Apple updates iWork and iMovie iPad apps with mouse and trackpad support

iPad Pro 2020 Trackpad Hero
iPad Pro 2020 Trackpad Hero (Image credit: Rene Ritchie / iMore)

What you need to know

  • Apple has added mouse and trackpad support to iWork and iMovie for iPad.
  • iPads runnings iOS 13.4 will be able to take advantage of the new feature.
  • The apps have also been updated with support for iCloud Folder Sharing.

Earlier today, Apple updated its suite of productivity apps like Pages, Numbers, Keynote with support for iCloud Folder Sharing. Now, Apple has also updated its productivity apps for iPad with support for a mouse and trackpad.

Mouse and trackpad support came to iPads capable of running iOS 13.4 last week, but barely any apps supported the feature at launch. Today, Apple has added support for the accessories for Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and even iMovie on iPadOS.

All three apps have also gained the support for iCloud folder sharing, something its Mac companions had received earlier today. It also provides full support for the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro which is expected to ship this May.

You can check out all of the new features for Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and iMovie below:

Pages

  • Use Pages on an iPad with Magic Keyboard, a mouse, or a trackpad for a new way to work with your documents. Requires iPadOS 13.4.
  • Select from a variety of gorgeous new templates to help you get started.
  • Add a Pages document to a shared iCloud Drive folder to automatically start collaborating. Requires iPadOS 13.4 or iOS 13.4.
  • Add a drop cap to make a paragraph stand out with a large, decorative first letter.
  • Apply a color, gradient, or image to the background of any document.
  • Touch and hold, then drag across multiple objects to select them.
  • Easily access recently used templates in a redesigned template chooser.
  • Print or export a PDF of your document with comments included.
  • Edit shared documents while offline and your changes will upload when you're back online. Requires iPadOS or iOS 13 or later.
  • Enhance your documents with a variety of new, editable shapes.

Numbers

  • Use Numbers on an iPad with Magic Keyboard, a mouse, or a trackpad for a new way to work with your spreadsheets. Requires iPadOS 13.4.
  • Create spreadsheets with more rows and columns than ever before.
  • Apply a color to the background of a sheet.
  • Add a Numbers spreadsheet to a shared iCloud Drive folder to automatically start collaborating. Requires iPadOS 13.4 or iOS 13.4.
  • Edit shared spreadsheets while offline and your changes will upload when you're back online. Requires iPadOS or iOS 13 or later.
  • Touch and hold, then drag across multiple objects to select them.
  • Easily access your recently used templates in a redesigned template chooser.
  • Print or export a PDF of your spreadsheet with comments included.
  • Add a drop cap to text in a shape.
  • Enhance your spreadsheets with a variety of new, editable shapes.

Keynote

  • Use Keynote on an iPad with Magic Keyboard, a mouse, or a trackpad for a new way to work with your presentations. Requires iPadOS 13.4.
  • Add a Keynote presentation to a shared iCloud Drive folder to automatically start collaborating. Requires iPadOS 13.4 or iOS 13.4.
  • Edit shared presentations while offline and your changes will upload when you're back online. Requires iPadOS or iOS 13 or later.
  • Select from a variety of gorgeous new themes to help you get started.
  • Touch and hold, then drag across multiple objects to select them.
  • Easily access your recently used themes in a redesigned theme chooser.
  • Print or export a PDF of your presentation with comments included.
  • Add a drop cap to make text stand out with a large, decorative first letter.
  • Enhance your presentations with a variety of new, editable shapes.
  • New "Keyboard" text build in and build out animation

iMovie

  • Use iMovie on iPad with Magic Keyboard, a mouse, or a trackpad for a new way to create movies and trailers (requires iPadOS 13.4)
  • Use keyboard shortcuts to toggle between the five inspector modes when a clip is selected: Action, Speed adjustments, Volume, Titles, and Filters
  • Use keyboard shortcuts to quickly rotate video 90-degrees clockwise or counterclockwise
  • Tap the Download All button at the top of the soundtracks list to download all bundled soundtracks at once
  • Add PNG, GIF, TIFF, and BMP files to your movie
  • Performance and stability improvements

You can download Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and iMovie for free on the App Store now.

Joe Wituschek
Contributor

Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. He fell in love with Apple products when he got an iPod nano for Christmas almost twenty years ago. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. He will fight to the death to keep a mini iPhone in the lineup. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors.