iPadOS 13

42 'iPadOS 13' stories June 2019 - August 2019

See All Stories

Arguably the biggest software surprise of WWDC 2019 was iPad receiving its own platform. Apple announced iPad would be splitting off from iOS and will run on iPadOS going forward. They announced a developer beta for iPadOS 13.

iPadOS 13 Features

Apple announced a number of new features for iPadOS 13. Users can now have multiple windows per open application, in split views. There’s also new link previews when long-pressing. iPadOS 13 supports external disk drives and SD cards natively; just plug in and access from the Files app.

iCloud Drive now supports folder sharing, not just files. The new Files app includes column view which resembles macOS. Directories from attached storage show up in the Files app. For cameras, there’s a way to launch your favorite third-party image editor — like Lightroom — automatically.

Apple is also bringing “desktop-class” browsing to the iPad, with better compatibility for web-apps like Google Docs, Squarespace, and WordPress. In iPadOS 13, Safari is also gaining new keyboard shortcuts and a download manager.

Apple is also adding custom font support to iPadOS. You can download font libraries from the App Store.

Apple Pencil latency is dropping from 20 milliseconds to 9 milliseconds for even more responsive interactions when using a digital stylus. Markup is integrated system-wide, so you can annotate a screenshot or an entire document. A PencilKit API is also available for third-party apps.

There’s a new compact layout keyboard mode for the iPad, which shrinks down the keyboard to only occupy a fraction of the screen space.

Mouse Support on iPadOS 13?

One of the rumored iOS 13 features was support for mouse input as an Accessibility option. While Apple didn’t mention it on stage, iPadOS 13 does indeed support mouse input as an AssistiveTouch option.

Mouse input in iPadOS 13 works much like you would expect it to, especially when you consider that it is an AssistiveTouch feature. The mouse cursor resembles other Assistive Touch input options, simulating a finger over the interface.

Mouse input on the iPad works with USB mice connected to the iPad’s Lightning or USB-C port. This includes Apple’s Magic Trackpad, allowing you to navigate through iPadOS without actually touching the display. It is enabled via the Accessibility menu in the iPadOS Settings app.

iPadOS 13 Release Date

iPadOS 13 is currently in beta, but the final version will be released for users this fall. It will be available for the following iPad models:

12.9-inch iPad Pro
11-inch iPad Pro
10.5-inch iPad Pro
9.7-inch iPad Pro
iPad (6th generation)
iPad (5th generation)
iPad mini (5th generation)
iPad mini 4
iPad Air (3rd generation)
iPad Air 2

Top Stories about iPadOS 13

Hands-on with iOS 13.1 beta 1 changes and features [Video]

Jeff Benjamin Aug 28 2019 - 5:23 am PT

Yesterday Apple released the developer beta for iOS 13.1 and iPadOS 13.1, and with it comes several new notable changes and features. Included in the release is the return of the Automations tab in the Shortcuts app, along with enhanced Share ETA capability in the Maps app. Watch our brief hands-on video walkthrough for a look new iOS 13 changes and features.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Comment: Is the Reminders app ready to be considered a true task manager in iOS 13 and macOS Catalina?

Bradley Chambers Aug 18 2019 - 6:00 am PT

Reminders iOS 13

I made the decision a few weeks ago to install the beta of macOS Catalina. It’s still pretty buggy, but since I enjoy testing out new features (and writing about them), I am willing to deal with the crashes and incompatibility throughout the summer. One of the biggest surprises for me has been the changes in the Reminders app. Over the years, I used several to-do/GTD/project management/task apps. From Kindless GTD, Omnifocus, Things, and Todoist, I’ve used a lot of them. I’ve always looked at the Reminders app with interest, though. It’s hard to beat the advantages of a built in-app. With macOS Catalina and iOS 13, the Reminders app is finally ready to take its place alongside the rest of the task apps on the Apple ecosystem.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Hands-on: iOS 13 beta 5 changes and features [Video]

Jeff Benjamin Jul 30 2019 - 6:34 am PT

Apple released new developer betas for iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 yesterday and included a few notable new enhancements in the release. Watch our hands-on video as we take a look at some of the more noteworthy new iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 beta 5 changes and features.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Comment: iPad icon spacing option in latest beta is a huge missed opportunity

Ben Lovejoy Jul 30 2019 - 5:37 am PT

iPad icon spacing options don't go nearly far enough

Apple yesterday released the fifth developer beta of iPadOS 13, and it included a Home screen improvement: an option for adjusting iPad icon spacing.

In iPadOS 13, you can now adjust Home screen icon density. This means you can pick between a 4×5 grid of apps, or a 6×5 grid of apps.

Any improvement here is welcome, of course, but even a 6×5 icon grid is a tremendous waste of space on a 12.9-inch iPad. Offering an option to change it, but doing so in the most limited way imaginable, is a huge missed opportunity …

Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS 13 beta 4 changes and features — 3D Touch improves [Video]

Jeff Benjamin Jul 22 2019 - 7:10 am PT

iOS 13 beta 4, released last week, brings 3D Touch back to supported iPhones closer to the way it used to be. Now you can perform proper peek and pop gestures, and continue your gesture motion to select menus similarly to how you could prior to iOS 13. To be clear, it’s still not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction.

