By Andrew O'Hara
Thursday, March 19, 2020, 10:06 am PT (01:06 pm ET)
On the Magic Mouse and Magic Mouse 2, you can scroll just like on Mac by sliding your finger up and down on its surface. When in apps that has multiple 'pages' such as Safari, swiping left.
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Using Magic Mouse 2 on iPad Pro with iPadOS 13.4
To use the new features, you must have the latest iPadOS 13.4 update, a compatible iPad or iPad Pro, and a Bluetooth mouse or trackpad. The update is set to release to everyone on March 24th, preceding the launch of the brand new 2020 iPad Pro.
Now that full-fledged cursor support is here, including support for Bluetooth mice and trackpads, there is a lot to love. We hooked up our spare Magic Trackpad 2 and our Magic Mouse 2 to test it out alongside our Bluetooth keyboard.
Getting started with a mouse or trackpad
Regardless of which devices you are going to use, the setup process is the same.
How to connect your Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad to your iPad Pro
- Turn off the Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad
- Be sure they are un-paired from any previous device, such as removing them from the Bluetooth panel of your Mac
- Turn the Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad back on
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth from your iPad
- Look for, then tap, the accessory you are trying to connect from the bottom of the Bluetooth menu
Once paired your Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad should start working right away, sending the cursor flying around the display.
The basics
Now that your wireless mouse or trackpad is connected, we can go through how to use them.
Starting out, when your iPad is in sleep mode, clicking the mouse will wake it. This is helpful as you don't have to go and touch the display at all to begin using your iPad. From the lock screen, you can use the mouse to access notifications, or swipe to the bottom to unlock the iPad and go to the Home screen. You don't have to click on the Home bar to unlock and open your iPad, just simply pushing the mouse to the bottom will suffice.
The iPad's cursor has morphed to highlight the trash icon in the Notes app
Once you've navigated into the iPad with your new cursor, you will see it isn't quite like the cursor you're used to. It is round —like the pad of your finger —and is designed for the iPad's touch-based interface. As you move the cursor around, it will contextually change shape.
When you are moving around, it is a circle. As you go over text, it morphs into a vertical line that is great for precisely editing that text. And as you move near buttons or icons it will morph to highlight those buttons.
Regardless of where you are in the system, you can always access Control Center by moving the cursor to the top right corner and clicking on the status bar.
Drag the cursor to the bottom to access the Dock within apps
When in an application, pushing the cursor to the bottom of the display will bring up the Dock. This is great in apps to open another app, open an app in slide over or split view, or to open the contextual menu to access recent documents.
Also at the bottom is the Home bar. Move the cursor on top and click to head straight back to the Home screen.
Slide over is quite similar to accessing the Dock. Move the cursor all the way to the right side of the display and your slide over app will appear. Use the app, click the Home bar of the slide over app to switch between others, and when finished, push the cursor back towards the side.
When editing text, you can double-click on a word to select it, then right-click to open the contextual menu for stylizing text, looking up words, copying, etc. When text is highlighted, it can also be dragged as a block and relocated.
Similar functionality applies to app icons on the Home screen. They can be right-clicked (or pressed on and held) to open up their menus for quick actions or recent documents.
Check the battery status of your Magic Trackpad or Magic Mouse in the Battery widget of Today View
If you need to check the battery life for your Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad you can always see it from the battery widget in Today View.
Learning iPad gestures on the Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad
From there, both the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad have various gestures that you can employ.
On the Magic Mouse and Magic Mouse 2, you can scroll just like on Mac by sliding your finger up and down on its surface. When in apps that has multiple 'pages' such as Safari, swiping left and right will allow you to navigate. It feels very fluid and natural to just swipe to the side to go back a page while browsing.
Using the Magic Trackpad 2 to navigate Slide Over apps in iPadOS 13.4
Magic Trackpad does even more. Inside of a slide over app you can swipe to the right with three fingers to cycle through the various open apps. Pinching with multiple fingers will bring you to the multitasking interface. And pushing forward on the trackpad will take you to the Home screen.
Digging into the settings
Mice and trackpads have their own options within Settings. If you have a mouse connected, it will show a mouse option and if you have a trackpad connected it will show that device instead.
Settings for mice and trackpad
For a trackpad, you have the option to increase or decrease the tracking speed, to toggle off natural scrolling, enabling 'tap to click,' and for using or not using the two finger secondary click.
If using a mouse it is largely the same but doesn't have the 'tap to click' option available.
For more options, you can dive into accessibility settings where you can make more modifications including turning off snapping and morphing the cursor to buttons. Inside of accessibility settings is also where you can enable Hot Corners, furthering the desktop-like experience.
Making the iPad more powerful
This iPadOS 13.4 update has gone a long way towards making the iPad and iPad Pro specifically more powerful. Cursor support, as well as Bluetooth mouse and trackpad support, is huge for productivity and makes the iPad a real option for people when considering what device to pick up —a laptop or a tablet.
