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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

How to use Vocal Shortcuts on iPad

by Abigail Shilets

With Vocal Shortcuts, you can teach iPad to perform an action when you speak a word or another sound of your choosing. Vocal Shortcuts can be useful if you have moderate to severe atypical speech but can reliably vocalize certain utterances. Audio is processed on device.

An action can even be a request to Siri. While Vocal Shortcuts is listening, the Microphone In Use icon appears in the status bar.

Set up Vocal Shortcuts

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, and then tap Vocal Shortcuts.
  2. Tap Set Up, then tap Continue.
  3. Choose an action for iPad to perform when you say the shortcut. If you want the action to be a request to Siri, tap Siri Request. Enter the request.
  4. Enter the phrase you’ll say when you want iPad to perform the action and then follow the onscreen instructions to repeat the phrase out loud so that iPad can recognize it.

After you set up Vocal Shortcuts, the Microphone In Use icon is shown in the status bar to indicate that Vocal Shortcuts is using the iPad microphone to listen for shortcuts. When you don’t want Vocal Shortcuts to use the microphone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Vocal Shortcuts, then turn off Vocal Shortcuts.

Add a Vocal Shortcut

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, and then tap Vocal Shortcuts.
  2. Tap Add Action, then tap Continue.
  3. Choose an action for iPad to perform when you say the shortcut. If you want the action to be a request to Siri, tap Siri Request. Enter the request.
  4. Enter the phrase you’ll say when you want iPad to perform the action and then follow the onscreen instructions to repeat the phrase out loud so that iPad can recognize it.

Use a Vocal Shortcut

With Vocal Shortcuts set up, just say the phrase for one of the shortcuts you’ve created.

Delete a Vocal Shortcut

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, and then tap Vocal Shortcuts.
  2. Tap Edit, tap the Remove button next to the shortcut you want to delete, and tap Delete.

Quick tip: If you have an acquired or progressive condition that affects speech, you can have Siri listen for and recognize a wider range of atypical speech patterns. See Change Siri accessibility settings.

See also

Tags: accessibility, Shortcuts
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How to quickly turn accessibility features on or off on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

You can quickly turn many accessibility features on or off by clicking an iPad button. You can also use Control Center, Siri, or Vocal Shortcuts.

With the Accessibility Shortcut, the top button or Home button turns the features you choose on or off, and if you select only one feature, it turns on or off right away. iPad can even recognize a slower triple-click.

Here’s how to quickly turn accessibility features on or off on iPad.

Use the Accessibility Shortcut

Triple-click the top button or Home button to turn the accessibility features of your choice on or off.

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Accessibility Shortcut, and select the features you want.

    If you select only one feature, the feature is immediately turned on or off when you click the button shortcut.

  2. Triple-click one of the following:

    • The Home button (on an iPad with a Home button)
    • The top button (on other iPad models)

    To have iPad recognize a slower triple-click, see Adjust settings for the top or Home button.

  3. Tap the feature you want to turn on or off (if Accessibility Shortcut is set up with more than one feature).

Note: Some features, like Assistive Access or Guided Access, need to be set up before you can add them to the Accessibility Shortcut. The Accessibility Shortcut can enter and exit Assistive Access, but while Assistive Access is active, you can’t use it to turn on other features. And to use the Accessibility Shortcut while Guided Access is on, turn on Accessibility Shortcut in Guided Access settings.

Use Control Center

You can add accessibility features to Control Center for quick access when you swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.

  1. To change the features available in Control Center, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen and tap the Add button in the top-left corner. Tap Add a Control.
  2. Tap a control to add it to Control Center. Scroll down to see more controls, including categories of controls for accessibility, hearing, mobility, and vision.

You can change which features appear when you tap the Hearing button in Control Center. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Control Center, then add or remove features.

Use Siri

Siri: Ask Siri something like, “Turn on Voice Control.” Learn how to use Siri.

Use a Vocal Shortcut

iPad can learn to turn on an accessibility feature whenever you say a word or make another sound of your choosing. Read our guide, Use Vocal Shortcuts.

