Table of contents for iPad for Beginners 13th Revised Edition in iPad for Beginners

Camera & Photos Your iPad’s Camera and Photos apps have been intrinsically linked to make capturing and editing images as simple as possible. The Camera app features a dynamic set of shooting modes and live filters (as well as new features such as a shutter delay timer) and the Photos app groups your captured images together into time frames and locations. You can also perform a surprisingly versatile sequence of edits and share them with friends and family. You can jump straight to your iPad’s Photos app from within the Camera app by tapping on the thumbnail of the last image you took and the Camera app itself can be launched via your home screen, Control Centre or by swiping up on the camera icon on the Lock screen to…

On the first page of the iPad screen you will see an application called Settings with an icon that looks like a cog in a machine. And this is an apt metaphor for the application and its role in helping you design your user experience. This controls how your iPad works, allows individual apps to be configured and sets the look and feel of the screens. This is essentially where you can make all the simple touches that will personalise your device and make it truly ‘yours’. With it, you can also enforce security facilities, log on to Wi-Fi networks, save battery power, add signatures to emails, configure the web browser Safari to use specific search engines and much, much more. It is perhaps the most important app on your…

With iOS 5 came iCloud, a service from Apple that is so much more than just a hard drive in the sky and has transformed how our remote devices can be integrated into our lives. Free to all iOS users, iCloud automatically and securely stores your content so that it’s always available on your iPad, iPhone, Mac… whatever Apple device you’re using. Through iCloud you can get full access to your music, apps, photos and documents, and it also wirelessly syncs all your emails, contacts and calendars to keep them up-to-date across all of your devices. When you sign up for iCloud you get 5 GB of free storage, which is more than enough for personal use because all your apps, books and movies that are pushed to all your…

With the iPad, Apple enables users to change the image used as the background for the home screen and lock screen. This may seem like a trivial addition to the software set, but for Apple it’s pretty big. It is a company that deals in absolutes and employs a closed system to prevent people from making the iOS environment look bad. So we’re glad that we get to add a little individuality to distinguish between iPads. We’re also pretty pleased that it’s possible to have two different images set for the lock screen and home screen at the same time. Making changes to the system is very simple; it works in a very similar way to the iPhone, only you can see much more of the action path that you…

Movies look amazing on the iPad screen. Whether you’re lying in bed or sitting on a train with the iPad in your hands, the display shows off movies with vivid clarity. The experience of watching films on your iPad gets even better if the movie has been purchased or rented through the iTunes Store, as the iPad will display detailed information about the film and enable users to skip directly to a particular chapter with just one tap of the finger. For those with an Apple TV it’s also possible to wirelessly stream any movie to the device from your iPad, which will allow you to watch films on a big screen – preferably on a high-definition TV – and control the playback using the iPad’s touch screen display, but…

Browsing webpages through Safari on your iPad is a pleasurable experience, thanks to its intuitive interface and useful features designed to make surfing the internet as effortless as possible. The Safari app has got even better over time with previous updates introducing key elements such as Reading List and Reader that are still going strong in the most recent software updates. The Reader feature enables you to read and enjoy web articles completely free from clutter, such as intrusive ad banners and links. If you have accessed a page that can benefit from the Safari Reader function then a Reader icon will be visible to the left of the address bar. Tap on it and the page will undergo an instant transformation into a cleaner, easier-to-read format. What’s more, you…

Your iPad can be used as a great communication tool, but what happens if you receive important emails while you’re in the middle of doing something else on your device? Not a problem, because by tailoring Notification Centre, you can respond to notifications without ever leaving the app that you’re in or abandoning the task you’re completing. To get started, launch your Settings app from the home screen and tap on the Notifications section in the left-hand column. You will see all of the apps in your Notification Centre (which is normally accessible by swiping down from the top of the screen), so tap on one, such as Messages, and then ensure that the Allow Notifications slider is moved to the On position. You can then select how you wish…

The Notes app on iOS has long been a source of frustration for Apple users. While it is a functional tool that allows you to jot down lists and things to remember, it has traditionally been a basic, bare bones app. The iOS 9 update has brought great changes to Notes, giving users a raft of extra functions, such as the ability to format your notes and write in different colours. You can also add in photos and other handy memory aids, transforming your notes from bland documents to vibrant, interesting lists. Although many people will just want to use it to write down an address or a booking reference number, there are plenty of times where a range of options will prove useful to people using the Notes app.…

Siri is a brilliant invention from Apple and can be used for much more than you might expect. We will highlight some of the more popular and lesser known features, but the best advice is to just speak to Siri and see what answers you get back. Web searches are built in and Siri is also capable of interacting with many default apps, including Maps, Contacts and Calendar. However, it is the way Siri works that is most impressive: you can speak naturally and it will understand you. The more you use it, the more accurately it will recognise your voice and over time you’ll find yourself speaking to it just as you would a friend. Don’t ever feel restricted by what you believe it can or cannot do –…

Using the iPad as a camera is not an obvious function – mainly because of the size of the tablet itself – but if you happen to have it to hand when you want to grab a quick snap, you might as well know how it all works. Despite specifications that are meagre in comparison to standalone cameras and some smartphones, your iPad is still capable of capturing decent quality photos and videos if you take the time to make it work properly. There are multiple options for perfecting stills and video captures that you might be executing, but some other features are more out-of-the-box. For example, there is the choice to capture perfectly proportioned photos using the Square option. The resultant images could be used for scanned documents or…

The iTunes store has recently become so big that it has had to migrate particular wings to their own standalone apps, such as iBooks, iTunesU and Podcasts. Since the iOS 8, these apps have come as standard, so there is no reason not to jump right in to investigate what they can offer you. If you have used the iTunes app before, the Podcasts app will be immediately familiar. Use the icons at the bottom of the screen to check out the Featured and Top Charts sections of the iTunes store and you will be able to start searching for popular podcasts. If you know what you want to subscribe to or wish to find podcasts that specialise in a particular area, tap on the Search option and enter keywords.…

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Twitter is a social phenomenon. Whether you are already a part of the tweeting community or you are new to it, you will be aware of the terms ‘hashtag’ and ‘trending topics’. And if you aren’t, by the end of this tutorial, you will be! In iOS 8 and later, Twitter comes as a part of the package. When you first set up you are given the option to connect your Twitter account or to join the social media service if you haven’t already. Some think of Twitter as 140 characters of mindless chatter, but there is a lot more to it than that. It helps keeps you connected with friends and family, while also allowing you to keep up with what’s going…

Touch is the key word when it comes to editing projects in iMovie on your iPad. You can swipe a clip up to the top of the screen to delete it, pull a bar to lengthen it or hold it to choose more subtle options. Apple has done an exceptional job of ensuring that the system works as naturally as possible. It is likely that every movie project will require some tweaking, so take some time to view what you have put together before converting it to a movie. The conversion process can take a while to complete, so be patient to be sure your project looks right first time. If you want to create professional-looking movies with minimal editing, the app’s trailer function is worth checking out because it…

Pages is not like most word processors – it combines the most used features in an interface that includes very few icons. Getting to know the app is not difficult, although it does help to understand where the main functions reside in order to get you started, and doing so will open up the power within. Despite its rather sparse interface, the Pages app is packed with formatting options and clever little tricks that make previously tiresome manoeuvres a thing of the past. For example, you can move an embedded image around an article and the words will automatically reposition themselves around it. All the included templates are also completely customisable, which enables you to get creating in no time at all. However, not all specific needs are catered for…

