10 Hidden iPad Features You Probably Didn't Know About (But Should)

The best hidden iPad features are the ones that make it work like a laptop: the swipe-down menu bar and free-moving windows from iPadOS 26, folders you can pin to the Dock, the Preview app for PDFs, a keyboard that turns into a trackpad, Quick Note from the corner, Scribble with Apple Pencil, and document scanning straight into Files. Here is how to use all ten.

Each one below was checked against Apple's support pages or Apple's iPadOS 26 announcement. iPadOS 27 arrived in September 2026, and some older iPads did not get it, so check Settings > General > Software Update if a feature does not appear. Features marked iPadOS 26 need that version or newer.

Which iPad features are the most useful once you find them?

Feature	How to open it	Needs
1. Menu bar	Swipe down from the top of the screen	iPadOS 26
2. Free windows and Exposé	Drag window corners, flick to tile	iPadOS 26
3. Folders in the Dock	Drag a folder from Files to the Dock	iPadOS 26
4. Preview app	Preview app on the Home Screen	iPadOS 26
5. Local Capture and per-app mic	Inside video call apps, mic settings	iPadOS 26
6. Keyboard trackpad	Touch and hold the space bar	Any recent iPadOS
7. Floating keyboard	Pinch the keyboard with two fingers	Any recent iPadOS
8. Quick Note	Swipe up from the bottom-right corner	iPadOS 15 or later
9. Scribble	Write in any text field with Apple Pencil	Apple Pencil
10. Scan to Files	Files > More > Scan Documents	Any recent iPadOS

iPadOS 26 features that make the iPad work like a laptop

1. Where is the menu bar on iPad?

iPadOS 26 added a Mac-style menu bar to iPad apps. Swipe down from the top of the screen, or move the trackpad pointer to the top edge, and the app's commands appear. You can search the menu bar too, which helps when you know a feature exists but not where the app keeps it. App developers can add their own menus, so it gets more useful as apps update.

2. How do windows work in iPadOS 26?

Apps no longer have to fill the screen. You can resize windows freely, place them anywhere and open more of them at once. A quick flick tiles a window to the side, and apps reopen at the size and position you left them. When the screen gets crowded, Exposé spreads every open window out so you can pick one. It works alongside Stage Manager and with an external display.

On a 13-inch iPad Pro or iPad Air this makes a real difference. Set the iPad up on a stand at eye level with a keyboard and it starts to replace a small laptop on the desk.

3. Can you put a folder in the iPad Dock?

Yes, from iPadOS 26. Drag any folder from the Files app into the Dock and you can open it from any app. Files also lets you give folders colors, icons or emoji that sync across your devices, and you can set which app opens each file type by default.

4. What is the Preview app on iPad?

Preview came over from the Mac in iPadOS 26. It opens, edits and marks up PDFs and images with Apple Pencil or your finger, and AutoFill helps you complete PDF forms without retyping your name and address on every page. You can also start a blank page for a quick sketch.

5. How do you record a video call in high quality on iPad?

iPadOS 26 added Local Capture, which records high-quality audio and video of yourself from any video conferencing app, with echo cancellation to keep the other participants out of your track. You get the files after the call ends, which is handy for podcasts and interviews. You can also choose a different microphone for each app and each website, and Voice Isolation cuts background noise.

Keyboard and Apple Pencil tricks

6. How do you turn the iPad keyboard into a trackpad?

When the on-screen keyboard is open, touch and hold the space bar. The keyboard becomes a trackpad, so you can slide the text cursor exactly where you want it instead of poking at the screen. Lift your finger to go back to typing. This is the fastest way to fix a typo in the middle of a long email.

7. How do you make the iPad keyboard smaller?

Pinch the on-screen keyboard inward with two fingers and it shrinks into a floating, phone-sized keyboard. Touch and hold the More button on it to move it anywhere on the screen. Spread two fingers on it to go back to full size. The floating version supports QuickPath, so you can type by sliding from letter to letter with one thumb, which is easier when you hold an iPad in one hand.

8. How do you open Quick Note on iPad?

Swipe up diagonally from the bottom-right corner of the screen with a finger or Apple Pencil, and a small Quick Note window opens over whatever you are doing. With a hardware keyboard that has a Globe key, press Globe + Q. You can also add a Quick Note button to Control Center.

9. Can Apple Pencil write in any text box?

Yes, with Scribble. Write in any text field and the iPad converts your handwriting to typed text on the device. Scratch out a word to delete it, circle or underline text to select it, and draw a vertical line between characters to join or split them. Turn it on or off in Settings > Apple Pencil > Scribble.

If you write a lot, carry the Pencil with the iPad. Every Parma case has a dedicated pencil holder, so the Pencil travels in the case instead of rolling around a bag.

Scanning, battery and Mac tricks

10. How do you scan a document straight into Files?

Open the Files app, tap the More button (three dots) and choose Scan Documents. Hold the page in front of the camera and it captures automatically, or tap the shutter. Drag the corners to crop, tap Keep Scan, add more pages, then pick where to save the PDF. The same scanner lives in Notes under the attachment (paperclip) button.

Two more worth knowing

• Universal Control. With a Mac on macOS Monterey 12.4 or later and an iPad on iPadOS 15.4 or later, signed in to the same Apple Account and within 10 meters (30 feet), push the Mac's pointer past the edge of its screen and it moves onto the iPad. You can drag files between the two.
• Low Power Mode. iPad has had it since iPadOS 15. Turn it on in Settings > Battery when you are traveling and the charger is in a checked bag.

Which iPad case works best for these features?

The features above push the iPad toward laptop-style use, so a case that stands the iPad up and holds the Pencil earns its keep. The Parma case for iPad Air 11-inch (M2 and M4) and the Parma case for iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) combine a kickstand, a pencil holder and a detachable wallet in full-grain leather. If you want a simpler leather case for the 2024 iPad Pro, look at the Pissa case for iPad Pro 11-inch. Smaller tablets have their own fit, such as the Parma for iPad mini (A17 Pro).

Not sure which iPad you own? Our guide on how to choose the right leather iPad case shows how to find your model in Settings and match it to a case. You can also browse all leather iPad cases.

FAQ

Which iPads can run iPadOS 26?

Apple lists iPad Pro (M4), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later, including M2 models), iPad (A16), iPad (8th generation and later), and iPad mini (5th generation and later, including A17 Pro). iPadOS 27 drops some of the oldest of these, including the iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad (8th generation) and iPad mini (5th generation).

Why doesn't the menu bar appear in some apps?

The menu bar shows the commands each app provides. Apps that have not been updated for iPadOS 26 may show only basic menus until the developer adds more.

Does a leather case get in the way of Apple Pencil?

Not with a case designed for it. Parma cases hold the Pencil in a dedicated holder, and each case is made for one specific iPad model, so check your model before you order.

If you only try one thing today, swipe down from the top of your most-used app and see what the new menu bar offers. Then make the iPad comfortable to use for longer with a stand-up case from the iPad Pro or iPad Air collections, and if you work at a desk, our leather desk setup guide shows how the rest of the setup comes together.

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