Use the Shortcuts app

You can create a shortcut to get one or more tasks done with your apps using just a tap or by asking Siri. For example, if you have short-term memory loss, you can use Remember This to log what happens throughout the day. You can also run the In Case of Emergency shortcut to send your location to your chosen emergency contacts, share a message with custom instructions, and display a message of your choice onscreen for first responders to see.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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How to send stickers in Messages on iPad

by Emily Long

Express yourself by adding stickers that match your personality and mood to your text messages.

You can send Live Stickers you or a friend made, Memoji stickers, and stickers from other creators you download from the App Store. You can also place stickers right on a conversation, then move, resize, or delete them. Memoji stickers come in their own sticker pack.

Here’s how to send stickers in Messages on iPad.

Send a sticker in a message

  1. Go to the Messages app on your iPad.
  2. In a conversation, tap the Add button.
  3. Tap Stickers and then tap the icon for any of the following sticker packs:
    • Live Stickers you or a friend made: Tap the Live Stickers button. See Create Live Stickers and Save other people’s Live Stickers, below.
    • Emoji: Tap the Emoji button.
    • Memoji: Tap the Memoji Stickers button, tap a Memoji in the top row to view the stickers in the sticker pack, and choose a pose or expression. See Create and send Memoji.
    • Stickers from other creators: Download a sticker app from the App Store. See Add iMessage apps.
  4. Add a message (optional), then tap the Send button.

From the emoji keyboard, you can also send stickers; read our guide, Make a sticker.

Place stickers on a conversation

You can add stickers on message bubbles in conversations, angle them, or make them different sizes, and place one sticker on top of another.

  1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
  2. In a conversation, tap the Add button.
  3. Tap Stickers. Then tap an icon—such as the Live Stickers button, the Emoji button, or the Memoji Stickers button—in the top row to browse a sticker pack.
  4. Drag a sticker onto a bubble. Do any of the following:

    • Adjust the angle: Rotate a second finger around the finger dragging the sticker.
    • Adjust the size: Move a second finger closer to or away from the finger dragging the sticker.

    Your recipients see the sticker as soon as you place it on a message.

    To find out who sent a sticker in a conversation, touch and hold the sticker, then tap Sticker Details.

Quick tip: To quickly add stickers to messages, touch and hold a message and tap Attach Sticker, and choose a sticker to sit on a corner of that message bubble.

Move, resize, or delete stickers

You can still make changes to a sticker after you place it on top of message bubbles in conversations.

Do any of the following:

  • Move or resize a sticker: Touch and hold the sticker, then make any changes.
  • Delete a sticker: Touch and hold the message bubble, tap Sticker Details, swipe left on the sticker you want to delete (on your iPad only), then tap the Delete button.
  • See any text covered by a sticker: Double-tap the message bubble.

For changing stickers sent in a message bubble, see our article, Unsend and edit messages.

Note: Both you and your recipients must use iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, macOS 14.1, or watchOS 10.2 or later, or visionOS 1 or later, to see these updates to stickers.

Create Live Stickers

To create your own Live Stickers for messages, lift subjects from photos and add effects that help bring the stickers to life.

This feature is available on supported models.

  1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
  2. In a conversation, tap the Add button. Then tap Stickers.
  3. Tap the Live Stickers button and then tap the Add button.
  4. Tap a photo and then tap the Add button.

    Tip: To create a Live Sticker that moves, use a Live Photo. See Make stickers from your photos.

  5. To add an effect, touch and hold the sticker, tap Add Effect and choose an option (such as Comic or Shiny). Tap the Done button.

Save other people’s Live Stickers

If someone sends you a Live Sticker you like, save it to reuse later.

  1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
  2. Open a conversation with a sticker you want to save.
  3. Touch and hold the sticker. Do one of the following:
    • For a sticker sent in a message: Tap Save to Stickers.
    • For a sticker placed on a message bubble: Tap Sticker Details and then tap Save.

Memoji are another option: create and send Memoji that use your voice and mirror your facial expressions.

See also

Tag: Messages
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How to use Mail Privacy Protection on iPad

by Stacey Butler

In the Mail app, Mail Privacy Protection makes it harder for senders to learn about your Mail activity. Mail Privacy Protection hides your IP address so senders can’t link it to your other online activity or determine your exact location. It also prevents senders from seeing if you’ve opened the email message they sent you.

