I’m giving a presentation tomorrow on iPad Tips and Tricks. While most of the presentation is about cool apps, we will also be showing off how to use the iPad itself. Here are my 5 favorite iPad shortcuts.
1. If your iPad isn’t working right, or it’s slow, a reboot may be needed. It is a computer after all, and isn’t that the first thing you try when your computer is acting strange? To reboot, hold the top button until you see the red slide button on the screen. Slide it to turn it off. Then press the top button again to turn it back on.
2. Switch among apps fast. Did you know you don’t need to go back to the home screen in between opening apps? If you want to switch from one app to another really fast, double-tap the home button. All the most recent apps you’ve been using appear along the bottom. Tap the one you want to switch into.
3. Quit an app. If you have too many apps running your iPad can slow down. Or sometimes an app malfunctions, or is slow. To quit out of an app, first press the home screen to get out of that app. Then double-tap the home button to see your most recent apps along the bottom. Tap and hold the one you want to delete. It will start wiggling and have a minus sign at top left. Click on the minus sign to quit out of that app.
4. Quickly change volume and brightness on the iPad. From any screen, you can change volume and brightness, and get to iTunes controls. Double-tap the home button. You’ll see your recent apps appear along the bottom of the screen. Swipe everything to the right, and voila! You get to volume and brightness and track controls.
5. Group apps into folders. If you start running out of room on your device because you have so many apps, you may want to put them into folders. Tap and hold the app until it starts to wiggle. Then drag that app directly on top of another app. A rounded box comes up; drop the app. You’ve made a folder, and the iPad will ask you what you want to name that folder.
Bonus: Conserve battery life. Your iPad can be a battery hog sometimes. If you really want to maximize battery life, you can turn down the brightness, turn off the wifi, and/or go into Airplane mode.
Photo by Sean MacEntee, from Flickr Creative Commons.