your iPad is near your Mac (macOS 12.3 or later required on supported models), you can also share a mouse between both devices.

A mouse can open the Dock, the App Switcher, Control Center, and Notification Center. And with Magic Mouse 2, there are gestures to scroll, show Quick Actions with a secondary click, open Today View, and open search from the Home Screen.

Note: Not all mouse devices are fully compatible with all models of iPad.

Mouse actions

Action Description
An illustration symbolizing a click on a mouse. Click. Press the mouse until you feel a click.
An illustration symbolizing touch and hold on a mouse. Click and hold. Press and hold the mouse.
An illustration symbolizing how to use a mouse to drag an item. Drag. Click and hold an item, then move the mouse.
An illustration symbolizing a click on a mouse. Wake iPad. Click the mouse.

Or, if you’re using an external keyboard, press any key.
An illustration symbolizing how to use a mouse to open the Dock. Open the Dock. Move the mouse to position the pointer at the bottom of the screen.
An illustration symbolizing how to use a mouse to go to the Home Screen. Go Home. Move the mouse to position the pointer at the bottom of the screen. After the Dock appears, move the pointer past the bottom of the screen.

Or, click the bar at the bottom of the screen (on an iPad with Face ID).
An illustration symbolizing how to use a mouse to open the App Switcher. Open the App Switcher. With the Home Screen visible, move the pointer past the bottom of the screen.

Or from an app, drag the bar at the bottom of the screen toward the middle of the screen and pause (on an iPad with Face ID).
An illustration symbolizing how to use a mouse to view Slide Over. View Slide Over. Use the mouse to move the pointer past the right edge of the screen. To hide Slide Over, move the pointer past the right edge again.
An illustration symbolizing how to use a mouse to open Control Center. Open Control Center. Use the mouse to move the pointer to select the status icons at the top right, then click.

Or, move the pointer past the top-right corner of the screen.
An illustration symbolizing how to use a mouse to open Notification Center. Open Notification Center. Use the mouse to move the pointer to select the status icons at the top left, then click.

Or, use the mouse to move the pointer past the top of the screen (near the middle).

Mouse gestures for Magic Mouse 2

Gesture Description
An illustration symbolizing the gestures on a mouse for scrolling up and down. Scroll up or down. Slide a finger up or down on the surface of the mouse.
An illustration symbolizing the gestures on a mouse for scrolling left and right. Scroll left or right. Slide a finger left or right on the surface of the mouse.
An illustration symbolizing a secondary click on the right side of the mouse. Secondary click. Use a finger on one side of the mouse to show the Quick Actions menu when clicking items like icons on the Home Screen, messages in a mailbox, or the Camera button in Control Center.

Note: To turn on Secondary click and choose which side of the mouse to use, go to Settings > General > Trackpad & Mouse > Secondary Click.

If you’re using an external keyboard, you can press the Control key while you click the mouse. On a multi-button mouse, click the second button.
An illustration symbolizing the mouse gesture for opening Today View. Open Today View. When the Home Screen or the Lock Screen is visible, swipe right on the surface of the mouse.
An illustration symbolizing the gesture on a mouse for opening search from the Home Screen. Open search from the Home Screen. Swipe down on the surface of the mouse.
Tag: Trackpad and Mouse
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How to find and name people and pets in Photos on iPad

by Chris Smith

The Photos app sorts photos and videos of people, dogs, and cats in the People & Pets collection (or the People collection if no pets appear). You can name a person, dog, or cat directly from a photo or video in your photo library, or in the People & Pets collection.

When you name someone, they’re automatically added to People & Pets and named in other photos. A question mark appears next to anyone you haven’t named yet.

The People & Pets collection is open in the Photos app.

Name a person or pet in a photo or video

Name a person or pet in a photo or video, and they’re automatically added to the People & Pets collection, along with being named in other photos and videos in your library.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Open a photo or video and then swipe up to see the details.

    People or pets in the photo or video appear in the bottom-left corner. A question mark appears next to those you haven’t named.

  3. Tap the person or pet with a question mark next to their picture. Tap Edit Name and Photos.

    The iPad screen shows a photo open in the Photos app. In the bottom-left corner of the photo is a thumbnail of the person who appears in the photo.

  4. Tap Name This Person or Name This Pet and enter their name. Tap the Done button.

Name a person or pet in the People & Pets collection

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections.
  3. Tap People & Pets. Tap the person or pet you want to name.
  4. Tap Name This Person or Name This Pet and enter their name.

    If the person is listed in your contacts, you can tap their name below Results.

  5. Tap the Done button.

If the person or pet you want to name doesn’t appear, tap Add People at the bottom of the People & Pets collection to see more faces.

For a collection of a group of people and pets, check out our guide, Find group photos.

