New ways to navigate your iPad

The iPhone X revamped the way you get around Apple’s device, and iOS 12 brings its more fluid navigational gestures to the iPad too. This is great news if you have an iPad and one of Apple’s newer iPhones, because you don’t have to adapt your thinking as you move between devices. Look over to the right for how iPad navigation has changed.

Additionally, the clock has been moved to the top–left corner of the screen, which matches iPhone X. There’s no setting to move it back to the middle should you wish, though.

1 Review notifications

Like in iOS 11, notifications can be reviewed by swiping down from the screen’s top edge — but avoid the right end, because…

2 Relocated controls

The top–right corner is now reserved for Control Center. Like on iPhone X, swipe downwards from the icons there to reveal it.

3 A cleaner app switcher

As in iOS 11, you still swipe upwards from the bottom edge to around the middle of the screen to enter the app switcher. Notice, though, that the switcher now displays nothing more than other tasks you can switch to — there are no controls or shortcuts on its right side.

4 Return to Home

A quick flick upwards from the screen’s bottom edge will take you back to the Home screen — faster and less involved than pinching multiple fingers together, and great news if your iPad’s Home button is on its last legs.

5 Reveal the Dock

The slight drawback to the Home screen gesture is you need to be more deliberate when revealing the Dock within an app. Drag your finger upwards from the bottom edge a little more slowly, as if you’re literally pulling the Dock into view.