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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

iPad speech accessibility features: Live Speech, Personal Voice, and more

by Stacey Butler

iPad comes with built-in tools for communicating in the way that works best for you, whether you’re nonspeaking, at risk of speech loss, or someone with a speech disability.

You can have what you type spoken out loud, create a synthesized voice that sounds like you, and control iPad with your voice. Siri can also wait longer while you finish speaking, and Dictation lets you enter text with just your voice.

To explore accessibility features for speech, go to Settings > Accessibility, then scroll down to the Speech section.

Type to speak

Control iPad with your voice

  • Use voice commands

    Speak commands to navigate and interact with what’s on the screen, dictate and edit text, and more.

    Use Voice Control to interact with iPad

  • Use simple sounds

    You can use voiced or voiceless sounds—like an S-sound or a mouth pop—to navigate and interact with what’s on the screen.

    Use sound actions with Switch Control

  • Vocal Shortcuts

    Have iPad perform an action when you speak a word or another sound of your choosing.

    Use Vocal Shortcuts

  • Have Siri listen for atypical speech

    If you have an acquired or progressive condition that affects speech, have Siri recognize a wider range of atypical speech patterns.

    Change Siri accessibility settings

You can also have Siri wait longer for you to finish speaking, or use Dictation to enter text using just your voice.

Quick tip: For quick control of your go-to accessibility features and settings, use the click of a button or Control Center. Check out our guide, Quickly open features with Accessibility Shortcut.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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How to record your Personal Voice on iPad

by Abigail Shilets

If you’re at risk of speech loss or someone with a speech disability, you can use Personal Voice on iPad to create a synthesized voice that sounds like you. You can use it with Live Speech and have what you type spoken out loud in person, in Phone and FaceTime calls, and in assistive communication apps.

Your Personal Voice is saved securely on your iPad, and it can be shared across your devices with iCloud. Apps can even request to use it, too.

Note: Personal Voice is available in English (U.S.), Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), and Spanish (Mexico) and is available on iPad mini (A17 Pro) and iPad models with M1 and later.

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Accessibility and then tap Personal Voice.
  3. Tap Create a Personal Voice and then follow the onscreen instructions.

    (If you need to pause your recording session, tap Done. To resume, tap Continue Recording.)

    To allow your Personal Voice to be used on all of your devices with iCloud, turn on Share Across Devices. To allow apps to request to use your Personal Voice, turn on Allow Apps to Request to Use.

Note: To see the option to create your Personal Voice, you must first set a passcode. Personal Voice is available on supported iPad models and isn’t available in all languages.

Your Personal Voice is saved securely on your iPad for you to use during Phone and FaceTime calls, in-person conversations, and third-party alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) apps, according to Apple.

Important: Personal Voice can be used only with Live Speech and with third-party apps that you allow, such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps. You can use Personal Voice only to create a voice that sounds like you on device, using your own voice, and for your own personal, noncommercial use. Your Legacy Contact won’t be able to access your Personal Voice.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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How to share passwords and passkeys securely with AirDrop on iPad

by Emily Long

AirDrop lets you securely share passwords and passkeys for website and app accounts with someone using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Compared to sharing other types of information, though, AirDrop has more stringent requirements for passwords and passkeys. iCloud Keychain must be set up, and you each need to be in the other’s contacts.

Note: Want to show someone a Wi-Fi network password you saved? See our article, Find a Wi-Fi password.

Check the AirDrop requirements

Sharing passwords and passkeys with AirDrop comes with more stringent requirements than sharing other types of information.

  • iCloud Keychain must be set up on your iPad.
  • The person you’re sharing with must be in your contacts list in the Contacts app, and they must be listed with the email address they use for iCloud.
  • You must be in the other person’s contacts list in the Contacts app, and you must be listed with the email address you use for iCloud.

Send a password or passkey

Someone on iPad or iPhone needs to open Control Center and allow AirDrop to receive items before you can share with them. On a Mac, they need to allow themselves to be discovered in AirDrop in the Finder.

  1. Go to the Passwords app on your iPad.
  2. Tap All. Tap the account you want to share.
  3. Tap the Share button, then tap Share with AirDrop.
  4. Tap the device or picture of the person you want to send the password or passkey to.

Receive a password or passkey

  1. If you haven’t already done so, allow AirDrop to receive items.
  2. When you receive a request to accept a password or passkey from someone else, tap Accept.