Change the key photo for a person or pet

You can change the key photo of a person or pet in the People & Pets collection.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections.
  3. Tap People & Pets and touch and hold the key photo you want to change.
  4. Tap Edit Name and Photos and tap the photo icon in the bottom-right corner of the current key photo.
  5. Select a new photo from the choices in the photo grid and tap the Done button.

Mark a person or pet as a favorite

Marking the people or pets you interact with the most as favorites makes them easier to find in the People & Pets collection.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections.
  3. Tap People & Pets and touch and hold a person or pet’s key photo. Tap Favorite.

To remove a person or pet from your favorites, touch and hold their key photo in the People & Pets collection, then tap Unfavorite.

Fix incorrect names

You can fix misidentifications in the People & Pets collection.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections, then tap People & Pets.
  3. Tap the misidentified person or pet. Tap the More button at the top of the screen.
  4. Tap the incorrect name at the top of the menu, tap the name again, enter the correct name, and then tap the Done button.

You can also fix misidentifications while viewing a photo or video in your library. Swipe up to see the photo or video information. Tap the misidentified person or pet in the circle at the bottom-left corner. Tap This is Not [name], then tap Rename This Person or Rename This Pet.

Sort the People & Pets collection alphabetically or manually

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections.
  3. Tap People & Pets, tap Sort, and choose one of the following:
    • Sort alphabetically: Tap Sort by Name.
    • Sort manually: Tap Sort by Custom Order. Touch and hold a key photo and drag it to a new position.

Hide a person or pet

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections.
  3. Tap People & Pets and then touch and hold the person or pet’s key photo.
  4. Tap Hide [name] or Don’t Feature [name].

Quick tip: Rather than removing a person or pet, you can feature them less often. Check out our article, Show a person less frequently or not at all.

When you use iCloud Photos, People & Pets is kept up to date on all your devices.

See also

Tag: Photos
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How to find group photos and videos on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

The Photos app recognizes groups of people and pets who often appear together in pictures and videos, and sorts them into group collections. For example, if you have many pictures of your family or a group of friends, Photos creates a collection for each of those groups.

You can also create a group collection with any combination of people and pets. You can add someone to a group and share the photos of the group, too.

The People & Pets screen in the Photos app. There is a row of groups at the top of the screen, with individual people and pets below.

Find group photos and videos

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections, then tap People & Pets.
  3. Below Groups, swipe to view your groups or tap See All.
  4. Select a group to view all the photos and videos in that group.

    Tip: To add someone to the group, tap the Sort and Filter button, tap View Options, then tap Other People.

To share the photos of the group, tap the More button, then tap Share Photos.

Create a group collection

You can create a group collection with any combination of people and pets from the People & Pets collection.

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections, then tap People & Pets.
  3. To the right of Groups, tap the Add button. Then tap Create New Group.
  4. Select the people and pets you want in the group. Tap the Done button.
  5. Optionally, enter a new name for the group or add more people and pets to the group.
  6. Tap Create.

Edit or delete a group collection

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections, then tap People & Pets.
  3. Below Groups, touch and hold the group you want to edit. Then do any of the following:
    • Rename the group: Tap Edit Name and People, enter a new name, and then tap the Done button.
    • Add or remove people: Tap Edit Name and People. Then tap the Remove button at the top-left corner of their picture.
    • Add someone to the group: Tap Edit Name and People. Tap Add People & Pets. Select who you want to add. Tap the Done button.
    • Edit the group photo: Tap Edit Name and People and then tap the photo icon in the bottom-right corner of the current group photo. Select a new photo and then tap the Done button.
    • Delete the group: Tap Delete Group.

Change the order of group collections

  1. Start the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Collections, then tap People & Pets.
  3. Touch and hold a group, then drag it to a new position.

See also

Tag: Photos
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How to share photos and videos on iPad

by Abigail Shilets

You can share photos and videos in Mail or Messages, or in other apps you install. With AirDrop, you can instantly share photos with anyone nearby on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Vision Pro.

You can share a single photo or video, several at once, or all the photos in a collection. If you’re sharing multiple items, Show Selected lets you check your choices before you share.

Here’s how to share photos and videos on iPad.

To learn about transferring photos and videos to an external storage device, see Import and export photos and videos.

Note: Sharing a photo or video includes sharing its associated metadata, such as date and time, location, device, and captions.

Share photos and videos

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

    • Share a single photo or video: Open the photo or video and tap the Share button. Then choose a sharing option such as Mail, Messages, or AirDrop.

      A photo is open in the Photos app and the share options are displayed in the middle of the screen.

    • Share multiple photos or videos: When viewing a screen with multiple thumbnails, tap Select. Then tap the thumbnails of the photos and videos you want to share. Tap the Share button. Then choose a sharing option such as Mail, Messages, or AirDrop.

      Tip: If you’re sharing multiple items, tap Show Selected to view or modify your selections before you share.

    • Share all the photos in a collection: While viewing a collection of photos, tap Select. Then tap Select All. Tap the Share button. Then choose a sharing option such as Mail, Messages, or AirDrop.