It requires Limit IP Address Tracking. And with iCloud+, Hide My Email can keep your personal email address private, too.

Note: Mail Privacy Protection does not extend to links or email attachments such as PDF or other files.

  1. Open Settings, tap Apps, and then tap Mail.
  2. Tap Privacy Protection, then turn on Protect Mail Activity.

    Important: Mail Privacy Protection requires Limit IP Address Tracking to be enabled. To turn it on, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the Info button next to your network, then enable Limit IP Address Tracking.

When you subscribe to iCloud+, you can also use Hide My Email to generate unique, random email addresses that forward to your personal email account, so you don’t have to share your personal email address when filling out forms on the web or signing up for newsletters. See Use Hide My Email.

See also

Tags: Mail, Privacy & Security
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How to clear your cache and cookies on iPad

by Chris Smith

You can erase your browsing history and data to clear the cache on your iPad. It removes the history of websites you visited and recent searches, along with the cookies and permissions you granted websites to use your location or send you notifications.

You can choose how much of your browsing history to clear. And if you have Safari profiles set up, you can clear the history of just one profile or of all profiles.

Note: Clearing your browsing history in Safari doesn’t clear any browsing histories kept independently by websites you visited, or your browsing history in other apps.

  1. Go to the Safari app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Show Sidebar button, then tap History.

    If you don’t see History, tap the Back button at the top of the sidebar.

  3. Tap the More button and then tap Clear.
  4. Below Clear Timeframe, choose how much of your browsing history to clear.

    Note: If you have Safari profiles set up, select a profile to clear only the history of that profile, or select All Profiles.

  5. Tap Clear History.

See also

Tag: Safari
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How to ask Siri AI about what’s on your iPad screen

by Dave Johnson

With Siri AI (Beta), Siri can use Visual Intelligence to ask questions, take action, and search based on what’s on your screen and what’s in screenshots you take on your iPad. Screen Time also lets you choose which Siri features you can use and what content Siri can access.

Siri AI is available in beta on iPadOS 27 or later on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPad mini (A17 Pro) or iPad model with M1 or later set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not initially be available in the EU on iPadOS. Usage limits may apply.*

Ask Siri questions about what’s on your screen

  1. On your iPad, activate Siri and then ask a question about something on your screen. For example, say something like:
    • “Explain this from my class notes” with a diagram open in the Notes app.
    • Or select two documents in the Files app, touch and hold one of them, choose Ask Siri, then ask Siri something like, “Which quarterly report grew faster?”
  2. Tap the Send button on your keyboard (if necessary).
  3. Swipe down on Siri’s answer to start a conversation with Siri and ask follow-up questions.

Ask questions about and take action on screenshots

  1. On your iPad, quickly press and release the side button and the volume up button at the same time to take a screenshot.

    Tip: If you want Siri to focus on only part of the screenshot, drag the rectangle corners to enclose the area you want to ask Siri about.

  2. Use the Visual Intelligence tools at the bottom of the screen to do any of the following:

    • Ask a specific question about what’s in the screenshot: Tap the Ask button and then ask a question. For example, take a screenshot of a magazine and then say something like “What place is this and how do I get there?”
    • Take action: Tap an action if one appears. For example, take a screenshot of a photo of a recipe. Then tap Look up nutrition when it appears.
    • Search for similar images on the internet: Tap the Search button.

You can use Screen Time settings to choose which Siri features you’re able to use and which content Siri can access. See our article, Block features or content with Screen Time.

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

See also

Tag: Siri AI
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How to use reminders in Calendar on iPad

by Stacey Butler

You can view, create, complete, and edit reminders from the Reminders app right in Calendar.

Your scheduled reminders appear alongside your events, at their time in the full-day schedule, or at the top of the calendar if they’re all day. You can create reminders, complete reminders, hide reminders, and edit or delete reminders. You can also add images, notes, or a priority level to a reminder, and choose a specific reminders list for new ones.

Show reminders

You can show scheduled reminders you added to the Reminders app in Calendar.

  1. Go to the Calendar app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Calendars button at the top left and then select Scheduled Reminders.

