iPad Virtual Controls

Apple tablet has a few mechanical controls, those are On/Off (Sleep/Wake) button, Home button, Volume Up / Down button/s and Mute / Unmute (Lock/Unlock) switch. The frequent use of those tiny things may lead to wearing out of your iconic tablet no matter what model you have: the newest iPad Air / Retina iPad mini or iPad of older gens i.e iPad 4 / iPad 3 / iPad 2. In order to ensure the proper functioning of iPad all users must become accustomed to virtual controls provided by iOS to support mechanical buttons and to minimize their use (ideally to replace them).

At the very least iOS gives support to four separate virtual buttons, namely Home, Lock Screen, Volume Up and Volume Down, which provide users with means for displaying the Home screen on iPad, stopping the wiggling icons, putting iPad's screen to sleep, controlling the sound, you name it. To start using them users must activate on iPad the AssistiveTouch Button. Here is the instruction:

    1. Tap Settings.
    2. In Settings Submenu tap General.
    3. Scroll down the General submenu to find Accessibility.
    4. Tap Accessibility.
    5. In the Accessibility submenu tap AssistiveTouch.
    6. Toggle Assistive Touch into ON state.
    7. Return to Home screen by using five-fingers gesture.

AssistiveTouch button can be docked either at any of four corners or at two designated places on both left and right sides of iPad’s screen. Just touch it and move to the place you want. Now with AssistiveTouch on Apple tablet’s screen you are able to work with virtual controls. Just tap AssistiveTouch button to open its panel and find both virtual Device and virtual Home buttons. Use the last one just like the physical Home button. For example, with one tap you may stop the wiggling icons. Behind virtual Device on AssistiveTouch panel is AssitiveDevice virtual dashboard with six virtual buttons. Their names imply predetermined functionality. Touch for example Lock Screen virtual button to send immediately iPad to sleep.

iPad Virtual Controls Flowchart

Mind you, moving mouse / taping over the image will zoom its parts. Left click will trigger magnifier. On devices running iOS 7 or greater some of the virtual dashboard icons appear modified to match the iOS 7 style. Their arrangement is slightly altered as well.

Fiddling with tablet may encourage you to unveil 50+ secrets that can help you maintain iPad.