AirDrop is designed to let you send and receive files to any compatible phone or tablet that is within close proximity to you. This means that you can share files in a couple of seconds with anyone who is happy to receive it and, of course, it works the other way around too. We will show you how to use AirDrop, the process really is extremely simple, and – more importantly – very reliable. Multiple file types are supported and you can share many files at the same time, and even large files are supported within the technology. The idea is that no real set up is required and that the process feels almost invisible in use. You may not use it often, but when you need it everything will…

iTunes & Music The iTunes store, accessible from its own app on your iPad’s home screen, is a sprawling online shop for music and visual entertainment. You can buy or rent movies or TV shows to view in your Videos app or shop and download tracks or albums to listen to in your Music app. New content is well flagged up and the comprehensive search engine means that you’re never far away from what you want to watch or listen to. Any music you buy will be automatically downloaded to your Music app and here you will be able to create playlists. All of your purchased music is also synced to iCloud Drive. This means that if you put your iPad down and switch to your iPhone, you can open…

For all the iPad’s uses and versatility, it doesn’t really come into its own until you have Wi-Fi access. Sure you can play games, write documents and take photos, but you can’t do the really big stuff if you don’t have wireless internet access. Internet access turns your iPad from an impressive piece of expensive kit into something that opens up worlds. This is in part due to the magnificence that is the App Store, a virtual store that gives you access to literally thousands of different applications, ranging from popular games like Angry Birds and Real Racing to GPS devices, interactive encyclopaedias, word processing apps and much, much more. Your iPad is a portal to a host of fantastic services, but first you need to give it access to…

Your iPad is like a bank vault where all kinds of important stuff is stored. So what happens if it gets lost or goes awry? Nothing, that’s what. Thanks to iCloud, all of your data is automatically backed up and kept safely in your own cloud storage space so it will never be lost. What this means is that when your iPad is connected to a power source and a Wi-Fi network, all of your media, photos, videos, settings, app data and messages are backed up. When you set up a new iOS device or need to restore the information on the one you already have, iCloud Backup does all the heavy lifting. All you have to do is ensure that your device is connected to Wi-Fi, enter your Apple…

Find My iPhone is an app that can be used on any Apple device and, despite the name, it has been tweaked to take full advantage of the bigger iPad screen. With this app you can quickly and accurately find any iPhone or iPad that signs in using the same Apple ID and which is currently connected to the internet. Location Services is used to pinpoint its exact location, at which point you can take different actions remotely. Lost mode will lock the device completely and let you send a personalised message to the device lock screen, you can erase the device with a couple of taps or you can continually play a loud sound. All of this is very useful in deterring theft, but just in case you should…

To put it simply, Spotlight is your handy search tool that is available on your iPad. It has been out there for a while, but the most obvious recent change in Spotlight is the ability to swipe downwards in any home screen to bring up the search facility. Simple swipe down and start typing to immediately see relevant results appear. You get to control what is displayed, and in what order on the list, and you can then jump to see more detail or access the app that the result is in if it is stored locally on your iPad. For instance, if you want to search for a particular artist without scrolling for a while through your list of music, you can tap in their name and it will…

When it comes to the way people use their iPads, one of the most convenient functions to perform on a tablet is managing emails. The large touch screen makes it a beautifully simple way to view your emails, while messages are capable of displaying photos inside the messages themselves. It’s much more engaging. Recent updates didn’t change the formula of Mail too much. The popular app displays your messages in much the same way, but there have been a few subtle but useful changes that will make it much easier to stay in touch in this way. Swiping left on a message now allows you to quickly delete or flag it, while swiping right lets you mark an email as Unread. These gestures are simple, but they’re so intuitive that…

We all like to think that our minds operate like supercomputers. As such, we utter the words, “Don’t worry, I’ll remember…” on an all-too-regular basis, only to forget whatever it was we said we’d never forget. To help, Apple has created its own task management app, and it’s a cracker. Reminders is an app that helps you organise your life by sorting your tasks into To Do lists, complete with due dates, notes and reminders to ensure that you never forget when something important is coming up. Simply jot down tasks, record when you need to do them by, then tic each one off as you complete it. A great touch is that Reminders is location-based, so if you need to pick up something from the supermarket, you can be…

