In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to multitask has become a crucial skill. Whether you’re a busy professional juggling multiple projects or a student trying to keep up with assignments, being able to efficiently multitask can greatly enhance your productivity. If you’re an iPad user, you’re in luck. The latest operating system, iPadOS 15, has introduced a range of multitasking features that allow you to seamlessly switch between apps and perform multiple tasks simultaneously. In this article, we’ll explore how to make the most of these multitasking capabilities and take your productivity to the next level. So, grab your iPad and let’s dive in!
Inside This Article
Split View
Split View is a feature in iPadOS 15 that allows you to work with two apps side by side on your iPad. This multitasking feature is incredibly useful when you need to reference information from one app while working in another. It enables you to enhance your productivity and efficiency by eliminating the need to constantly switch between apps.
To activate Split View, start by opening the first app you want to use. Next, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the Dock, and then drag the second app you want to use onto the screen. Release your finger when you see a translucent bar appear, indicating that the app will be placed in Split View mode.
Once in Split View, you can resize the app windows by dragging the vertical bar that separates them. This allows you to allocate more space to the app you need to focus on the most. Additionally, you can easily switch between apps by swiping left or right on the bar, or by tapping on the app window you want to bring to the forefront.
Split View also supports a feature called App Exposé, which lets you view all the open windows of a particular app by performing a four-finger pinch gesture on the screen. This makes it effortless to navigate between different instances of an app without cluttering your workspace.
Furthermore, Split View works seamlessly with other multitasking features on iPadOS 15, such as Slide Over and the new App Library. It provides a fluid and intuitive experience, allowing you to make the most of your iPad’s capabilities.
Whether you’re a student who needs to take notes while reading a textbook, a professional juggling between emails and a project management app, or simply someone who wants to indulge in multitasking, Split View in iPadOS 15 is here to help you stay organized and efficient.
Slide Over
Slide Over is a handy multitasking feature in iPadOS 15 that allows you to quickly access and use a secondary app without having to switch away from your current task. With Slide Over, you can effortlessly glance at information or perform simple actions without disrupting your workflow on the main app.
To activate Slide Over, follow these steps:
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Dock.
- Drag the app you want to use in Slide Over from the Dock and pause it at the edge of the screen.
- The app will appear in a floating window on top of your current app.
Once you have a Slide Over app open, you can interact with it while still having the main app visible in the background. You can adjust the size and position of the Slide Over window by swiping the handle at the top to the left or right.
With Slide Over, you can have multiple apps open at the same time. To switch between different Slide Over apps, simply swipe left or right on the handle at the top of the window. This allows you to quickly access different tools, references, or communication apps without interrupting your primary task.
Slide Over also supports drag and drop functionality, making it easy to transfer content between the main app and the Slide Over app. For example, you can drag a photo from your Photos app and drop it into an email draft in the Slide Over window.
To close the Slide Over app, swipe the handle at the top of the window to the right, or simply swipe it off the edge of the screen. You can also keep the Slide Over app temporarily hidden by dragging its handle to the edge, where it will sit in a compact form until you need it again.
Slide Over is a fantastic feature for multitasking on iPadOS 15, allowing you to seamlessly juggle between apps with ease. Whether you want to check your messages, take notes, or reference a website while working on your main task, Slide Over is the perfect tool to keep things organized and efficient.
App Library
One of the key features brought by iPadOS 15 is the App Library. The App Library organizes your apps in a more efficient and convenient way, making it easier to navigate through your extensive collection. Whether you have a handful of apps or hundreds, the App Library ensures you can find what you need without hassle.
The App Library automatically categorizes your apps into different folders based on their function or usage. For example, you’ll find folders like Productivity, Social, Entertainment, and more. This intelligent organization saves you time by eliminating the need to manually sort your apps into folders.
Accessing the App Library is simple. Just swipe all the way to the right on your iPad’s home screen, and you’ll be greeted with the App Library view. Here, you’ll see a grid of app icons organized into folders. You can scroll through these folders to find the app you’re looking for, or use the search bar at the top of the screen for a quicker search.
In addition to the automatic app organization, the App Library also offers a handy feature called App Suggestions. Located at the top of the App Library view, App Suggestions displays relevant and frequently used apps based on your usage patterns and time of day. This helps you discover apps you may need at a specific moment, saving you even more time and effort.
