iPadOS 17 Features, Highlights, Changes & Enhancements

iPadOS 17 features

iPadOS 17 Features

There are lots of spectacular enhancements coming to the iPad this year. We try to track them all below. You can find two categories: those mentioned by Apple in the WWDC 2023 keynote and many others reported by users!

iPadOS 17 Features Highlighted by Apple

Here are the 14 enhancements showcased by Apple:

• 1. Redesigned Lock Screen – iPads get an improved Lock Screen in this update, which includes Lock Screen widgets (similar to the iPhone).
• 2. Interactive Widgets – allow iPad users to control music playback, other home appliances and more directly from the Home Screen widget, without the need of opening the app!
• 3. Flexible layouts – This iPadOS 17 features allows more flexibility for moving and resizing windows to increase your productivity!
• 4. Live Activities – have been imported from the iPhone and are now also available on the iPad!
• 5. Live Stickers – are available in iPadOS 17 too. Turn any emoji, photo or live photo into a sticker and use it in Messages and many other apps.
• 7. Offline Maps – Apple Maps will also work offline starting with iPadOS 17.
• 8. Health app – is now available on iPad!
• 9. Predictive Text – option has improved in iPadOS 17. This feature is able to provide inline predictions as you type. Tap spacebar to finish a word or an entire sentence!
• 10. Leave a FaceTime message is another enhancement that allows you to record a message, if the FaceTime call isn’t answered and you don’t want an important moment to be missed.
• 11. AirDrop out of range – This iPadOS 17 feature allows your device to continue an airdrop and complete the transfer even if devices get out of range..
• 12. PDF AutoFill – option allows you to fill out PDF or scanned documents faster, while using your saved information from Contacts.
• 13. Inline PDF – Read and annotate a PDF in Notes.
• 14. External Camera on iPAd – is an iPadOS 17 feature that allows you to use your iPads camera as an external one for Apple TV, for example.
• 15. New tool in Freeform – iPadOS 17 brings new drawing tools like watercolor brush, calligraph pen, highlighter, ruler and more.

iPadOS 17 New Features Reported

Other changes uncovered during beta testing are mentioned here:

• 1. Beautiful Swipe Animation playing out when swiping to unlock iPad. (Thanks AlgoHussle for sharing.)
• 2. App Store estimated download time for apps downloaded from the App Store.
• 3. File transfer estimated time is displayed below the transfer progress bar when sharing or downloading files.
• 4. Verification codes received via Mail will autofill similar to the ones received in texts. (Source: Apple.com)
• 5. To be updated. (Contribute in the comments!)

What do you think about the iPadOS 17 features? Have one to report? Which one do you like the most? Install the beta and try them right now? Share your feedback in the comments!

Related: You can also check the iOS 17 new features as well as what’s new in macOS Sonoma 14, watchOS 10, tvOS 17, HomePod 117 and visionOS!