There are quite a few additional noteworthy changes and features to be found in iOS 13 beta 4 as well. Watch our brief hands-on video walkthrough for the details.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple @ Work: When to deploy macOS Catalina, iOS 13, and iPadOS 13

Bradley Chambers Jul 13 2019 - 6:00 am PT

best tips tricks iPhone

A common discussion this summer in the email lists and LinkedIn groups I am in is about the iOS and macOS betas. People who manage iOS and macOS devices have to be aware of what’s happening with beta developments during the summer as we prepare to verify compatibility with printers, external devices, and applications (local and cloud). While I don’t start with this process with beta 1, I will usually begin my “official” testing around the time of the public betas. I’ve been managing macOS and iOS for almost a decade, so I’ve learned a little bit about the process along the way. When you are deploying macOS and iOS on an enterprise level, here are my tips on when to deploy macOS Catalina and iOS 13 (including iPadOS 13).
Expand
Expanding
Close

Five of the best under-the-radar features in iOS 13 [Video]

Jeff Benjamin Jul 11 2019 - 6:11 am PT

Features like Dark Mode, and improved multitasking made headlines when iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 were revealed back in June, and rightfully so. That said, I find that many of the smaller, under-the-radar features lend a measurable improvement to the user experience as well. Watch as I discuss my five favorite sleeper features in iOS 13 in this latest hands-on video walkthrough.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple tests Face ID and Touch ID sign-in for iCloud․com on iOS 13 and macOS Catalina betas

Chance Miller Jul 7 2019 - 9:21 am PT

For iOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina beta testers, Apple is trying out a new sign-in process for iCloud on the web. When you head to beta.icloud.com on a device running the betas, you can now sign-in to your account using Face ID or Touch ID.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Hands-on: iOS 13 beta 3 changes and features [Video]

Jeff Benjamin Jul 3 2019 - 1:22 pm PT

iOS 13 beta 3 changes and features

Yesterday Apple released its latest developer beta updates for iOS 13 and iPadOS 13. As expected, developer beta 3 brings about a substantial amount of new changes and features. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough as we step through what’s new in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 beta 3.
Expand
Expanding
Close

use mouse with iPad

iPadOS 13: How to use a mouse with your iPad

Michael Potuck Jun 19 2019 - 11:37 am PT

While it’s not enabled by default, Apple has brought the long-awaited mouse support to iPad with iPadOS 13. Follow along on for how to pair and use a mouse with your iPad as well as set up buttons for custom shortcuts.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Hands-on: The best iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 features [Video]

Jeff Benjamin Jun 18 2019 - 7:17 am PT

iOS 13 iPadOS Best Features

After going hands-on with over 250 new changes and features across both iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, I set out to distill the list down to 13 of my favorite new features. What stands out the most amongst so many changes? Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the details and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more iOS 13 coverage.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Hands-on with 50 new iPadOS 13 changes and features [Video]

Jeff Benjamin Jun 13 2019 - 7:42 am PT

iPadOS 13 changes and features

In this iPadOS 13 video walkthrough, we go hands-on with lots of new iPad features. Items covered include new Home screen enhancements, huge multitasking updates, Apple Pencil improvements, and much more. Watch our full video inside for the details, and don’t forget to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more video walkthroughs like this.
Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS 13

iOS 13: How to use the new gestures for cut, copy, paste, and undo on iPhone and iPad

Michael Potuck Jun 12 2019 - 2:12 pm PT

iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 bring new three-finger gestures to make manipulating text easier than ever. Follow along for a look at how to use the new gestures for cut, copy, paste, undo, and redo on iPhone and iPad.

Expand
Expanding
Close

When will Apple release iOS 13 beta 2?

Zac Hall Jun 11 2019 - 9:05 am PT

Apple warned us, thrill seekers, iOS 13 beta 1 is really buggy! But the new Dark Mode is hard to resist, so when should we expect iOS 13 beta 2?

Apple doesn’t pre-announce future beta release dates beyond promising the first iOS 13 public beta version coming sometime in July, but we can take an educated guess.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple says mouse support in iOS/iPadOS has been in the works for years, designed for Accessibility

Chance Miller Jun 4 2019 - 6:08 pm PT

Ahead of WWDC, it was rumored that the iPad would gain support for mouse input as an Accessibility feature. This was confirmed with the release of the first beta of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, and now Steven Aquino has received more detail from Apple on the feature.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Opinion: My take on everything Apple announced at WWDC 2019

Ben Lovejoy Jun 4 2019 - 7:05 am PT

My verdict on everything Apple announced at WWDC 2019

We’ve already rounded up everything Apple announced at WWDC during the keynote presentation – and it was a lot!

I’d normally write one or two comment pieces on the things that most interested me, but there were so many interesting announcements yesterday that a single piece providing my take on all of it seemed the best approach.

Let’s start with what I saw as the headline on the software side …

Expand
Expanding
Close

iPadOS 13

iPadOS 13 includes support for USB mouse input as an AssistiveTouch option

Chance Miller Jun 3 2019 - 2:56 pm PT

One of the rumored iOS 13 features was support for mouse input as an Accessibility option. While Apple didn’t mention it on stage, iPadOS 13 does indeed support mouse input as an AssistiveTouch option.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple releases first developer betas of iOS 13, iPadOS 13, watchOS 6, macOS 10.15, and tvOS 13

Guilherme Rambo Jun 3 2019 - 12:24 pm PT

Apple has just released the first developers betas of iOS 13, iPadOS 13, watchOS 6, macOS 10.15 and tvOS 13. The updates are available through the developer portal, for members of the Apple Developer Program. Currently, the iOS 13 beta must be installed using an IPSW through iTunes, we’ll update the post if a profile is made available.

Expand
Expanding
Close