iPad and iPad Pro For Dummies. Paul McFedries

Introduction

      One of the nice things about an iPad is that you can start using one a few minutes after liberating the device from its box. After traipsing through a mercifully brief setup routine, you end up on the iPad's Home screen and you're good to go. Even if you'd never used an iPad before, you probably figured out lickety-split that tapping the screen make things happen and running your finger across the screen scrolls things here and there.

      The iPad basics are intuitive and not hard to master, but you might also have learned a hard iPad lesson: Once you've got the easy stuff down, the rest of the iPad is less intuitive. How do you make the screen brighter? How do you get that app that all the cool people are using? How do you set up your email? How do you take amazing photos and videos?

      These are all great questions, but they probably only scratch the surface of what you want to know, iPad-wise. Not only that, but the iPad is a wonderfully complex device with hidden depths that enable the tablet to perform tasks you've likely never thought of. How do you get your iPad questions answered and how do you explore your iPad's depths?

      I thought you'd never ask.

About This Book

      Welcome, therefore, to iPad and iPad Pro For Dummies, 2022-2023 Edition. This book is designed to take you beyond the basics of your iPad and show you what your tablet can do. iPads aren't cheap, so you owe it to yourself to get the most out of your investment by learning not only the iPad's ABCs but also its XYZs. From mail to messaging, from Siri to settings, from contacts to calendars, this book covers all major iPad and iPadOS features (and quite a few minor ones, too).

I need to get one thing out of the way from the get-go. I think you’re pretty darn smart for buying a Dummies book. To me, that says you have the confidence and intelligence to know what you don’t know. The Dummies franchise is built on the core notion that everyone feels insecure about certain topics when tackling them for the first time, especially when those topics have to do with technology. The iPad is no exception.

      This book is chock-full of useful tips, advice, and other nuggets that should make your iPad experience more pleasurable. I'll even go so far as to say you won’t find some of these nuggets anywhere else. So keep this book nearby and consult it often.

Foolish Assumptions

      Although I know what happens when one makes assumptions, I’ve made a few anyway. First, I assume that you, gentle reader, know nothing about using an iPad or iPadOS, that you want to understand your iPad and its operating system without digesting an incomprehensible technical manual, and that you made the right choice by selecting this book.

      I do my best to explain each new concept in full and loving detail. Perhaps that’s foolish, but … oh, well.

      One last thing: I also assume that you can read. If you can’t, please ignore this paragraph.

Icons Used in This Book

      Little round pictures (or icons) appear in the left margin throughout this book. Consider these icons as miniature road signs, telling you something extra about the topic at hand or hammering a point home. Here’s what the icons in this book look like and mean.

Beyond the Book

      I wrote a bunch of things that just didn’t fit in the print version of this book. Rather than leave them on the cutting room floor, I’ve posted the most useful bits online in a cheat sheet for your enjoyment and edification.

      To