How to Access Control Center and Home Screen in iOS 12 With the iPad's New Gestures

[MacRumors]

Apple in iOS 11 revamped the iPad's interface and changed the way we interact with the tablet through a new Dock, a revamped App Switcher, and Drag and Drop, and with iOS 12, further iPad changes have been implemented.

There are new gestures to learn for accessing the Home screen, App Switcher, and the Control Center, along with a new status bar.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

The new iPad gestures are identical to the gestures on the iPhone XS, with Apple preparing us for the elimination of the Home button in future iPad models. Rumors suggest upcoming iPad Pro models will feature a TrueDepth camera system and Face ID rather than a traditional Touch ID Home button.

If you use an iPhone X, XS, or XR, the new iPad gestures will be familiar to you, but if you don't, it could take a bit of time to get used to.

Dock Changes: Getting to the Home Screen and App Switcher

In iOS 11, when you wanted to access the Home screen from within an app, you would press the Touch ID Home button. That's still true, but you can also now get to the Home screen when you swipe up from the bottom of the display, as demoed in the video above.

When in an app, swiping up from the bottom of the screen takes you right to the Home screen rather than just bringing up the iPad Dock within an app.

The iPad's Home screen. Get here with one quick swipe on the Dock.​

To get to the Dock to open more than one app for multitasking purposes, you need to do a swipe and a slight hold hold rather than just a swipe at the bottom inch of the screen while you have an app open already.

The iPad Dock in an app. A quick swipe brings you to the Home screen, but a swipe and a hold brings up the Dock in an app.​

If you swipe and hold a bit higher on the screen, you can access the App Switcher on the iPad for quickly swapping between apps or closing apps, which is done with a swipe upwards on an app card. This gesture works both within apps and at the Home screen.

The iOS 12 iPad App Switcher, accessible with a longer swipe and hold on the Dock, either at the Home screen or within an app.​

Getting to Control Center

Control Center in iOS 11 was paired with the App Switcher and was accessible by swiping up on the Dock, but that gesture now opens the App Switcher alone without providing access to Control Center.

Getting to Control Center is now done by swiping downwards from the right portion of the status bar, where it displays your battery life and Wi-Fi/Cellular connection.

All other gestures on the iPad remain the same, such as a swipe downwards from the top middle of the display to bring up your notifications and a swipe to the right to get to the Today section for widget access, but there are other iPad improvements worth noting in iOS 12.

iPad Status Bar

The iPad's status bar has been redesigned in iOS 12, and it now resembles the status bar of the iPhone XS. The date and time are listed on the left hand side of the status bar, while battery life and Wi-Fi/Cellular signal and connection are displayed on the right hand side.

The middle of the display, where the date was previously shown, is left open, perhaps for a future notch. Prior to iOS 12, the iPad's status bar did not show the date, so that's also a new addition.

Spacebar Trackpad

When typing on the iPad, if you press and hold with one finger on the space bar, it turns the keyboard into a trackpad to make it easier to navigate through a document and move the cursor.

This is a feature that has been available on iPhones with 3D Touch and on the iPad with two fingers, but in iOS 12, it's simpler to use. A two finger touch also continues to work.

Article Link: How to Access Control Center and Home Screen in iOS 12 With the iPad's New Gestures

 

[Solver]

So how do I easily get to the control center from ANY app, so I can change the brightness, then return to the app?

I used to be able to just double click on the home button, change the brightness, then click on the app.

Now it looks like I sometimes need to click the home button, swipe down from the top right, change the brightness, click on the home button, then click on the app.

 

[jclo]

So how do I easily get to the control center from any app, so I can change the brightness, then return to the app?

I used to be able to just double click on the home button, change the brightness, then click the app.

Now it looks like I need to click the home button, swipe down from the top right, change the brightness, click on the home button, then click on the app.

You can swipe from the right in an app, so you don't need to go to the Home screen first. Then you just swipe back up to close it. Same as iPhone X.

Edit: All of these gestures are actually pretty intuitive and simple, so if anything it's an improvement. But it is a bit of an adjustment to swipe to exit out of an app.

 

[Solver]

You can swipe from the right in an app, so you don't need to go to the Home screen first.

If the app uses the whole display screen, that does not work. I currently can only bring down the Notification Center.

 

[jclo]

If the app uses the whole display screen, that does not work. I currently can only bring down the Notification Center.

If you swipe down from the right while using an app in iOS 12, it brings up a little Control Center overlay, it does not exit the app. You swipe down real quick to get to Control Center, change what needs to be changed, and then tap or swipe back out. No exiting of the app involved.

Here's a screenshot as an example. This is Control Center w/ Tweetbot open.

 

[Solver]

If you swipe down from the right while using an app in iOS 12, it brings up a little Control Center overlay, it does not exit the app. You swipe down real quick to get to Control Center, change what needs to be changed, and then tap or swipe back out. No exiting of the app involved.

