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Under iOS 13 and iPadOS, iPhone and iPad have the ability to use mice and external trackpads - the choice of trackpad models is significantly limited.
It has been a wish of many fans for several years. In the future, iPhone and iPad users will be able to iOS 13 or iPadOS control your device with a Bluetooth or USB mouse. The so-called mouse support is not a standard function, but is available as an AssistiveTouch option in the accessibility features on the respective iOS device. Apple's Magic Trackpad is also supported by the new accessibility feature.
How to connect a mouse or trackpad to your iPhone or iPad running iOS 13 or iPadOS
To use a mouse or trackpad, your iPhone or iPad must be paired with the respective accessory. To do this, open the Settings on your iOS device and tap "Accessibility." Then navigate to "Touch" and select "AssistiveTouch." You can now activate the function on the right. Once you have enabled "AssistiveTouch" as described above, you can scroll down in the same area and open the "Pointing Devices" menu item. Now tap "Bluetooth Devices" and put the respective accessory into pairing mode. Once the name of the mouse or trackpad appears in the list, you can proceed with the pairing by tapping the field. The mouse or trackpad will now be connected to the iPhone or iPad. The device should then be ready for use. A circular cursor will now appear on the screen of your iPhone or iPad. To use the cursor, simply move the mouse or swipe across the trackpad.
How to connect a wired mouse or Magic Trackpad to your iPhone or iPad
If you want to use a wired mouse or Magic Trackpad, all you need to do is connect the respective accessory to your iPhone or iPad with the appropriate cable and enable "AssistiveTouch" – see above. If you want to connect a Magic Trackpad 2 to your iPad Pro 2018, you'll need a USB-C to Lightning cable. Now you can start using your pointing device.
How to manage the settings of your pointing devices
Of course, you can configure each of your pointing devices for your own use. Open the settings on your iOS device and navigate to the "Accessibility" menu item. Now go to "Tap" and click on "AssistiveTouch." Further down, you can adjust the speed of your cursor. You can also make further configurations for zoom and movement. Of course, you can also configure the buttons yourself to your liking. To do this, open the "Pointing Devices" menu item in the same section and tap your mouse or trackpad.
Now you can define the functions of your keys individually. The options range from simple actions such as a simple tap to opening the dock. You can also assign specific Siri shortcuts. Here you can find the new Apple Magic Mouse 2