Support thus far feels very organic and well-designed and we are very excited to see what further functionality will arrive as part of iPadOS 14 this fall.
For users that hold out, Apple is also launching the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro which has a full backlit keyboard as well as an integrated trackpad in May.
Deals on the 2020 iPad Pro and accessories
Cash discounts are currently available on Apple's new 2020 iPad Pros, with the lowest prices at your fingertips in the AppleInsider2020 11-inch iPad Pro Price Guide and 2020 12.9-inch iPad Pro Price Guide.
Accessories for Apple's iPad are also on sale, with Apple's Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 discounted by up to $10.50.
Or check out these other popular accessory options:
- Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad
- iClever Bluetooth Foldable Keyboard
- Logitech Keys-to-Go Ultra-Portable, Stand-Alone Keyboard
- Logitech M557 Bluetooth Mouse
- Twelve South MagicBridge
BestWireless Mouse for MaciMore2020
Install windows games on mac. I've used both wired and wireless mice in my computing lifetime. Since I switched to wireless, however, I've been much happier. I'm not worried about the length of my cord, getting tangled with my other peripherals, or using up precious USB ports. My best investment was Apple's Magic Mouse, which is designed specifically for Mac and works like a mini trackpad. There are other great options out there, too. If you don't like the flat design of the Magic Mouse, check out the rest of our favorites below.
Perfect for most: Logitech M720
Staff favoriteAlso known as the Triathalon Mouse, Logitech's low-cost, high-powered wireless mouse is a great mid-range product. It's called the Triathalon Mouse because it has three Bluetooth device connections. You can use it with your iMac Pro at home, your MacBook Pro on the go, and your PC at work.
$34 at AmazonErgonomic design: Logitech MX Ergo
The MX Ergo is very comfortable and allows you to navigate your Mac without having to move your hand or wrist around on a mousepad all day. It is a fantastic mouse for those looking for something with an ergonomic design.
$76 at AmazonAmbidextrous: Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball Mouse
Lefties and Righties can use this trackball mouse with aplomb. It's perfect for video editors, and the circular scroll wheel makes it easy to scan multiple pages or frames. The ergonomic design helps with wrist pain, and the additional padding ensures you're holding your arm at the proper angle.
$85 at AmazonBest for wrist pain: Logitech MX Vertical
This vertical mouse has been specifically designed to relieve pain caused by resting your hand incorrectly on a traditional mouse. Its design positions your arm in its natural resting angle to improve comfort and help correct bad computer posture.
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$80 at AmazonElite gaming mouse: Logitech G604 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse
Logitech's G604 is the best wireless mouse for clicking with the speed and efficiency needed to get through the toughest dungeon, beat the baddest boss, or out-skill the most talented sporting opponent.
$80 at AmazonGamer's delight: SteelSeries Rival 650
SteelSeries makes an impeccable gaming mouse with nearly zero lag, pinpoint accurate crosshair placement, and the lowest lift-off detection around. Its buttons and weight balance is highly customizable for even the pickiest gamer.
$120 at AmazonBudget option: Amazon Basics Wireless Mouse
If you're looking for a basic mouse with no bells and whistles, and you don't want to pay a lot for it, Amazon makes a reliable, simple mouse with no frills in your choice of fun colors. It also costs less than a large pizza.
From $16 at AmazonTriple productivity: Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Wireless Mouse
If you're a multiple computer/multiple platform user, this is the mouse you need. It supports three different devices and is cross-platform compatible with Mac and PC. The 4000dpi Darkfield sensor also ensures that it works on any surface, including glass.
From $60 at AmazonApple's own: Apple Magic Mouse
Apple designed the Magic Mouse to work seamlessly with the Mac. Its multitouch surface lets you perform gestures like swiping to move between pages or scroll through websites, double-tapping with one finger to zoom, double-tapping with two fingers to call up Mission Control, and more.
From $74 at AmazonUltra fast: Logitech MX Master 3 Advanced Wireless Mouse
Another winner from Logitech, this wireless mouse is built for speed. The electromagnetic magspeed wheel is not only ultra-fast; it's precise (down to the pixel) and quiet. Set up app-specific customizations and work seamlessly on three computers or devices at once.
$100 at AmazonOur recommendations
There are all different types of mice on the market for every kind of user. I find the MX720 to be the most well-rounded with great features at a great price, supporting up to three Bluetooth connections at once, letting you quickly switch between multiple devices at the touch of a button.
Gaming Mouse Swiping With Machines
Apple's own Magic Mouse is genuinely perfect for gesture-based mousing around on the Mac, having been made by Apple to blend a traditional mouse with multitouch gestures. We just wish it had a less cumbersome charging method.
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