The all-day section at the top of the calendar shows reminders scheduled as all day, while a reminder scheduled at a specific time shows up at that time in the full-day schedule.

Create reminders

  1. Start the Calendar app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Add button at the top of the screen.
  3. Tap Reminder, then enter a title.
  4. To choose a date for the reminder, tap Date.
  5. Optionally, turn on Time and choose a specific time for the reminder.

    You can also add other information—like images, notes, or a priority level to a reminder. See Add details.

Note: It’s possible to select a specific reminders list for new scheduled reminders. If you don’t select one, they go into the default list you chose for Reminders. Read our guide, Change your Reminders settings.

Complete reminders

  1. Start the Calendar app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the circle next to a reminder’s name.

    Complete reminders are dimmed. Deselect the circle next to a reminder to mark it as incomplete.

Note: If you set a scheduled reminder to repeat, its future instances are dimmed, and you can’t mark them complete until the most current instance is marked complete.

Hide reminders

  1. Start the Calendar app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the Calendars button at the top left.
  3. Deselect Scheduled Reminders.

Removing reminders from Calendar doesn’t delete the reminders from the Reminders app.

Edit or delete reminders

  1. Start the Calendar app on your iPad.
  2. Tap a reminder and tap Edit to edit the details or Delete Reminder to delete.

    Deleted reminders go to the Recently Deleted list in Reminders for 30 days before being permanently deleted.

See also

Tags: Calendar, Reminders
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How to create reminders on iPad

by Chris Smith

You can add reminders in the Reminders and Calendar apps on your iPad, or create one instantly without leaving the app you’re currently in. With Apple Intelligence, you can create a reminder from a description, or get suggested reminders like shopping lists and action items based on text from other apps.

You might type something like “Feed the cat every evening at 5pm,” and Reminders sets it up for you.

Here’s how to create reminders on iPad.

Siri: Ask Siri something like, “Add artichokes to my groceries list.” Learn how to use Siri.

A new task is being added in the Reminders list.

Every Reminders feature in this guide works when you use updated reminders in iCloud, but some aren’t available with other accounts.

Create a reminder

  1. Go to the Reminders app on your iPad.
  2. Tap the New Reminder button. Enter the title, date, time, and any other information you want for the reminder.

    Tip: With Apple Intelligence, you can also type a description of the reminder—for example “Feed the cat every evening at 5pm”—and Reminders automatically fills in the details and timing based on what you typed.

  3. Tap the Done button.

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

Create a reminder without switching apps

Here’s how to create a reminder over any app or screen:

  • Add the Quick Note button to Control Center, then tap the Quick Note button in Control Center.

Create a reminder in Calendar

For the steps, check out our guide, Use reminders in Calendar on iPad.

Get suggested reminders

If you have Apple Intelligence, you can get reminders suggested from text in other apps. Think action items from an email in Mail, or grocery items from an online recipe in Safari.

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

  1. Open the information you want added to a list, like a recipe in Safari or meeting notes in Notes.
  2. Tap the Share button, then tap Reminders.

    Tip: You can also select specific text or bullets you want Apple Intelligence to review. Select text, tap Share, then tap Reminders.

    Suggested reminders may appear below the text you selected.

  3. To change which list the reminders are added to, tap the pop-up menu at the top of the screen and then choose a list.
  4. Tap the Add button next to a suggestion to add it to your list, or tap Include All to add all suggestions.
  5. Tap the Done button.

    Your reminders are added to the list you chose.

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

See also

Tags: Apple Intelligence, Reminders
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How to change your Reminders settings on iPad

by Tyler Stephen

You can customize your preferences for the Reminders app in Settings. Choose the default list for new items, adjust notifications, and more.

You can add or remove accounts, allow content from Reminders to appear in Search and widgets, and change the sound for reminder alerts. Siri can make suggestions based on how you use Reminders, and you can choose your preferred languages when you’ve added more than one.

Here’s how to change your Reminders settings on iPad.

