iPad Tips and Tricks You Should Try in 2025
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The iPad continues to evolve, offering an increasingly powerful and seamless experience for work, creativity, and leisure. Whether you’re a seasoned user or new to the Apple ecosystem, here are some of the most valuable iPad tips and tricks for 2025 to help you get the most out of your device.
Customise Your Lock Screen for Maximum Productivity
Link a Focus Mode to Your Lock Screen
Take control of distractions by linking a Focus mode to your Lock Screen. This allows you to filter notifications based on your current task—whether it’s Work, Sleep, or Personal time. To set this up, tap Focus at the bottom of the wallpaper screen and choose the desired mode.
Add Widgets to the Lock Screen
Keep essential information at a glance by placing widgets on the left side of your Lock Screen. Choose from larger widgets to display weather updates, calendar events, battery levels, or even time zones.
Interact with Widgets Directly
With iPadOS 17, widgets are more interactive than ever. Tap on the Reminders widget to check off tasks, use the Play button in Podcasts to start listening, or control smart home devices from the Home widget—all without launching apps.
Boost Your Note-Taking Experience with the Notes App
Highlight Important Information
The new highlight style feature makes it easier to emphasise key points in your notes with vibrant colours.
Use Collapsible Sections
Managing long notes has never been easier. You can now create collapsible sections to simplify navigation and keep your notes structured.
Work Seamlessly with PDFs
Inline PDFs and document scans now appear full-width in Notes, allowing for easier review and interaction. You can flip through pages effortlessly and even annotate directly on the document.
Link Notes Together
Make your Notes app more powerful by creating links between different notes. This feature is perfect for connecting related ideas, research notes, or even recipes. Simply type “>>” to add a link while writing.
Export Notes to Pages
If you need to expand on your ideas, you can easily convert a note into a Pages document by selecting Open in Pages from the Share menu.
Get More from Your Apple Pencil
Quick Screenshot and Markup
Use your Apple Pencil to take a screenshot by swiping up from either bottom corner of your iPad. Then, annotate directly on the image before saving or sharing it.
Squeeze to Run a Shortcut
With Apple Pencil Pro, you can now activate a shortcut just by squeezing it. This allows you to instantly open a new Quick Note, record a Voice Memo, or launch an app in Slide Over.
Automate Your Workflow with Shortcuts
Optimise Stage Manager for Productivity
Set up automation so that Stage Manager activates whenever you connect an external display, helping you stay focused on essential tasks.
Scan Documents Instantly
Just type Scan Document in Spotlight, and your iPad will open the scanner, allowing you to quickly save documents in Files.
Customise Control Centre for Quick Actions
Add a shortcut to Control Centre that enables a specific Focus, launches apps in Split View, or plays your favourite playlist for optimal productivity.
Enhance Writing and Transcription with Apple Intelligence
Polish Your Writing with AI-Powered Tools
Apple’s Writing Tools help proofread, rewrite, and summarise text with ease. Want to change the tone of your message? Select Describe Your Change and enter a command like “Make this sound more professional” or “Turn this into a poem.”
Summarise Audio Transcriptions in Notes
Recording a meeting or lecture? The Notes app now provides AI-generated summaries of transcribed audio, so you can quickly grasp the key points.
Hidden iPad Tricks You May Not Know
Spotlight as a Calculator
No need to download a third-party calculator—just type your math problem into Spotlight, and it will solve it instantly.
Scribble for Hands-Free Text Input
Use Scribble to convert handwritten text into digital text instantly. It works in the search bar, Notes, and even within web pages.
Three-Finger Gestures for Quick Editing
- Pinch with three fingers to copy
- Spread with three fingers to paste
- Swipe left with three fingers to undo
- Swipe right with three fingers to redo
Use Your iPad as a Scanner
In the Files app, tap and hold a blank space in a folder to bring up the Scan Document option—perfect for signing paperwork or saving receipts.
Master iPad’s Multitasking Features
Split View and Slide Over
Work across multiple apps effortlessly:
- Drag an app from the dock to create Split View.
- Drop an app over the centre of two apps to create Slide Over, a floating window that you can tuck away.
Stage Manager for a Desktop Experience
For M1 and newer iPads, Stage Manager lets you resize and organise app windows like a computer. While it may not be for everyone, it’s excellent when used with an external monitor.
Must-Have iPad Productivity Apps
- Notability – Great for handwritten notes and PDFs
- Craft – Beautifully designed for structured note-taking
- PDF Expert by Readdle – Advanced PDF editing and annotation
- Liquid Text – Perfect for research and organising notes
- Zinnia – The ultimate digital journaling app
- Notion – Powerful for task management and collaboration
Final Thoughts
Your iPad is more than just a tablet—it’s a powerful tool for work, creativity, and entertainment. By using these iPad tips and tricks, you can unlock its full potential and streamline your daily workflow. Whether you’re taking notes, automating tasks, or customising your experience, these strategies will help you get the most out of your device in 2025.
Want more? Click here for Apple iPad Air 2024 vs. M4 iPad Pro: Which Should You Buy? – Tech Drive Play
Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.
