Table of contents for Issue 35 in iPad User Magazine

You sometimes hear people say that iOS device can’t be personalised – that you’re stuck with the look Apple gives you. But that’s far from the truth: there’s actually a surprising range of ways you can customise your iPad or iPhone. Some of these just help to make it more your own – you can change the Lock screen and Home screen wallpapers, for example, or add a new ringtone. You can even set ringtones for individual callers, so you know who’s trying to get in touch without having to see the screen at all. But some of these tools help you personalise your iPad in a way that makes it easier for you to use. You can make the standard text larger, add clearer buttons, alter how Siri works…

The Home app enables you to set the status of accessories in response to data or events IT WILL TAKE 15 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to automate your home based on your location, the time, or a change in an accessory’s status YOU’LL NEED iOS 10’s Home app, ideally a few HomeKit accessories that are already set up Connecting your smart home accessories to the Home app gives you the ability to check the status of sensors and toggle devices on or off at will, but that’s just the foundation of making your home smarter. Things get really clever when you use sensor data, the time of day or a change in your location to trigger behaviours, such as turning on a heater when you leave work so your home is warm when…

There are many VPN tools on the App Store, so it can be difficult to choose the best one IT WILL TAKE 30 minutes YOU WILL LEARN What a VPN can do for you, and the settings you should be using YOU’LL NEED CyberGhost, iOS 9 or higher If you want to keep your data secure when browsing on public Wi-Fi, you should use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This is a method by which internet-connected devices can encrypt their communications when using an untrusted public network. A VPN encrypts the links between your device and a website’s server. This means that the internet service provider (ISP) can’t see the websites that you’ve visited, only that you’ve connected to the VPN. A simple analogy is imagining a VPN like a tunnel.…

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR WALLPAPERS 1 Wallpaper settings Go to the Settings app and choose Wallpaper. On this first screen, you can see your current wallpaper setup for the Lock screen and Home screen. Tap the “Choose a New Wallpaper” option to change either, or tap the current ones to change how they display (see step 3). 2 Image types Tap “Choose a New Wallpaper.” At the top are choices from Apple, including Dynamic wallpapers (which animate by themselves), Still images, and Live wallpapers (which animate when you 3D Touch the screen). Below are your photo albums from the Photos app. 3 Setting the image Tap an image to see a preview of how it will look. Choose whether it stays static (Still), whether it moves as you tilt your…

You can even combine multiple text boxes in a single video IT WILL TAKE 10 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to style and add transitions to title text in Vont YOU’LL NEED iOS 9.3 or later, iMovie, Vont Thanks to the iOS version of iMovie, you can shoot footage on your iPad, cut it into a slick edited production and then share your show with friends and family. However, to complete your movie you’ll need to add titles and captions. A title makes your edited footage feel like a finished film, while captions are a useful way of introducing people and identifying places. iMovie’s Titles browser has a limited collection of eight presets. Presets such as Gravity make letters float into place for example. You can summon extra titles by tapping the…

Look out for the Works with Apple HomeKit badge to tell if a device will work with the Home app IT WILL TAKE 30 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to set up your accessories, arrange them in rooms, and set up scenes to control several with one tap YOU’LL NEED iOS 10’s Home app, at least one HomeKitcompatible accessory Technology that enables you to control your home from your smartphone or tablet is becoming more common, and the range of such accessories that works with iOS devices is growing all the time. Among them are lighting, motion sensors, thermostats and much more. Apple provides a system that enables these devices to work together and be controlled from your iPad or iPhone. It’s called HomeKit, and you control accessories compatible with it in the Home…

Concepts provides a variety of drawing tools, with guides to work on IT WILL TAKE 60 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to create a precise room layout with Concept’s tools YOU’LL NEED iOS 9 or later, Concepts app, stylus (optional) If you’re looking for a design app that bridges the divide between rough sketches and pinpoint-accurate plans, Concepts is for you. It provides a variety of drawing tools from freehand brushes to pre-defined shapes, and offers a choice of grids and guides to work on, coupled with precise measurement tools, multiple layers and the ability to share your finished work. Concepts is free to use, but there are several in-app upgrades. The Pro upgrade (£7.99) isn’t required for this project, but you might want to shell out for one or…