Customize your Reminders settings

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Apps and tap Reminders.
  3. Adjust any of the following:
    • Accounts: Add or remove accounts in Reminders.
    • Siri: Allow Siri to make suggestions across apps based on the way you use Reminders.
    • Search: Allow suggestions and content from Reminders to appear in Search and widgets.
    • Notifications: Change notification settings.
    • Language: Choose your preferred languages (option only appears when multiple languages are added).
    • Default List: Choose the list for new reminders you create outside of a specific list, such as reminders you create using Siri.
    • Today Notification: Set a time to see notifications for all-day reminders that have been assigned a date without a time.
    • Show as Overdue: The scheduled date turns red for overdue all-day reminders.
    • Time Zone: Set the time zone used to display and create reminders.
    • Include Due Today: The badge count includes overdue items and items due today.
    • Mute Notifications: Turn off notifications for assigned reminders.
    • Show Suggestions: If you type text that matches a previously completed reminder, that reminder appears as a suggestion.
    • Add Language: Set an additional language that Reminders uses to automatically place grocery items into categories.
    • Reset Categories: Clears the categorization that was learned as you manually moved items in grocery or auto-categorized lists. This applies to new items you add on any of your devices, including in lists you’ve shared. Existing items and lists shared with you won’t be affected.

Change the sound for reminder alerts

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Sounds & Haptics, then tap Reminder Alerts.
  3. Choose a sound from the list.

You can also choose None if you don’t want to hear a sound when you receive a reminder alert.

See also

Tag: Reminders
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How to add details in Reminders on iPad

by Abigail Shilets

You can add details to your reminders such as notes, links, due dates, and photos.

Reminders can come on a certain date, at a set time or place, or while you’re texting someone in Messages, and you can set a flag and priority, too. Reminders that have a due date show up in Calendar as an all-day event. You can add a photo or scanned document as well, though some features aren’t available when using other accounts.

Note: All Reminders features in this guide are available with updated reminders in iCloud, but some aren’t available when using other accounts.

The Reminders app showing a list with photos in each reminder.

Add a note, URL, and other details to a reminder

  1. Go to the Reminders app on your iPad.
  2. Tap an item.
  3. Tap Add Note and then add more information.
  4. Tap the Edit Details button to edit the item details. For example, you can set a date and time, set a location-based reminder, flag an important item, or attach a photo.

Set when and where to be reminded

You can get reminded at a specific time or location, on a certain date, or when you’re texting someone in Messages.

  1. Open the Reminders app on your iPad.
  2. Tap an item and then do any of the following:

    • Schedule a date and time: Tap the Date and Time button, then choose an option.

      Tip: Reminders with a due date appear as an all-day event in Calendar. See Use Reminders in Calendar.

    • Mark a reminder as urgent: Tap the Edit Details button. Then turn on Urgent to get an alarm when the reminder is due. If Date and Time aren’t already set, they default to the next hour. You can edit Date and Time to change when the alarm activates.
    • Set a recurring reminder: Tap the Edit Details button, turn on Date or Time, tap Repeat, and choose the frequency.
    • Get an early reminder before the scheduled date and time: Tap the Edit Details button, tap Early Reminder, and choose when you want to be reminded. For example, “5 minutes before,” “2 days before,” or another choice.
    • Add a location: Tap the Location button. Then choose where you want to be reminded—for example, when you arrive home or get into a car with a Bluetooth® connection to your iPad.

      Note: To receive location-based reminders, you must allow Reminders to use your precise location. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Turn on Location Services, tap Reminders, choose While Using the App, then turn on Precise Location.

    • Get a reminder in Messages: Tap the Edit Details button and turn on When Messaging. Then choose someone from your contacts list. The reminder appears the next time you chat with that person in Messages.
  3. Tap the Done button.

Set a flag and priority

  1. Open the Reminders app on your iPad.
  2. Tap an item.
  3. Do any of the following:
    • Flag an important item: Tap the Flag button.
    • Set a priority: Tap the Edit Details button, tap Priority, and then choose Low, Medium, or High.

Add a photo or scan a document

  1. Open the Reminders app on your iPad.
  2. Tap an item and tap the Edit Details button.
  3. Tap Add Image and then do any of the following:
    • Take a new photo.
    • Scan a document.
    • Choose a photo from your photo library.

See also

Tag: Reminders
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