With the App Library, you can also customize your home screen by hiding entire app pages. This is great for decluttering and keeping your most used apps easily accessible without having to sift through multiple screens. Just go to the App Library settings and choose “Add to Home Screen” to select which app pages you want to show or hide.
Overall, the introduction of the App Library in iPadOS 15 brings a seamless app organization experience to iPad users. It streamlines the process of finding and accessing your apps, saving you time and energy. Gone are the days of hunting for that one app buried in a sea of icons; with the App Library, everything is just a few taps away.
Quick Note
One of the exciting new features introduced in iPadOS 15 is Quick Note. This feature allows you to create notes quickly and easily while using other apps. It’s designed to help you capture your thoughts and jot down important information without interrupting your workflow.
With Quick Note, you can access the note-taking functionality by simply swiping up from the bottom right corner of the iPad screen with your Apple Pencil or by using a keyboard shortcut. This action will instantly launch a small, resizable note-taking window on top of your current app.
Once the Quick Note window appears, you can start typing or write with your Apple Pencil to capture your thoughts. The note-taking interface is intuitive and user-friendly, allowing you to format text, add checklists, create headings, and even insert links to websites or files.
Quick Note also intelligently detects information on your iPad screen. For example, if you’re browsing a website or reading an email, you can highlight a specific section of text and tap on the Quick Note button that appears to create a note with the selected content. This makes it incredibly convenient to capture relevant information without having to switch between apps.
What’s even more impressive is that Quick Note is contextually aware. It automatically saves the URL of the webpage or the app you were using, and you can jump back to it with a single tap on the link within the note. This makes it effortless to refer back to the source of your information later.
Another fantastic feature of Quick Note is its integration with system-wide search. All your Quick Notes are accessible through the new Notes widget on the Home Screen or by swiping down on the iPad screen and using the search bar. This ensures that your notes are easily retrievable even when you have a large number of them.
Overall, Quick Note is a powerful tool for multitasking and staying organized. Whether you need to jot down an idea, make a quick reminder, or save an interesting article, Quick Note simplifies the note-taking process and helps you stay focused on your tasks.
Conclusion
With its innovative features and enhanced functionality, multitasking in iPadOS 15 brings a new level of efficiency and productivity to iPad users. Whether you’re a student, professional, or casual user, the ability to seamlessly switch between apps and utilize different multitasking views can greatly enhance your workflow.
From Split View and Slide Over to the new Shelf feature and Quick Note integration, iPadOS 15 offers a multitasking experience that is both intuitive and powerful. With a few simple gestures or keyboard shortcuts, you can easily manage multiple tasks, take notes while watching a video, or reference information while writing an article.
Whether you’re using an iPad Air, iPad Pro, or even an older model, iPadOS 15’s multitasking capabilities are designed to optimize your productivity and make your iPad even more versatile. So, dive into the world of multitasking in iPadOS 15 and unlock the full potential of your iPad.
FAQs
Q: What are the new multitasking features in iPadOS 15?
A: iPadOS 15 brings several multitasking enhancements, including the ability to create a multitasking workspace called “Split View” with multiple apps open at once, an improved App Switcher for easier app navigation, and the new “shelf” feature that allows you to easily switch between different instances of the same app.
Q: How do I use Split View in iPadOS 15?
A: To use Split View in iPadOS 15, simply open an app and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the Dock. Drag another app from the Dock onto the screen until it splits with the first app. You can adjust the size of the split by dragging the divider between the apps. This allows you to work with two apps side by side, enhancing productivity and multitasking capabilities.
Q: Can I have more than two apps open in Split View?
A: While Split View in iPadOS 15 initially allows you to have two apps open side by side, you can also add a third app by opening the App Switcher and dragging an app onto the screen. This way, you can have three apps open simultaneously and switch between them effortlessly.
Q: How does the new App Switcher work in iPadOS 15?
A: The new App Switcher in iPadOS 15 provides a more intuitive way to navigate between apps. Instead of a horizontal carousel of app previews, it now displays the apps in a grid layout, making it easier to see all the open apps at once. You can swipe up and down to scroll through the app thumbnails, and simply tap on an app to switch to it. Additionally, you can now access the App Switcher by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and pausing momentarily.
Q: What is the “shelf” feature in iPadOS 15 and how does it work?
A: The “shelf” feature in iPadOS 15 allows you to easily access multiple instances of the same app. For example, if you have multiple Safari windows open, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause to bring up the App Switcher. From there, you can tap on the Shelf icon at the bottom to see all the different instances of Safari and switch between them seamlessly.