Ever since the iPhone and the iPad first launched, Google had provided the mapping experience on iOS. Then, with the release of iOS 6, Apple struck out on its own and created an app from the ground up. They started completely from scratch when they began designing the app, and along with data from Yelp and TomTom, it has created a beautiful application with some amazing features that will certainly boost your experience. Maps now includes turn-by-turn navigation, effectively transforming your device into a handheld satellite navigation system. With a 3D view and Siri integration on the new iPad, you can simply tell it where you want to go and follow the instructions as they are read out to you. The new app also includes a 3D view of major…

Since the release of iOS 5 back in 2011, you have been able to edit your images in-app. Admittedly, the editing software isn’t going to turn your photos into works of art with just a couple of taps, but it does help enhance both photos taken with your device’s camera and photos already saved onto the device. The editing features available include the ability to rotate images from portrait to landscape orientation. There’s also an Enhance option, which can adjust the colour depth, brightness and contrast, transforming a relatively dull photo into something that is altogether more pleasant to look at. The last few options should prove to be useful as well; the first of these allows you to add stylish filters to your images, the second removes the notorious…

Whereas previously Apple’s Music app was merely a way to enjoy listening to your iTunes music collection on the move, it has now grown into a much bigger beast. The iOS 8.4 update saw the Music app get something of an overhaul. While you can still enjoy your music through your iPad, the focus of the app has now shifted to Apple Music, the new sonic streaming service that lets you discover new music and stream it straight to your device for a monthly subscription. You can enjoy this service for free for a trial period of 30 days to try it out, but make sure to turn off automatic renewal to prevent yourself from being charged for the service after those 30 days are up. You can also use…

One of the reasons for the iPad’s popularity is for its ability to challenge the feats of Amazon’s Kindle – and then some. It’s very easy to get lost in a world of crazy apps, accelerometers and multitouch gestures, but the iPad was initially conceived as a fantastic e-book reader. The iPad obviously has a number of advantages over the Kindle in that it can do a great deal more than a dedicated device, but on a purely e-book-reading scale the iPad is still one of the most advanced out there. What’s more is that Apple already has a tried and tested way to deliver e-books directly to its devices: namely the iTunes Store. Apple hasn’t just bundled the new books into that system, though, because it’s created a separate…

Facebook is everywhere, from online trends laying their roots in the pages of the popular networking site, to news breaking to the masses using the system. And with such a large proportion of the adult population connecting with friends and family in this way, it is likely that you will be missing out on the conversation if you aren’t a part of it too. Posting to Facebook is simple. You can easily share any aspect of your life with all your friends on the news feed or directly on a specific person’s timeline. From pictures of a recent project or holiday to personal thoughts and opinions, it is one of the best ways to keep your friends and family updated on your life. Facebook even has the ability for you…

Spreadsheets are a part of everyone’s lives these days and have taken on multiple roles in business and at home. Most spreadsheet programs tend to focus on the business side because this is where they are mainly used, but spreadsheets have myriad other uses that aren’t often explored. Numbers puts multiple uses front and centre with special templates built in, which brings a new way of working to the mobile user. The process of creating the spreadsheet you want becomes much quicker, which suits the on-the-go nature of devices like the iPad. However, the interface and function locations may feel alien to those who have used Excel for a long time, therefore a short introduction will help you to get to grips with the app quickly. There are a lot…

Apple’s new competitor to the likes of Dropbox and Google Drive lets you sync files across multiple iOS devices and computers. It goes beyond the regular iCloud service since it not only allows you to create and save documents in Pages on your iPad and then open them in Pages on a Mac. For instance, it also allows other apps to easily access those files. Files created by one app are no longer restricted to that app alone. This means you could start creating a drawing in one app, finish it in another and then use it in a presentation. Before, you would have to save it to a Photos album, import it, and save it again as a separate image. Now one file is needed that is automatically updated…

