With iPadOS 27, Apple has introduced a new keyboard shortcut that allows users to quickly take actions on their iPad, based on whether the keyboard is connected or disconnected. This feature has been extremely helpful for me, as I use the iPad as my primary device for this website, with a keyboard connected. However, there are instances where I use it without a keyboard for note-taking as well as reading in portrait mode. This new keyboard shortcut helps setup an automation that allows me to automatically enable or disable multitasking or windows apps on my iPad. Here is how it works.
- Open the Shortcuts app on your iPad, and navigate to the Automation tab. Search for keyboard and select connected. Add another action for multitasking mode and switch it to Windows Apps. Your setup for the automation should look like the screenshot below. Once enabled, your iPad will automatically switch to windows apps multitasking mode when the keyboard is connected.
- Now the second part, add another automation and select keyboard action and switch to disconnected. Add multitasking mode and set it to Full Screen Apps. This will automatically work when you disconnect the keyboard.
Your final setup should look like the screenshot below:
This is a small tweak but it gets rid of manually switching between multitasking and full screen apps every time. This should ideally be a built-in feature in iPadOS, but that’s what Shortcuts app is for – to add functionality to your iPad which is not available by default.
Additionally, you can also add another action to the automations that can enable or disable portrait orientation lock. This is useful if you only use your iPad in portrait mode when not connect to an external keyboard, specially when you want to use it just for note-taking or reading.
I have tested this with the Magic Keyboard with my M4 iPad Pro and it works perfectly.
Let me know if this is helpful to you. If you have any other tips to share, please feel free to mention them in the comments.
