Here’s how to set up and use your iPad as a student

My iPad is easily the best investment I have made for my studies. If you have one, it’s important to set it up to match your academic goals. Otherwise, you’ll be procrastinating when you shouldn’t. Here’s how I tweaked my setup to get the most out of my iPad academically.

Physical settings of the iPad

After spending such a hefty amount on an iPad, the last thing you want is to spend hundreds of dollars on repairs. That’s why it’s important to physically set up your iPad with the right protective accessories.

The first thing I did when I got my iPad was buy a secure case. The robust case not only protects your iPad from drops and bumps, but also ensures a firm grip and reduces the chance of it slipping out of your hands.

Since I primarily use the iPad to take notes with the Apple Pencil, I chose a case that allows me to prop it up at different angles for comfortable typing. The Apple Pencil is also extremely easy to replace, and although you can find a lost Apple Pencil Pro because it has Find My support, I would still recommend getting a case with an Apple Pencil holder.

If your Apple Pencil charges magnetically, make sure the slot is positioned to allow charging while holding the pencil securely in place. This will keep your pencil safe and fully charged when you need it.

After getting the protective case, I invested in a good quality screen protector to protect it from scratches. While there are several types of iPad protectors available, the most common choices for students are tempered glass and matte protectors. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference between the two.

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While matte protectors reduce glare and provide a papery feel when using the stylus, I opted for a tempered glass protector because matte surfaces can wear down Apple Pencil tips faster due to their rougher texture.

In addition to these accessories, I also got a keyboard for my iPad and I would recommend getting one if you want to use the iPad as a laptop replacement or if you prefer to take notes over handwritten notes.

Fortunately, you’re not limited to expensive Apple keyboards, as there are many affordable alternatives available. For example, I skipped the Apple iPad keyboards and opted instead for the Logitech Pebble Keys 2 K380 keyboard.

Settings I modified for everyday use

Once your iPad is physically set up, I recommend taking advantage of several built-in features to optimize for productivity and focus.

Position activated aiming mode

The last thing anyone wants when they’re in the middle of an intense study session is to be constantly receiving pings and notifications. To prevent this, I created focus modes that sync across my iPad, Mac, and iPhone.

Since I use the iPad most often at college, I created a Focus mode that automatically activates when I get there. You can set this up by going to Settings > Focus and tap on plus (+) icon. Then tap on Customand then name the focus mode and choose an icon and color. Since mine is about studying, I named it “Study” and used the icon for multiple books.

Tap Adjust focus to the prompt that appears. On the next page, tap on Add Plan > Place and add the desired location. In my own focus mode, I’ve only allowed notifications from apps I use to study like YouTube, Classroom, Calendar, Goodnotes, etc. so I don’t get distracted.

Split View for multitasking

I use Split View on my iPad when I want to understand a topic from a YouTube video while taking notes. This feature allows you to place two windows side by side on the iPad and helps immensely when you need to multitask. All you have to do to use Split View is open the app and tap on three dots above and choose Split view.

Dark mode for use at night

Drinking a few cups of coffee and staying up past midnight to cram for the semester is a universal student experience. In my case, this is not an occasional occurrence, and late night studying has become the norm.

To make these long hours more pleasant and reduce eye strain and fatigue, I put my iPad into dark mode. You can do so by targeting the Settings > Display & Brightness and switching on Dark mode.

iPad apps I use daily

While there are hundreds of apps in the App Store that help students enhance their iPads, there are a few that I can’t imagine living without and would recommend any student to explore.

For taking notes and annotating PDFs, I decided to get a lifetime subscription to Goodnotes. It is easily one of the best note taking apps that can be used with a stylus. It also doubles as a digital planner for iPads, which is essential for a student.

While I use Goodnotes for most of my courses, I’ve turned to Apple Notes for math-based subjects, thanks to Math Notes introduced with iPadOS 18. I also use Photomath to help with math questions.

Planning and scheduling tasks in advance is extremely important to me. I use Google Calendar to time block all my study sessions and Notion to keep track of appointments. For memorization-based courses, I rely on flashcards to help me retain information, and Quizlet is my go-to app.

Due to my short attention span, I struggle to focus on tasks for longer periods of time. To prevent this, I use the Pomodoro technique to stay on top of my studies and avoid burnout. While there are many Pomodoro apps available, Flora has been my go-to for years.

Tasks I rely on my iPad for as a student

The main reason I bought an iPad was to get rid of a bulky backpack and get rid of paper. So before the semester starts, I download all the textbooks I need into it. This way, my iPad contains all my study materials for every course I take, allowing me to study no matter where I am.

Since I’ve gone completely digital, I use my iPad to take notes. Although I have created separate workbooks for each course, my professors usually teach using slides, slides, and PDFs. So I use them on my iPad to annotate during lectures.

I also use my iPad to keep my schedule organized and meet deadlines. While I don’t usually use my iPad for coding tasks, I do complete all other tasks on it.

As the mid-term and final exams are coming up, I also use the iPad to solve practice exams, which saves me the hassle of printing papers. I finally rely on my iPad to take online courses and watch recorded lectures.

Whether you’ve just purchased an iPad and aren’t sure how to set it up for school, or you’re looking to optimize your existing setup, I’m sure the tips above will help you on your way to college!