With a shared album, you can share photos and videos with a group of friends and family, and they can contribute to the album, too. Read our guide, Create shared albums.

Note: Your service provider sets the size limit for attachments. And on devices or services that don’t support Live Photos, a Live Photo gets shared as a still photo.

Adjust the information you share about a photo or video

You can choose the format, file type, and information that goes along with a photo or video before you share it.

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Open a photo or video, tap the Share button, tap Options, and then do any of the following:
    • Don’t share keywords: Turn off Keywords.
    • Adjust the file format: Tap Automatic for the best file format for the destination, tap Current to prevent a file format conversion, or tap Most Compatible and files may convert to JPEG or MOV.
    • Send all photo data: Turn on All Photos Data to share the original file with edit history and metadata; the recipient can view and modify the current version (available with AirDrop only).
  3. Tap the Close button.

Save or share a photo or video you receive

Photos shared with you from other apps can be saved.

Depending on the app, tap the Save button next to the image, or touch and hold the photo or video, then tap the Save button.

To view your saved photos and videos, open your photo library, or see our article, Find recently saved photos.

Note: Photos and videos people share with you in the Messages app get saved in your photo library automatically. To turn this feature off, go to the Settings app and tap Apps, then tap Messages. Next, tap Shared with You and turn off Photos.

See also

Tag: Photos
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How to use hearing health features in Health on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

You can take a Hearing Test with your AirPods Pro 2 to provide insight into your hearing. Hearing test results (audiograms) depict the results of a pure-tone audiometry test—they display how loud sounds need to be for you to hear them.

The difference between the decibel level you need and a normal level indicates your level of hearing loss. If there’s no difference, your hearing is normal, and if there’s some or a lot of difference, your hearing is impaired. You can review your results in the Health app and export a PDF of your audiogram.

Note: The Hearing Test is available for ages 18 and older. Not available in all countries or regions.

Take a Hearing Test

  1. Go to the Health app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Browse button and then tap Hearing.
  3. Scroll down to Get More From Health. Tap Take Hearing Test.
  4. Tap Get Started, then follow the onscreen instructions.

The Health app is where you review your Hearing Test results. It can also export a PDF version of your audiogram so you can share it with your hearing healthcare professional.

See also

Tags: AirPods, Health
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How to adjust audio settings on iPad

by Dave Johnson

You can use mono audio, adjust left-right stereo balance, and—with supported headphones—amplify soft sounds and adjust certain frequencies to best suit your hearing needs.

With Mono Audio on, the left and right speakers play the same content. Stereo Audio Balance lets the sound lean toward the left or right. And with Headphone Accommodations on supported Apple and Beats headphones, you can make soft sounds louder and make dialogue in videos sound clearer.

Balance the audio

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Accessibility, then tap Audio & Visual.
  3. Adjust any of the following:
    • Mono Audio: Turn on Mono Audio to make the left and right speakers play the same content.
    • Stereo Audio Balance: Drag the Balance slider left or right.

Adjust certain frequencies and soft sounds

On supported Apple and Beats headphones, Headphone Accommodations lets you tune certain sounds to best suit your hearing. You can boost some frequencies and make soft sounds louder, so phone calls and media come through crisper and clearer.

  1. Make sure you’re in a quiet environment and that you’ve paired your AirPods or paired other supported Bluetooth® headphones.
  2. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  3. Tap Accessibility, then tap Audio & Visual.
  4. Tap Headphone Accommodations and turn on Headphone Accommodations.
  5. Adjust any of the following:
    • Frequencies: Below Audio Tuning, choose an option to boost different frequencies.
    • Soft sounds: Drag the slider to set an amplification level for soft sounds.
  6. Scroll down and then do any of the following:
    • Turn on Phone to apply the settings to phone calls.
    • Turn on Media to apply the settings to media playback like music, movies, and podcasts.
    • Turn on Transparency to apply the settings to transparency mode, if you’re using an AirPods model with Transparency mode.

With some supported headphones, you can use Headphone Accommodations to personalize your audio based on what sounds good to you. You can use an audiogram to help customize your audio, and depending on your country or region, you may see the option to customize your transparency settings. Tap Customize Audio, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Quick tip: For quick access to Headphone Accommodations, tap its button in Control Center. If the button’s missing, add it by tapping the Add button, then tap Add a Control, scroll down to Hearing Accessibility, and tap Headphone Accommodations.

Make dialogue sound clearer in videos

Turning on voice isolation for supported video content makes the dialogue easier to hear. As people speak, their voices are isolated, and all other audio is substantially reduced.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Accessibility, then tap Audio & Visual.
  3. Turn on Add Voice Isolation.
  4. While watching a supported video in the Apple TV app, tap the Audio Track button.
  5. Tap Enhance Dialogue and then tap Enhance or Enhance More.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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