There seems to be no end to the things you can do with an iPad, from streaming movies to playing great games. With the thousands of apps available in the Apple App Store, the iPad offers many great uses.

Surf on the Couch

One common use for the iPad is ready access to the internet without having to access a computer. If you're watching TV and wonder where you've seen an actor before, or you want to do a quick internet search, having IMDb, Wikipedia, and the rest of the web at your fingertips from the comfort of your couch is useful.

Check Social Media and Email

The iPad is a great way to keep up with your friends. Log in to Facebook to share comments, photos, and interesting websites. Are you nuts for Instagram? What about the plethora of other social media sites? All of these things are simple to use from an iPad, either through a dedicated app or by visiting the website.

Play Games

With each iPad generation, the ability to play games on the tablet gets better. From the addition of cameras in the iPad 2 that allowed for augmented reality gaming to subsequent iPads that enabled higher-resolution graphics, more storage, and speeder hardware, the tablet has undoubtedly turned into a solid gaming machine.

Apple even has its own Arcade gaming service that runs flawlessly on iPad Air and iPad Pro. The company added a graphics engine called Metal to the iPad, which takes games to the next level. While you may get many other uses from the iPad, gaming is the most entertaining.

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Read Books

The ability to read eBooks from the Apple Books app, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes and Noble Nook makes the iPad one of the most versatile e-readers on the market. It isn't the lightest e-reader, but it's easier to read in bed on the iPad than a traditional laptop.

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Help in the Kitchen

The iPad's size and portability make it great for any room in the house, including the kitchen. While the iPad can't do the cooking, it has plenty of other uses in the kitchen. Start with recipes from great apps like Epicurious and Whole Foods Market.

The App Store offers dozens of recipe managers that can keep your recipes neat, organized, and just a tap away. You can even manage your gluten sensitivity with apps like Find Me Gluten Free.

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Family Entertainment

When you combine Apple's rigorous inspection of each app with the parental control options and the thousands of great games and apps on the iPad, you get the perfect family entertainment system.

The iPad is great for vacations when you need to entertain the kids in the back seat. Not only can they access movies, but they can also play games for far cheaper than most portable gaming machines.

Listen to Music

Even if you don't have a music collection loaded on your tablet, you can stream music to your iPad directly from the internet. Some of the better music apps include the ability to create unique radio stations from a single song you love.

The iPad has good speakers, and it supports Bluetooth. This compatibility makes it a great match with wireless earbuds. With many new TV soundbars supporting Bluetooth, the iPad can essentially become your home stereo.

Take Photos and Record Video

The back-facing camera on the iPad is surprisingly good. It's not quite up to the quality of the iPhone camera, but the iPad Air and iPad Pro cameras can compete with most other smartphone devices.

What makes the iPad great for photos is the beautiful, large display that helps you frame the perfect shot. If the iPad's camera isn't good enough for you, try several ways to improve the photos taken with the iPad.

Connect the iPad to Your TV

The iPad has a lot of great entertainment value, including the ability to stream HD video and play high-quality games, but what about watching it on the big screen? There are several ways to connect an iPad to an HDTV to transfer both video and sound so that you can get the full HD experience.

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How to Connect an iPad to a TV

Cut the Cord

Although the iPad has a much smaller screen than a TV, apps from services like Netflix, Hulu, and Max (formerly HBO Max) let you stream your favorite movies and shows directly to your TV. Considering how much content is available on those services, some people could dump cable completely.

While cord-cutting is becoming increasingly popular, especially with the availability of so many streaming services, cable is still a popular way to tune in to your favorite shows and movies. Many cable providers offer apps that let you watch some shows live on your iPad, which turns your tablet into a portable television. Also, many broadcast channels have apps, so you can watch the latest episode of a show even if you forgot to DVR it.

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Edit Photos and Video

The iPad can take a great photo, but even better, you can use it to edit that picture easily. The built-in editing features let you crop, brighten, and bring out the best color. You don't even have to stick with the editing features of the Photos app because several photo editing apps are also available for download.

You can also use the iPad to edit videos. Along with basic video editing, the built-in iMovie app comes with fun themes and templates, so you can put music to your video or create your own movie trailer.

