Having an iPad doesn’t mean you’re forced to use it as a tablet. After all, you can connect a keyboard cover and type away like any other 2-in-1. Even the Apple Pencil makes it feel less like a tablet and more like a computing device that’s thinner than Apple’s MacBook Air. Connect a Bluetooth mouse, and you’ll never need a silly clamshell laptop again.
Apple added mouse and trackpad support in March 2020 with the release of iPadOS 13.4. We show you how to connect a Bluetooth mouse to your iPad, how to change the pointer, and list the most commonly used gestures. We even cover Bluetooth trackpads if you’d rather navigate iOS with a finger. However, be sure your iPad is on 13.4 or newer before pressing on!
To pair a Bluetooth mouse or trackpad, use the same steps as pairing any other Bluetooth device. Remember that your device’s Bluetooth component must be turned on to function. In this example, we used an old Microsoft Sculpt Touch Mouse. Here’s how to pair your device:
Step 2: Tap Bluetooth listed on the left.
Step 3: Tap the toggle to turn Bluetooth on (green) if it’s off.
Step 4: Place your mouse or trackpad into pairing mode. This is typically done by holding down a dedicated button underneath until an LED flashes. However, check the peripheral’s manual for exact instructions.
Step 5: The device should appear under Other Devices. Tap the mouse to begin pairing.
Step 6: Tap Pair on the pop-up prompt.
The peripheral is ready to use once it moves up to My Devices and says Connected. It will automatically pair in the future when both devices are on and nearby. Be sure to leave Bluetooth on, however, or you will need to switch it on manually every time you wish to connect.
Later on, if you find using a mouse is just too annoying, follow these steps to forget the device:
Step 2: Tap Bluetooth listed on the left.
Step 3: Tap the blue “i-circle” icon next to the listed mouse.
Step 4: Tap Forget This Device.
Before using a mouse for the first time, you may wish to adjust the settings. Here’s how:
Step 2: Tap General listed on the left.
Step 3: Tap Trackpad & Mouse listed on the right.
Step 4: Adjust the mouse speed, assign the Secondary Click, and toggle on/off Natural Scrolling.
Similar to using a mouse on any other device, you can use the onscreen circular cursor to move around the display and use a standard left-click to make selections. You will notice that the cursor automatically snaps to individual buttons to make them easier to click, or that the cursor will change when hovering over text.
You can’t change the shape, but there are options for changing the color and size. Here’s how:
Step 2: Tap Accessibility listed on the left.
Step 3: Tap Pointer Control listed on the right.
Step 4: Change the color, size, and scrolling speed as needed. Other options include automatically hiding the pointer and toggling off animations.
Below is a list of mouse movements and tricks for navigating an iPad using any third-party mouse, or Apple’s Magic Mouse.
Before using a trackpad, you may wish to adjust the settings. Here’s how:
Step 2: Tap General listed on the left.
Step 3: Tap Trackpad & Mouse listed on the right.
Step 4: Adjust the tracking speed, the scrolling direction, and set the secondary click. With some models, you will also see toggles for Tap to Click and Two Finger Secondary Click (for context menus).
Think of the trackpad just like an external mouse: With a click on the left side, you can control the on-screen cursor to adjust the display or select various features. The cursor makes it easier to click individual buttons by automatically snapping to them, and the cursor changes itself when hovering over text content.
As far as cursor support goes, iPadOS has a ton of wonderful trackpad gestures. We highly recommend linking the gestures with Magic Trackpad or Magic Trackpad 2, which will help you maintain better control.
Apple Magic Trackpad 2 will allow you to employ more control and better features of movement. You’ll be able to scroll, zoom, and toggle through windows more efficiently. However, you have to make sure you have the latest version of the Apple Trackpad for each of these gestures to work seamlessly on your iPad.
Affinity’s new all-in-one creative app is finally coming to the iPad, nearly a year after Canva launched the redesigned desktop version for Mac and Windows. Creatives have been asking for the iPad release ever since, especially because files created in the new Affinity app cannot be opened in the older V2 iPad apps.
Affinity already has Photo, Designer, and Publisher apps on iPad, but the new release combines those tools into the same unified app that Canva launched on desktop last year.
Touchscreen laptops have been around for years. You can get them in all sizes and shapes. Just not from Apple. For years, the Cupertino giant has treated the idea of a touchscreen MacBook the way I treat a meeting that could have been an email: with open contempt. However, Wednesday looks like the day the company could finally change its mind.
The latest Apple invite puts the “Pro and Tell” showcase in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) on October 28, 2026. Instead of a regular live-streamed keynote, it is an invitation-only, hands-on event for a handful of press and creators (similar to what the company did for the MacBook Neo earlier this year).
Apple has just launched its latest iPad mini with a notable set of upgrades, including an OLED screen, improved speakers, and a more resilient build. It also gets a new chip, and the whole package costs $200 more than its predecessor. But if you look closely at Apple’s online store, you’ll realize that $699 isn’t enough to get you the most powerful version of the A20 Pro chip inside this tablet. In fact, even if you pay $800 for the 256GB model, you still won’t get the beefiest variant. Only when you jump to the 512GB trim, which costs an absurd $999, do you get the most powerful flavor of the A20 Pro.
The $999 model gets more than extra storage