5 useful things that you did not know you can do with your iPad’s USB port

Apple shut down the final iPad with a Lightning Port in 2024, so if you bought a new iPad after that point, it will come with a beautiful USB-C port, which is the only way to charge the tablet, seeing that it lacks wireless charging features.

However, that is All Can you do with that port? Not a long shot, so I show you some clean ways that you can expand what your iPad can do.

5

Connect external storage

With the advent of new files app and a standard USB connection option, it is possible to connect an external storage devices such as USB flash drives or SSDs to your iPad. You can also connect a mechanical drive, but you may need to use a operated USB hub, when the hard drive requires more power than providing an iPad. Sadly, connecting the DVD drive does not work – I tried!

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While the aircraft and cloud storage on high-speed fibers are probably the best ways to transfer day-to-day file, nothing beats the weeding speed of USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt, it depends on what your specific iPad and storage combo supports. This is a great way to copy large media files quickly, or just to see the material on an external drive without copying it first on your iPad.

Even better, many apps, such as LumfusionSupport working with files directly on the external drive. This means that you can edit the material on an external drive regardless of the internal storage of your iPad.

4

make music

Your iPad already comes with an excellent music production app as a garageband, and the app stores have many more, but do you know that you can also connect all types of audio gear to your tablet?

I use a focus audio interface with my iPad to connect microphones and equipment to garageband and record it directly to your device. It has completely changed where I can simply set and keep some song ideas or doodles down.

Producer

Focal

Type

audio interface

The fourth-generation focusright scarlet 2i2 connects high quality converters and is easy to use features such as auto-genns in already useful interfaces. If you do not require additional features providing some other interfaces, Sonics make it a great pick.

Of course, this also means that you can easily connect the USB mixing desk, or use an audio interface to add analog Mics of your choice. A direct USB microphone is also likely to work, but the apps you are using in all cases need to support USB audio devices. So remember to check!

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3

Connect a hub

Since the USB-C port on your iPad corresponds to the USB standards, it will work completely well with the USB hub device. This makes your iPad easier with SD card readers, full -sized USB ports, mice and keyboard such as USB peripheral, and more.

Yes, this is correct, you can connect a USB mouse and keyboard with your iPad, a pointer and everything! I use one of the iPad-specific hubs that clip on the device, but will do much anything with a USB-C connector.

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2

Connect to a monitor or TV

If you have apple silicone ipad with USB-C port, you can connect it to the outer monitor using the USB-C adapter for display connections of your choice. If you have an iPad that does not use the Apple silicone chip (M1 and later), you can still connect a monitor using the USB-C, but it will not act like an extended other monitor. Instead, the content of your iPad will be simply mirrors.

This is a very versatile solution, and how I see classic Star trek On streaming services using my CRT TV.

However, most people want to use extended display feature for some boring, such as creating a dual screen setup using a computer monitor, or a portable USB-C monitor like a plugable setup painted above. Combined with a operated dock, you can turn your iPad into a very more regular computer, only with iPados can limit what you can do. With the immediate release of iPados 26, it may also change soon!

1

Be a portable monitor

As iPados 17, iPads now support UVC (USB video class) standard. This feature was added, so that you could connect to an external webcam, which are clearly many uses.

However, a side effect of this additional support is that other UVC devices will also work with iPads that support the USB webcam. For example, I bought this generic no-name USB capture device to exclude the feature, and was able to use my iPad as an external monitor for my nintendo switch,

I use the Orian appWhich is the most user-friendly and convenient solution found so far. Of course, if you own a Mac or MacBook, you can already use your iPad as an extended display for Sidecar feature, but do you know if you connect your iPad to your Mac with USB-C cable, it will send data and power to a cable instead of Wi-Fi. This is the advantage of your iPad to be charged anywhere as a second screen for your Mac, and even without Wi-Fi.

I do my mobile productivity solution all the time. However, with an app like Orion and The Right HDMI dongle, you can use your iPad as a portable monitor for anything other than Mac.

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Now that the USB-C will be standard on iPads moving forward, unless they completely leave the ports, it is possible that you can do it with the port that can do with that port, just grow over time.

Especially given that iPados is on a trajectory to make it more like Macos every year. Maybe one day an iPad will be the only computer that you need. That day is not today, but what can it do 15 years ago, light years ahead about it!