iPad User Guide
- Welcome
- What’s new in iOS 12
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- Wake and unlock
- Learn basic gestures
- Learn gestures for models with Face ID
- Explore the Home screen and apps
- Change the settings
- Take a screenshot
- Adjust the volume
- Change or turn off the sounds
- Search for content
- Use and customize Control Center
- View and organize Today View
- Access features from the Lock screen
- Travel with iPad
- Set screen time, allowances, and limits
- Sync iPad using iTunes
- Charge and monitor the battery
- Learn the meaning of the status icons
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- Accessories included with iPad
- Connect Bluetooth devices
- Stream audio and video to other devices
- Connect to a TV, projector, or monitor
- Control audio on multiple devices
- Apple Pencil
- Use Smart Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio
- Use Magic Keyboard
- AirPrint
- Handoff
- Use Universal Clipboard
- Make and receive Wi-Fi calls
- Instant Hotspot
- Personal Hotspot
- Transfer files with iTunes
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- Get started with accessibility features
- Accessibility shortcuts
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- Turn on and practice VoiceOver
- Change your VoiceOver settings
- Learn VoiceOver gestures
- Operate iPad using VoiceOver gestures
- Control VoiceOver using the rotor
- Use the onscreen keyboard
- Write with your finger
- Control VoiceOver with Magic Keyboard
- Type onscreen braille using VoiceOver
- Use a braille display
- Use VoiceOver in apps
- Speak selection, speak screen, typing feedback
- Zoom
- Magnifier
- Display settings
- Face ID and attention
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- Guided Access
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- Important safety information
- Important handling information
- Zoom an app to fill the screen
- Get information about your iPad
- View or change cellular settings
- Learn more about iPad software and service
- FCC compliance statement
- ISED Canada compliance statement
- Class 1 Laser information
- Apple and the environment
- Disposal and recycling information
- ENERGY STAR compliance statement
- Copyright
Set up iMessage on iPad
In the Messages app 
, you can exchange text messages with other iOS devices and Mac computers using iMessage.
iMessage is an Apple service that sends messages over Wi-Fi or cellular connections to other iOS devices (with iOS 5 or later) and Mac computers (with OS X 10.8 or later). These messages don’t count against your messaging plan. Messages sent via iMessage can include photos, videos, and other info. You can see when other people are typing, and send read receipts to let them know when you’ve read their messages. For security, messages sent via iMessage are encrypted before they’re sent.
iMessage texts appear in blue bubbles. See the Apple Support article Use Messages on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Sign in to iMessage
Go to Settings 
> Messages, then turn on iMessage.
Sign in to iMessage on your Mac and other Apple devices using the same Apple ID
If you sign in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on all your devices, all the messages that you send and receive on iPad also appear on your other Apple devices. Send a message from whichever device is closest to you, or use Handoff to start a conversation on one device and continue it on another.
On each iOS device, go to Settings
> Messages, then turn on iMessage.On your Mac, open Messages, then do one of the following:
If you’re signing in for the first time, enter your Apple ID and password, then click Sign In.
If you signed in before and want to use a different Apple ID, choose Messages > Preferences, click Accounts, then select iMessage in the Accounts list.
With Continuity, you can send and receive SMS/MMS messages on iPad using the cellular connection on your iPhone. See the Apple Support article Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch.
Use Messages in iCloud
Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud, then turn on Messages (if it’s not already turned on).
Every message you send and receive on your iPad is saved in iCloud. And, when you sign in to iCloud on a new device that also has Messages in iCloud turned on, all your conversations show up there automatically. Because your messages and any attachments are stored in iCloud, you may have more free space on your iPad when you need it. Message bubbles, whole conversations, and attachments you delete from iPad are also deleted from your other Apple devices (iOS 11.4 or later and macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 or later) where Messages in iCloud is turned on. See the Apple Support article Keep all your messages in iCloud.
Note: Messages in iCloud uses iCloud storage. See Manage Apple ID and iCloud settings on iPad for information about iCloud storage.