Your iPad saves the password or passkey, so you can view its information and let iPad automatically fill it in on the account’s sign-in screen. It’s saved to your iCloud Keychain too, so it works on other devices signed in to your Apple Account.

See also

Tags: iCloud, Passwords
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How to view your passwords and related information on iPad

by Dave Johnson

You can view and copy passwords, add notes like security question reminders, and more with the encrypted account information stored on iPad. iCloud Keychain securely keeps this information up to date across all your approved devices.

Notes can hold things like recovery key information, security questions, or PIN numbers, and you can go to the website for an account. You can also remove an account from your iPad and iCloud Keychain, though that doesn’t remove it from the website or app.

View and copy a password for a website or app account

  1. For an account that uses a password, do one of the following:
    • Ask Siri something like, “Show me my passwords.” Learn how to use Siri.
    • Go to the Passwords app on your iPad.
    • On a sign-in screen, tap the Password AutoFill button.
  2. Tap an account, then tap the Password field.
  3. To copy the password to use elsewhere, tap Copy Password.

Add notes for an account with a password or passkey

You’re able to securely keep notes about PIN numbers, security questions, recovery key information, and similar details.

  1. Open the Passwords app on your iPad.
  2. Tap All, then tap an account.
  3. Tap Edit, tap Notes, enter your text, and then tap the Save button.

To update the notes, tap Edit, then tap the Notes field.

Go to the website for an account

  1. Open the Passwords app on your iPad.
  2. Tap All, then tap an account.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Tap the Safari button.
    • Tap the website URL, tap Copy Website, then paste the URL into the address field of your browser.

Remove an account from your iPad and iCloud Keychain

  1. Open the Passwords app on your iPad.
  2. Swipe left on the account, then tap Delete.

    For example, you might want to remove the account for a website or app that’s no longer available.

Note: The account isn’t removed from the website or app where you created it.

See also

Tag: Passwords
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How to find and share your Wi-Fi password on iPad

by Moses Johnson

You can find the password of the Wi-Fi network you’re currently using and see all the Wi-Fi networks and passwords you’ve previously saved. You can share the password of the Wi-Fi network you’re currently using with a nearby friend or family member.

You can also copy the password to use elsewhere. To share it, though, both devices must be within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range.

Here’s how to find and share your Wi-Fi password on iPad.

Find a Wi-Fi password

  1. Go to the Passwords app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Wi-Fi.

    If you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, its name appears at the top of the screen. You can also see all the Wi-Fi networks you’ve previously saved.

    If you don’t see Wi-Fi, tap the Sidebar button at the top of the screen.

  3. Tap a Wi-Fi network.
  4. Tap the Password field.

    To copy the password to use elsewhere, tap Copy Password.

Share your Wi-Fi network password with a nearby friend or family member

  1. Make sure your iPad (the one sharing the password) is unlocked and connected to the Wi-Fi network.
  2. Have your friend or family member go to Wi-Fi settings on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Choose the network.
  3. When a message asks if you want to share your Wi-Fi password, tap Share Password.

Note: Before you can share your Wi-Fi network password, the devices must be in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range, not using Personal Hotspot, and in each other’s contacts.

You can also go to the Wi-Fi network and tap Show Network QR Code, which friends and family can scan to join the network.

See also

Tags: Passwords, Wi-Fi
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How to use keyboard shortcuts in Mail on iPad

by Chris Smith

With the Mail app, you can quickly accomplish many tasks using keyboard shortcuts if your iPad is connected to an Apple external keyboard. The shortcuts you get can vary depending on the language and keyboard you’re using, and they can help you send email and save a draft in Mail.

To view available keyboard shortcuts, connect your keyboard, then press and hold the Command key.

Note: Depending on the language and keyboard you’re using on your iPad, keyboard shortcuts in apps may differ.

See also

Tags: Keyboard, Mail
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How to change the layout of windows on iPad

by Moses Johnson

While you’re working in multiple apps, you can arrange the windows to make them easier to see and work in. You can also tile two apps side by side. And you can designate one window as a Slide Over window, and it’ll stay open on top of your other windows, even full-screen ones.

An iPad screen showing work in progress across two Notes windows and one Mail window.

Arrange windows with gestures

While working with windowed apps, you can drag and drop apps from the Dock, Home Screen, App Library, or Spotlight to easily arrange them among your windowed apps.