Here's a screenshot as an example. This is Control Center w/ Tweetbot open.
To bring up a control panel
View attachment 768322

I am using the iOS 12 beta. The option to swipe down from the top right to bring up a control panel does not seem to exist in apps that use the whole screen, which eliminate the small icons in the right-hand corner, as is done by an app like, Kingdom Rush.

The Tweetbot app does not use this whole screen mode.

 

[mylittlepwny]

I don't think I'm installing iOS 12 if they don't change that dock gesture.

 

[caskin8a]

Guys this is wrong - you can already use three apps in iOS 11.

Edit: sorry, I can’t read.

 

[erio]

Trackpad works on iOS 11.4 without using the spacebar, just two fingers on keyboard.

 

[fokmik]

I am using the iOS 12 beta. The option to swipe down from the top right to bring up a control panel does not seem to exist in apps that use the whole screen, which eliminate the small icons in the right-hand corner, as is done by an app like, Kingdom Rush.

The Tweetbot app does not use this whole screen mode.

In apps that are using the whole screen bring diwn the notifications than swipe down from the top right

 

[jclo]

I am using the iOS 12 beta. The option to swipe down from the top right to bring up a control panel does not seem to exist in apps that use the whole screen, which eliminate the small icons in the right-hand corner, as is done by an app like, Kingdom Rush.

The Tweetbot app does not use this whole screen mode.

I just tried several games that take up the entire screen on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro (with no status bar icons visible) and the swipe gesture is working for me even when an app is full screen. Just takes a swipe from the top right. The App Store isn't loading for me, but I'll check with Kingdom Rush when I can.


[doublepost=1530303535][/doublepost]

Trackpad works on iOS 11.4 without using the spacebar, just two fingers on keyboard.

Yeah, I've updated this bit. The gesture is simpler in iOS 12.

 

[AngstyKylo]

Yes, takes a bit of getting used to but once you get the hang of it it’s great. Unless you need to do really heavy work or work that requires a lot of storage, the iPad is becoming a decent PC replacement. I find drag and drop to be buggy sometimes, though.

 

[Solver]

I just tried several games that take up the entire screen on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro (with no status bar icons visible) and the swipe gesture is working for me even when an app is full screen. Just takes a swipe from the top right. The App Store isn't loading for me, but I'll check with Kingdom Rush when I can.

View attachment 768327 View attachment 768328
[doublepost=1530303535][/doublepost]

Yeah, I've updated this bit. The gesture is simpler in iOS 12.

Interesting. This does not work on my iOS 12 beta, 256MB iPad Pro 10.5 inch Wi-Fi. It only brings down the Notification Center. when using a whole screen app. It does work fine on the home screen. Maybe I’ll need to reset and restore, or update one of my other iPads to iOS 12 beta for testing.

Thanks for confirming this.
[doublepost=1530305496][/doublepost]

In apps that are using the whole screen bring diwn the notifications than swipe down from the top right

That two step process works! It’s a bit quirky, but it does work. Thanks!

 

[quietstormSD]

I don't think they should have the same gestures on all iPads. For iPads with a home button, they should keep the iOS 11 gestures, and for the upcoming iPad with no home button use the iPhone X gestures.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Guys this is wrong - you can already use three apps in iOS 11.

Edit: sorry, I can’t read.

No, you are right. On the iPad Pro you can already use 3 active apps at once on iOS 11. The feature has only been just added for the regular iPad.

 

[agsystems]

I don't think I'm installing iOS 12 if they don't change that dock gesture.

My thinking as well but soon we will probably be the minority as all phones and IPads will get the iPhones 10 swipe convention

 

[profets]

I really like these new gestures. Took a bit to get used to them but definitely appreciate how they use same conventions as the iPhone and CC getting its own separate pulldown from the top right. Feels like it makes much more sense to quickly adjust a setting rather than pulling up the full multitasking view.

Actually what would be cool is only a small section pulling down for CC instead of the whole screen going translucent.

 

[Bathplug]

I prefer ios 11s ipad gestures and control centre in the multitasking view.

 

[pat500000]

These days ios are cluttery mess with complexity.

 

[Neepman]

I guess I need to have my finger ready to click "buy" the minute the current iPad pro's are discounted to make way for the home buttonless ipad.

 

[unQuestionable]

You can already do that three app thing in iOS 11–at least with my iPad Pro.

 

[macduke]

I’m confused about what the author was saying about three apps only being able to be used simultaneously on iOS 12 with newer iPads with 2GB+ of RAM. I can definitely do this in iOS 11 now. I just checked it. I can scroll and tap in each of the three apps simultaneously. I’ve yet to find much of a need for it, but there it is.

 

[WilliamG]

I’m so glad the gestures have changed to match iPhone X. Going back and forth from my iPhone X to iPad Pro is always a bit annoying. No more!

