Many regard the iPad as a revolutionary tech marvel, while most consider it an indispensable partner in their digital lives.
Loaded with a nearly unlimited library of possible utilities, the iPad continues to be the king of the digital tablet world.
Its basic functionalities are similar to those of most other popular Apple products, but it includes many more features than you could ever fully explore.
We have compiled a list of some of the iPad’s most interesting aspects, so read along to learn about 10 ways your iPad can supercharge your productivity.
Slide Over and Split View
Every iPad user knows that they can run multiple apps on their device, but many have no idea that they can run them side by side.
Swiping in from the right allows you to access another app without removing the first one from your screen.
An even more sophisticated version of this feature is the Split View, which allows two apps to run simultaneously while sharing the iPad’s screen.
Follow these steps to activate the Split View feature:
- While using an app, tap the three dots at the top.
- Select the Split View icon (it looks like a rectangle split in two).
- Select the side of the screen where the current app will appear (the grey side represents the current app, while the white represents the newly added app to the screen).
- Once the app moves to your chosen side, find the second app and tap it to have it appear on the alternate side of the screen.
Also: Your iPhone has a secret feature that lets you charge your Apple Watch without using a power outlet
Offline Reading
These days, being in a place with a weak or unstable mobile or WiFi signal is pure frustration, especially when trying to read an article you are interested in.
Luckily, the iPad’s browser, Safari, offers the ability to save pages for offline reading.
Once you find an interesting article, simply tap the share button and choose “Add to Reading List.” The page will be saved in your browser for later reading.
This means you can access it later, regardless of your current signal strength or internet reliability.
Virtual Touchpad
Editors, writers, and anyone looking for placement precision would love the small but helpful virtual touchpad feature.
Instead of using the iPad’s screen keyboard, you can transform it into a virtual touchpad by holding down the backspace key with one finger.
You can use this feature to precisely navigate to the exact point in the text you wish to land on or edit.
The Markup Feature
Your iPad isn’t just for passive content consumption; it’s a creative powerhouse.
The Photos app has a great feature for both creatives and visual collaborators. You can select a photo, tap the “Edit” button, click on the three dots, and choose “Markup.”
This permits the editing of and doodling on any picture stored on the iPad and saving it once finished.
Also: This new files feature coming to iOS 18 will finally fix one of iCloud’s most frustrating issues
Word Tracking
While typing on the iPad keyboard is simple, sliding your finger from one letter to the next and having it write the text accurately is that much better.
Simply holding down the iPad’s spacebar activates the touchpad feature. You can then quickly drag your finger from one letter to the next as your iPad figures out the word you intend to write.
Notes On Lock Screen
Need to jot down a quick note but don’t want to unlock the iPad to do it?
Swipe up on the lock screen with your finger or Apple Pencil and notice that the Notes app opens directly, ready for whatever text you have to provide.
It’s the digital equivalent of grabbing a sticky note without fumbling for your keys.
Hands-Free Siri
Apple’s Siri virtual assistant is one of the most helpful and dependable tools for your iPad, though you may not like that it requires manual activation.
Rather than holding down the home button to converse with Siri, you can set it up to respond automatically, even if your iPad is across the room.
Follow these steps to set up this hands-free Siri feature:
- Go to your iPad’s Settings.
- Select the Siri & Search section.
- Tap Listen.
- Try it out by saying “Siri” or “Hey Siri” and include your query.
Use Notes to Scan Documents
You no longer need to have a scanner to digitize copies of your physical documents or pictures.
You can simply scan them in with the iPad’s Notes app by entering it, choosing to create a new note, tapping the camera icon, and selecting “Scan Documents.”
Your iPad’s camera becomes a document scanner. It automatically detects edges and enhances readability. The scanned image can then be stored right on the iPad.
Also: How to use the built-in scanner on your iPhone to digitize paperwork and reduce clutter
Recording Screen With Audio
While you might be aware of the screen recording feature, not everyone knows you can capture internal audio as well as part of it.
Press and hold the screen recording button in the iPad’s Control Center, prompting a menu.
From here, enable the microphone icon to record both your screen and the audio from your iPad. This feature is priceless if you want to capture sounds from an app or create a user tutorial.
Share Wi-Fi Passwords
When friends or family are over, they will inevitably ask to connect to your WiFi. iPad makes sharing Wi-Fi passwords hassle-free as long as the iPad is running anything at or later than iOS 11.
All you need to do is hold your iPad close to the person you are sharing with. A prompt will appear on their device, allowing them to join the Wi-Fi network without manually entering the password.
This way, you don’t reveal a WiFi password or spend a lot of time typing a long one into yet another device.
Wrap Up
The iPad designers certainly aimed to make the novel Apple product as useful as possible, and yet one can argue that they went way over the usefulness line.
The iPad is loaded with great features, but many of them, despite being very practical, aren’t very well known.
We hope this post helped you unlock 10 powerful iPad features that can take your user experience to the next level.