You can do any of the following with apps in windows:

  • Open an app in a window: While working with other apps in windows, drag the app icon to the center of the screen. If it was previously full screen, it opens as a windowed app, and if it was previously resized, it opens in its previous size.
  • Split the screen between two apps: Drag an app icon to the right or left on top of a full-screen app to quickly tile the two apps side-by-side.
  • Replace a window on the left or right edge with another app: Drag an app icon from the Dock or Home Screen on top of a window that’s touching the right or left edge of the screen. The new app opens in that window, replacing its previous contents.
  • Tile two windows side-by-side: When you already have two apps in windows and want to tile them side by side, drag one of the app windows from the top, hold it briefly, then swipe it quickly to one side of the screen. Drag the other window from the top, hold it briefly, then swipe it to the other side of the screen.
  • Adjust the size of tiled windows: Drag the divider between two side-by-side windows to adjust their size at the same time.
  • Make side-by-side windows full screen: When you have two app windows tiled side-by-side, drag the divider all the way to one edge to make one of the windows full screen, or drag the divider to the other edge to make the other window full screen.

Arrange windows with tiling

  1. Tap one of the windows to bring it to the front.
  2. Touch and hold the Window Controls button in the top-left corner to see a menu of layout options.
  3. Choose one of the preset window layouts.

    An iPad screen with four apps open and a selected window layout that arranges them in quarters.

    The windows arrange themselves according to the layout you selected.

    Note: To see more layout options for the active app, tap Window in the menu bar, then tap Move & Resize.

Add a Slide Over window

While you work in Windowed Apps or Stage Manager, you can designate one window as a Slide Over window to stay open on top of your other windows or full-screen apps. This window stays on the right or left side of the screen. You can drag this window off screen, and bring it back out when you need it.

While you work this way, you can do any of the following:

  • Move a window into Slide Over: Touch and hold the Window Controls button, then tap Enter Slide Over. Or, while working in apps, drag an app icon from the Dock, Home Screen, App Library, or Spotlight to the left or right edge on top of the arrow.

    Three app windows open on the screen, one of which is a Slide Over window, as indicated by the Liquid Glass border.

  • Switch Slide Over windows: To switch which window is in Slide Over, touch and hold the Window Controls button of a different window and tap Enter Slide Over. This window enters Slide Over and the previous one leaves Slide Over. You can also drag the app you want from the Dock, Home Screen, App Library, or Spotlight over the existing Slide Over window to switch them.
  • Hide the Slide Over window off screen temporarily: Drag the top of the window past the left or right edge of the screen. An arrow appears at the edge where the window disappeared.
  • Bring the Slide Over window back: Tap the Arrow button or swipe from the edge of the screen where you moved the Slide Over window to bring it back into view.
  • Reposition the Slide Over window: Drag the top of your Slide Over window to move it. The window snaps to the left or right side of the screen.
  • Resize the Slide Over window: Drag a bottom corner of the Slide Over window to resize it.
  • Exit Slide Over: Touch and hold the Window Controls button, then tap Exit Slide Over. Or move the window to the middle of the screen and pause. The window leaves Slide Over and the border around it disappears. It no longer always stays on top of the other windows.
  • Change the Slide Over window: You can replace the contents of a Slide Over window with another app by dragging the app icon (from the Dock or Home Screen) on top of the Slide Over arrow (or the Slide Over window).

Open an item in the center of the screen

Many iPad apps, including Mail, Messages, and Notes, let you open an item in a window of its own in the center of the screen.

  1. For example, do any of the following:

    • Touch and hold a message in a mailbox in Mail.
    • Touch and hold a conversation in Messages.
    • Touch and hold a note in Notes.
  2. Tap Open in New Window.

    The item opens in the center of the screen, on top of what you’re viewing, without changing your view.

You can change a center window to full screen: Tap the Window Controls button, then tap the Full Screen button.

See also

Tag: Multitasking
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How to save a draft in Mail on iPad

by Moses Johnson

You can save a draft to finish later, or look at existing email messages while you’re writing a new one. You can view multiple Mail windows at the same time, and even hand off unfinished emails between your iPad and your Mac. With multiple accounts, All Drafts gathers every draft.

Save a draft for later

  1. Go to the Mail app on your iPad.
  2. In a message you’re writing, tap the Close button. Then tap Save Draft.

    To resume work on a message you saved as a draft, touch and hold the Compose button, then select a draft.