 

[Detektiv-Pinky]

<snip>
Edit: All of these gestures are actually pretty intuitive and simple, so if anything it's an improvement. But it is a bit of an adjustment to swipe to exit out of an app.

Maybe these gestures feel intuitive if you frequently use the darn thing. For casual users or actual newbies it becomes horrible very quickly.

Try to hand an iPad to somebody who has never used one and the person will be utterly lost. Things will feel pretty random to them. I have an original iPad with IOS 5 somewhere in the house. You could give this to a toddler and it would be able to make sense of it.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

Apple in iOS 11 revamped the iPad's interface and changed the way we interact with the tablet through a new Dock, a revamped App Switcher, and Drag and Drop, and with iOS 12, further iPad changes have been implemented.

There are new gestures to learn for accessing the Home screen, App Switcher, and the Control Center, along with a new status bar and some new multitasking capabilities, which we've outlined below.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

The new iPad gestures are identical to the gestures on the iPhone X, with Apple preparing us for the elimination of the Home button in future iPad models. Rumors suggest upcoming iPad Pro models will feature a TrueDepth camera system and Face ID rather than a traditional Touch ID Home button.

If you use an iPhone X, the new iPad gestures will be familiar to you, but if you don't, it could take a bit of time to get used to.

Dock Changes: Getting to the Home Screen and App Switcher

In iOS 11, when you wanted to access the Home screen from within an app, you would press the Touch ID Home button. That's still true, but you can also now get to the Home screen when you swipe up from the bottom of the display, as demoed in the video above.

When in an app, swiping up from the bottom of the screen takes you right to the Home screen rather than just bringing up the iPad Dock within an app.

The iPad's Home screen. Get here with one quick swipe on the Dock.​

To get to the Dock to open more than one app for multitasking purposes, you need to do a swipe and a slight hold hold rather than just a swipe at the bottom inch of the screen while you have an app open already.

The iPad Dock in an app. A quick swipe brings you to the Home screen, but a swipe and a hold brings up the Dock in an app.​

If you swipe and hold a bit higher on the screen, you can access the App Switcher on the iPad for quickly swapping between apps or closing apps, which is done with a swipe upwards on an app card. This gesture works both within apps and at the Home screen.

The iOS 12 iPad App Switcher, accessible with a longer swipe and hold on the Dock, either at the Home screen or within an app.​

Getting to Control Center

Control Center in iOS 11 was paired with the App Switcher and was accessible by swiping up on the Dock, but that gesture now opens the App Switcher alone without providing access to Control Center.

Getting to Control Center is now done by swiping downwards from the right portion of the status bar, where it displays your battery life and Wi-Fi/Cellular connection.

All other gestures on the iPad remain the same, such as a swipe downwards from the top middle of the display to bring up your notifications and a swipe to the right to get to the Today section for widget access, but there are other iPad improvements worth noting in iOS 12.

iPad Status Bar

The iPad's status bar has been redesigned in iOS 12, and it now resembles the status bar of the iPhone X. The date and time are listed on the left hand side of the status bar, while battery life and Wi-Fi/Cellular signal and connection are displayed on the right hand side.

The middle of the display, where the date was previously shown, is left open, perhaps for a future notch. Prior to iOS 12, the iPad's status bar did not show the date, so that's also a new addition.

Spacebar Trackpad

When typing on the iPad, if you press and hold with one finger on the space bar, it turns the keyboard into a trackpad to make it easier to navigate through a document and move the cursor.

This is a feature that has been available on iPhones with 3D Touch and on the iPad with two fingers, but in iOS 12, it's simpler to use. Two fingers also continues to work.

Multitasking

On newer iPads with 2GB+ RAM, multitasking has been tweaked somewhat. While in iOS 11 you could have a maximum of two apps working simultaneously, on iOS 12, you can have three.

To use three apps at once, pair two apps in Split View with a Slide Over window. In this mode, all three apps are active, and while it's true that the Slide Over window is going to block most of the second Split View window, you can still scroll through and use all three apps.

Multitasking in iOS 12. Note that all three windows are active.​

That is not true of iOS 11, where opening up a Slide Over window in Split View would deactivate the two Split View apps until the Slide Over window was dismissed.

iOS 11 multitasking. Note that the Slide Over window deactivates the two Split View apps.​

Multitasking gestures in iOS 12 have not changed. Pull an app up from the dock and to the left or the right of the display to enter Split View mode, or pull an app over an existing app to enter Slide Over mode.

More Info

iOS 12 will be released to the public in the fall alongside new iPhones, but it is available in a beta capacity to developers and anyone who wants to become a public beta tester. iOS 12 should not be installed on a primary device because betas can introduce serious bugs, and make sure to create a backup before updating to the new software.

For more information on the new features that are coming in iOS 12, make sure to check out our iOS 12 roundup.

Article Link: How to Access Control Center and Home Screen in iOS 12 With the iPad's New Gestures

What an absolute mess.