Turn on/off How to power-up your device or shut it down completely using the power button Sleep mode Conserve your iPad’s battery power when the device is not in use Unlock Determine how your iPad is unlocked ready for use Charging All you need to know about powering-up your iPad Change volume Discover how to adjust the sound output of your iPad for all kinds of purposes Rotation lock Learn how to lock your iPhone’s screen orientation to keep it in landscape or portrait mode Brightness Learn how to adjust the brightness of your iPad screen to suit any conditions Apps How to organise your apps neatly on your home screen Mute Learn how to cut all sound on your device instantly Syncing iCloud ensures all of your info and…

With a keen sense of excitement and anticipation, you unpack your brand new iPad from its box and are ready to activate it and start using it to enhance your life. But whereas previously you would have to have had a computer to plug your iPad into to start the setup process, ever since iOS 5 you are no longer required to tether your device to a computer. This means the entire setup can be carried out independently, which makes it a quick and easy process. All you have to do to activate your iPad is connect your new device to a power source and then press the Sleep/Wake button, which is situated on the top of your iPad. This will bring up a generic iPad lock screen with a…

If you’ve ever wanted to hook up a wireless speaker, keyboard or even remote control to your iPad, it’s probably connecting via Bluetooth. Bluetooth is an incredibly universal technology that allows different devices to connect to each other wirelessly. It might’ve started off as a bit of a battery-hog with a low range but, over the years, each Bluetooth standard has brought with it a larger distance over which devices can be connected and far better power efficiency. Managing Bluetooth connections on your iPad is easy as they’re all contained within a single settings menu. What’s more, the process for setting and up and disconnecting Bluetooth devices is exactly the same, no matter what you’re working with. The only difference you might come across is when some devices request a…

These days, people can store a lot of sensitive data on their tablets, whether it’s log-in details for online accounts, private messages, or documents that only you are meant to see. If someone could gain access to your iPad, there may be a lot that you wouldn’t want anyone to see. Of course, this applies on a more basic level, too. You may have friends who think it’s funny to send messages to people from your iPad when you leave it unattended for a few minutes. Thankfully, Apple’s iOS offers a very simple way for you to keep your device secure. By setting a passcode, you can ensure there is at least some of protection for the contents of your iPad. Working just like a PIN, you can set a…

In today’s age of digital information, personal details are often moved around at a moment’s notice. Think about it: your iPad contains a gamut of personal information. What addresses do you have on your tablet? Do you use your iPad for personal banking online? In general terms, you should always be sure to set up the Find My iPad app, which is supplied by Apple for free and knows what to do if your iPad is lost or stolen. But thanks to Apple’s innovative privacy features, there are other ways to monitor and control the security of data contained on your iPad. Apple now allows users to control which apps are able to gain access to specific data on their devices, which adds an extra level of security and peace…

Playing music on your iPad might not be the first use that comes to mind if you own an iPod too, but it’s certainly possible. In fact, your iPad may be the best option for playing music during a party or when entertaining other people, allowing them to make a selection too. The larger display makes it easy to browse the music library, album artwork looks gorgeous when viewed full-screen, and the Library found in the desktop version makes a comeback, giving you quick access to podcasts, audiobooks, Genius mixes and more. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to using the full desktop version of iTunes while on the go. Getting music onto your iPad is a simple process through iTunes. It’s possible to sync tracks, albums or your entire…

Your iPad has always been good at notifying you about updates, messages, events and so on. Introduced as early as iOS 5, this feature includes an enhanced suite to allow you to tailor all aspects of how your device gets messages to you. However, iOS 8 truly embraced the concept of personalised notifications to make sure your iPad can be a fully integrated lifestyle tool that you can depend on. For example, you can opt to receive alerts on messages, notifications, news stories and even the latest scores – all of which can be delivered to the top of your screen without disturbing the task you are in the middle of completing. All you have to do in order to set up your own personalised notifications is go to Settings,…