Quick tip: Between your iPad and your Mac, you can also hand off unfinished emails. See our article, Hand off tasks between iPad and your other devices.

Look at another message while you’re writing one

It’s possible to view multiple Mail windows at the same time. Read our guide, Open and view windows in an app.

View all your current message drafts

With multiple email accounts, the All Drafts mailbox gives you access to all of your message drafts.

  1. Start the Mail app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Show Sidebar button in the upper-left corner.
  3. Tap Edit at the top of the list and then turn on the All Drafts mailbox.

See also

Tag: Mail
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How to open multiple windows of an app on iPad

by Moses Johnson

You can open a new window in any app that supports multiple windows, like Mail, Notes, Safari, and Files. You can even open a window for just one item, like a note or a Mail message, and view all the open windows of a particular app with App Exposé.

Open a new window in an app

  1. Touch and hold the app icon for an app that supports multiple windows (for example, Mail, Notes, Safari, Files, and others) until a menu appears.
  2. Choose New Window from the menu.

    An iPad Home Screen with the Freeform app menu open, showing a list of actions you can choose—including open a new window in the app, create a new board, show all the open app windows, and others.

Note: There’s another way to open a new window in an app: Drag the app icon from the Dock onto another window from the same app. Or drag content out of the app window or to the edges of iPad (a Note or a Mail message, for example), and a window opens for just that content.

View an app’s open windows

If you have multiple windows open in an app, App Exposé can show you all of them at once.

  1. Do any of the following:

    • Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to reveal the Dock.
    • Go to the Home Screen.
  2. On the Home Screen or in the Dock, touch and hold the app with the windows you want to view and tap Show All Windows or tap a specific window that’s listed under Open Windows.

    Note: If you touch and hold an app on the Home Screen for too long, all the apps begin to jiggle. Tap Done at the top right, then try again.

    An iPad screen with open windows for the Mail app and showing the app menu for the app in one of the windows.

    Tip: Here’s another way to view an app’s open windows: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen, pause in the middle to open Exposé, then tap one of the app icons to open App Exposé for that app.

For more ways to move between apps, see our guide, Switch between apps on iPad.

View hidden windows for an app

When you switch to an app with hidden windows—that are either minimized, full-screen, or behind another app—a pill-shaped button appears that you can tap to view all the open windows of the app.

An iPad screen with two apps open and the pill-shaped Show All Windows button, which, when tapped, shows all the open windows in the target app.

See also

Tag: Multitasking
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How to organize windows with Stage Manager on iPad

by Chris Smith

You can use Stage Manager to multitask and get things done with ease. You can group apps for specific tasks or projects, and also arrange windows, resize them, and overlap them.

When you turn it on, the apps you’re working in move to the front, and all your other open apps form a list of recent apps on the left. When you switch apps, whatever you’ve been working in moves to the recent apps list.

Turn Stage Manager on or off

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Multitasking & Gestures and select Stage Manager.

    The iPad Settings app, showing the Multitasking & Gestures options you can choose for working in multiple apps.

Turning on Stage Manager moves the apps you’re working in to the front, while all other open apps line up along the left side of the screen as a list of recent apps.

An iPad display with Stage Manager turned on. The current window is in the front, and other recent apps are in a list on the left side of the screen.

Switch between apps in Stage Manager

With Stage Manager, you can switch apps by tapping another app in the recent apps list, or tapping an icon in the Dock.

Switching to another app sends the app or group you’ve been working in to the recent apps list on the left, and the one you tapped takes its place.

Doing any of the following also switches apps:

  • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen, then pause in the center of the screen to see the recent apps and groups.
  • Swipe left or right with one finger along the bottom edge of the screen. (On an iPad with a Home button, perform this gesture with a slight arc.)
  • Swipe left or right with four or five fingers.

For more, see our article, Switch between apps on iPad.

Organize apps into groups in Stage Manager

You can create groups of windows for specific tasks or projects by dragging app windows from the recent apps list into the center of the screen. You can also drag app icons from the Dock into the center of the screen to add them to a group.

You can return a window to the recent apps list by dragging it to the left. If you minimize a window in an app group, the app window is removed from the group and returned to the recent apps list.

Show or hide the recent apps list

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Multitasking & Gestures. Select or deselect the checkbox for Stage Manager.

Quick tip: Moving a window too close to the list of recent apps can hide the list, but swiping from the left edge of the screen makes it reappear.

See also

Tag: Multitasking
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