How To Flip Your iPad Into A MacBook Alternative

We might obtain a fee on purchases comprised of hyperlinks.

Ever since there’s been an iPad, individuals have hoped it might substitute the MacBook (as of 2025, the M4 MacBook Air was the only Apple laptop you should buy). Whereas doable, the difficulty is utilizing an iPad as a pc simply does not really feel the identical. You’ll be able to’t resize home windows, simply save and entry folders, and even use a pointed mouse cursor, which seems like probably the most pure factor when utilizing a laptop computer. At the very least, that was the case till Apple introduced the brand new iPadOS 26 on the Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC) 2025. Though you’ll be able to’t obtain it but, iPadOS 26 Beta 8 is now available. 

The brand new iPadOS brings desktop options to the iPad — lastly. Essentially the most important addition is that you could have extra home windows open concurrently, and you may resize them such as you would on a desktop. There’s additionally a menu bar now that you could shortly entry by swiping down from the highest of the display. In case you’re planning to make use of the iPad for productiveness, it’s possible you’ll be excited in regards to the newly redesigned Recordsdata app. Now you can color-code your information and assign them emojis to make them simpler to search out, and folders have an up to date listing view.  Not solely that, however you can too set the default app for every file sort, saving you lots of time in case you work with particular information usually. And sure, there’s now a pointed mouse cursor. 

Total, the brand new iPadOS 26 makes it extra doable than ever to make use of it as a laptop computer. Whereas there are different additions within the new replace, just like the Liquid Glass UI, which Apple had been teasing for over a year, the desktop-specific options are the true star of the present. This is how one can flip your iPad right into a MacBook alternative.

There are different keyboard-style circumstances on the market for the iPad, however none are fairly like Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad. This mannequin is suitable with the iPad Professional 11-inch (M4) and the iPad Professional 13-inch (M4) and is full with quantity and performance rows. The keys are backlit and have a quick journey time of 1 millimeter. 

The Magic Keyboard for iPad has a built-in glass trackpad with haptic suggestions that ought to make you’re feeling proper at house in case you’re used to Apple’s trackpads and gestures. What differentiates this case from third-party fashions is the cantilever design, which makes it doable to make use of the system on non-flat surfaces like your lap. The flexibility to regulate the viewing angle offers you extra flexibility, and you may simply present safety to your iPad by closing the keyboard. Possibly the perfect half is the USB-C port, which helps pass-through charging on the iPad Professional. 

The Magic Keyboard for iPad Air gives lots of the identical options, together with the keyboard, trackpad, and pass-through charging. This explicit mannequin is suitable with the iPad Air 11-inch (M3) and iPad Air 13-inch (M3). For iPad A16 and Tenth-generation gadgets, Apple sells the Magic Keyboard Folio. Once more, you get the keyboard and glass trackpad, but it surely lacks the USB-C port for pass-through charging. One other draw back is that this case does not use a cantilever design. As an alternative, it depends on a kickstand to prop up the iPad, which isn’t conducive to utilizing it in your lap. 

The Magic Keyboard is nice for utilizing the iPad as a MacBook, but it surely’s not the best resolution in case you desire a correct keyboard and mouse. The Lululook iPad Magnetic Stand is an inexpensive different. This mannequin has two joints, permitting you to boost or decrease the peak of the iPad and regulate the viewing angle. The magnetic holder will also be rotated, so you should utilize your pill in both portrait or panorama orientation. The stand additionally contains a rotating base that allows you to fine-tune the angle of the iPad. And if you would like to make use of the rear-facing cameras whereas the iPad is on the stand, you are in luck — this stand has a cutout for the digital camera. The mannequin is available in numerous sizes to accommodate the iPad Professional 11-inch (M4), the iPad Professional 13-inch (M4), the iPad Air 13-inch (M2), and the iPad Professional 11-inch/Air 11-inch (M2).

In case you desire an iPad stand that extra intently resembles Apple’s design language, check out the High Stability iPad Pro Stand from BongBingBoo. This magnetic mannequin makes your iPad appear to be an iMac. Whereas the peak of the iPad cannot be adjusted, you’ll be able to tweak the viewing angle by turning the display up or down. The magnetic holder will also be rotated for portrait or panorama orientation. There are 4 variations of the stand, every suitable with totally different iPad fashions and generations.

MacBooks are infamous for his or her lack of ports, however you can also make up for that on the iPad by investing in a high quality USB-C hub just like the Anker 555 — an 8-in-1 system that provides you each port you want. The hub contains an Ethernet port, an HDMI port, an SD card slot, a 100W USB-C charging port, a ten Gbps USB-C 3.2 port, and two USB-A 3.2 10 Gbps ports. This offers you the flexibility to cost your iPad, connect with a second monitor, obtain information from an SD card, and use a wired web connection, turning your iPad right into a workhorse of a tool. 

Apple fees a lot for storage that most individuals go for smaller capacities to economize. That usually leads to not having sufficient storage to retailer photos or obtain apps. An exterior SSD solves that subject. Though it is annoying to depend on one other piece of tech whereas utilizing your iPad, these gadgets allow you to retailer giant video or picture information to edit in your laptop computer. Artistic apps on the iPad allow you to work off an exterior SSD, leaving sufficient area in your inside storage to obtain apps and different media. The Samsung T7 is a small, moveable exterior SSD that is available in storage capacities starting from 500 GB all the best way to 4 TB. It has max write speeds of as much as 1,000 MB/s and skim speeds of as much as 1,050 MB/s. The most cost effective 5 GB mannequin prices $129.99, whereas the most important 4 TB choice prices $344.99.