Share Photos and Video

Facebook and Instagram aren't the only ways to share photos and videos on an iPad. iCloud Photos lets you share private albums with whoever you want, and they can include both photos and videos. Several cloud storage services have apps that work similarly to an iPad.

Create a Printed Photo Album

With an iPad, you can create a photo album and have it printed and shipped to you. After editing the photo in an iCloud Photos album, you can receive physical copies to share with your less tech-savvy friends.

To use this feature, you'll need a Mac with either the Photos or iPhoto app.

Scan Documents

Your use of the camera isn't limited to taking family photos and shooting videos. You can use your iPad as a scanner. Scanner apps do the hard work for you, cropping the image so that only the document shows and focusing the camera so the text is legible. Some scanner apps can fax the document or let you digitally sign it before printing it out.

Create and Edit Documents

Word processing isn't just for PCs. Microsoft Word and Pages are great word processors available for the iPad. If you don't like the idea of typing on a touch screen, plenty of iPad keyboards are available, or you can attach a regular wired keyboard.

Voice Dictation

One of the overlooked benefits of having Siri is the ability to dictate to the iPad. This feature isn't limited to word processing apps or creating an email. You can use your voice to message your friends or search the web. Whenever the iPad's on-screen keyboard pops up, you can choose to use your voice instead of your fingers.

Personal Assistant

Speaking of Siri, it is an excellent personal assistant. While it may seem odd to give your iPad requests, you can use Siri to set reminders and schedule events. The tool can even help you get reservations at your favorite restaurant or retrieve the latest sports scores.

Run Your Business

The iPad is increasingly appearing in businesses. One of the most popular uses for the iPad is as a point-of-sale device, with great services that let you take credit cards or payment via PayPal. With Microsoft 365/Office on the iPad, you can use your tablet for spreadsheets, bookkeeping, and presentations.

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Use It as a Second Monitor

Here's a neat trick: using your iPad as a second monitor for your laptop or desktop PC. Through apps like Duet and Air Display, or the Sidecar feature that Apple added in macOS Catalina (10.15), you can use your iPad as if it were an extra monitor connected to your computer.

These apps work by connecting with a software package you download to your PC and then sending the video signal to your iPad. It's best to use your iPad's cable to eliminate any lag.

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How to Use Your iPad as a Second Monitor

Control Your PC

Not happy with the idea of your iPad being a second monitor for your PC? Take it one step further by taking full control over your PC from your iPad. The advantage of this approach is that you can use your desktop PC from the comfort of your couch, basically turning it into a laptop. All you need is a remote access tool installed on both devices.

Videoconferencing

Not only does FaceTime work on the iPad, but it's better on a tablet because you have a bigger display. The extra space makes it easy to make calls with anyone over Zoom, Skype, and other video calling apps.

Call and Text

You can use iMessage to send and receive text messages. You can also choose one of the other available texting options for the iPad. If you have an iPhone, you can place and receive calls on your tablet. If you don't, you can still use your iPad for calls with apps like FaceTime, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, and many others.

Employ Siri in a Less Serious Way

Siri's tricks go beyond productivity. It also has funny questions you can ask, and if you're on a diet, Siri can look up the number of calories in the dish you are thinking about ordering. If you ask, Siri can tell you what song is playing on the radio or add milk to your shopping list.

Take a Class

Whether you need a tutor for school or a class to replace traditional education, the iPad has you covered. The Khan Academy has a simple goal of providing free online education that covers both K-12 and college-level courses. Beyond video classes, many apps can help your child get a jump on their education.

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Navigate With GPS

The cellular models of the iPad line serve as excellent GPS device replacements. With an assisted GPS chip, the iPad can keep you from ever being lost. The Maps app, which is built into the iPad, also includes hands-free turn-by-turn directions. Don't like Apple's Maps? Here are some alternative navigation apps we think you'll like.

Be a Musician

For musicians, a ton of helpful apps are available, including a digital piano and a guitar effects processor. You can even turn your iPad into a DJ station. If you aren't a musician but want to learn, use GarageBand on the iPad to learn an instrument.

Replace Your Computer

Between its ability to use Facebook, read email, and browse the web, the iPad can replace a laptop for many people. With apps like Apple's Pages and Numbers, Microsoft 365, and the ability to connect a keyboard, the iPad can be all the computer you need.

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