It has never been easier to stay in touch with your friends and family using your Apple device. Thanks to iMessage, you can send unlimited text messages to everyone you know for free, so long as you have a Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G connection. The app works exactly like the iPhone Messages app, letting you share photos, videos, locations and contacts around your social circles. This is a great feature for keeping everyone in the loop via group messaging. To start, tap the New Message button and enter the Apple IDs of the people you wish to contact. Then simply enter your message into a text field, hitting the camera button to attach media, and tapping Send. The interface of iMessage is fabulously intuitive. Most importantly, the service is absolutely…

You will be hard-pushed to find a better navigational companion than Maps on your iPad. This app has everything you need in order to find your way when setting off on a trip, or explore brand new and exciting places. It’s your ‘go-to’ for discovering how to get there from the comfort of your own home. What’s more, thanks to enhancements made to the app through the iOS 9 update, the new Transit view helps you make use of public transport to see all possible train, bus and metro links to and from your chosen destination. And if such information isn’t currently available in the place you are visiting, the Maps app will suggest a range of third-party apps that you can download to help relay the information that you…

The birth of iTunes signalled a significant change in the way we shop for music and media. Everything can now be bought whenever and wherever we are – and it’s all thanks to iTunes. The iTunes app for your iPad is a friendly and welcoming portal to a thriving online marketplace, where you can shop at your leisure and not be suckered into slinging cheap tat that is on display next to the tills into your basket. You can go in, get what you want and, within minutes, be listening to it through your iPad’s Music app or watching it through the Videos app. All from the comfort of your own home, or even while out on the go. Using iTunes really couldn’t be easier. Everything is well laid out…

The Videos app alone has the potential to keep you occupied on long plane journeys, in hotels or waiting rooms, and adds a function to the iPad that justifies half the cost straight away. It has been designed for ease of use, as most Apple software has, and takes care of many of the niggles found in competing devices. For example, it will automatically play a film from the point you left it, and expanding the screen requires a simple double tap. These small touches may seem small to you now, but once you get going with this facility you will realise their impact on user experience right away. Everything in Videos is designed to help you get the most from the experience, but some tips are still a useful…

With all of the bells and whistles that the iPad has to offer, it can be easy to forget that it’s also a very impressive iPod in its own right. The interface is clean, simple, easy to manipulate and great fun to play around with. The new Apple Music feature also means you can stream whatever music you want on a subscription basis. A great feature of the new Apple Music app is the ease of creating playlists, for parties or fitness regimes, for example. The system that Apple has devised for this is truly very impressive. So impressive and fun that you will want to sift through an entire library and create one playlist after another. Long gone are the days when you had to create playlists in iTunes…

Despite the conjecture, if you’ve actually used the iPad you’ll know full well that it’s much more than just a large iPod touch. The size really does make it feel like you’re holding a full-blown computer in your hands, and no other app exemplifies the difference more than iBooks. When you’re reading a book on the iPad it feels natural, it’s easy to do, and you’ll be certain to do a lot more reading now that it’s so simple to carry your whole library around with you. The beauty of the iPad interface means that making changes to the way iBooks looks is very, very simple. Users can opt to make text bigger, change the font and alter the brightness of the page – without having to leave your place…

iOS 9 saw the introduction of News, the first native Apple app that aggregates news from a range of sources. This new app offers you content from a wide range of newspapers and websites, and it is updated regularly throughout the day to ensure you’re kept up to date with current events as they evolve around the world. You are able to set which news outlets you want to see content from, as well as set subject interest areas such as sport or British politics. Once you’ve selected your interests the app will bring together stories as and when they are published on their original websites, displaying them for you to browse through at leisure. If you haven’t got time to read a story at the time it appears you…