Skip to main content

Apple’s new iPadOS includes mouse support for iPads

Apple’s new iPadOS includes mouse support for iPads

/

It’s an accessibility feature for now

Share this story

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Apple is making a huge change to its new iPadOS, introducing mouse support for both USB and Bluetooth devices. iOS developer Steve Troughton-Smith discovered the new mouse support in iPadOS today, and it reportedly works with USB mice, devices like Apple’s Magic Trackpad, and wireless Bluetooth mice.

Apple adding mouse support to iPadOS is significant, even though it’s an accessibility feature for now. Apple has implemented this support as an AssistiveTouch feature, and the cursor looks like a typical touch target you’d find in iOS. It’s designed to simulate a finger touch, so you can use a mouse to do this instead. Many iPad owners have been asking for some type of cursor support for years, and this could be the start of Apple supporting this more broadly across its new iPadOS.

Apple unveiled iPadOS today with a new home screen full of widgets, multitasking improvements, and lots more. Apple has split iPadOS from iOS, allowing the company to bring more features that make sense to the hardware of the iPad. As developers start to get their hands on the beta of iPadOS, we should start to learn more about what else is hidden in iOS 13 and iPadOS that Apple didn’t mention onstage today.

Update, June 3rd 6PM ET: Updated to confirm this feature also works with Bluetooth devices.