You may know how to use an iPad for music. But there are tons of ways to use an iPad outside of music as well.
If you want to get the most out of your tablet, you shouldn’t just keep it in your practice room. Consider some ways to use it to get work done or relax.
Before we get into it, this post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy to learn more.
1. Complete Your Homework
One of the best ways to use an iPad outside of music is to do your homework. Of course, if you’re a music student this can still involve music. However, you may need to do some analysis or score study.
You can also download a notes app to your iPad to take notes. That’s nice if you don’t want to carry around a bunch of notebooks or binders. And you can scan printouts you receive and add them to your notes.
If you like to study in various places, it makes sense to do things digitally. Then, you’ll have everything with you, and you won’t have to worry about leaving something at your home.
2. Download Textbooks
For general education classes, you can usually buy or rent digital textbooks. That way, you don’t have to bring the physical copies to and from class.
I did this for a couple of textbooks in grad school. It was nice to be able to read them on my iPad. And this was for a class that happened in spring 2020. So when I had to pack and come home to isolate with family, it was great.
Textbooks were one less thing I had to worry about packing. But pandemic or not, you can keep your textbooks organized in your iPad.
3. Stream Shows and Movies
When I’m not working or practicing, I like to watch shows or movies. I do have a TV, but it’s across from my bed, so I don’t always want to sit there. So I’ll pull up a streaming app on my iPad.
Then, I can sit in a chair or somewhere else in my home. That’s super convenient, and it means you don’t have to tie yourself to one location. If you need to move, you can do so and bring your iPad with you.
4. FaceTime Family and Friends
Of course, another one of the best ways to use an iPad is to communicate. The FaceTime app is great, and you can now use it with people who don’t have Apple Products.
You can send your friends and family a link, and you can have a group chat. If you live far from people you love, video chat is a nice way to stay in touch. And you can swap out FaceTime with any other video calling app.
5. Play Games
Maybe you have a long rehearsal and don’t play on a piece. Or perhaps you want another idea of how to spend your down time. Either way, consider downloading a game or two to your iPad.
You can play a game for fun, and there are tons to choose from. A lot of the games you may use on your iPhone are also available for the iPad. And you can even download a mobile version of The Sims.
6. Edit Photos
If you’re a professional musician, you may have a good online presence. To help with that, you might need an app to edit photos to share on social media. Canva is a great app, and it’s free.
You can create a variety of designs to use on social media or your website. While you can use the desktop version, the app is good for work on the go. That way, you don’t have to wait until you get back home to update an image.
7. Set Up a Hotspot
Another one of the best ways to use an iPad applies to cellular models. You can use your iPad’s cell connection as a WiFi hotspot. This is great if you want to get some work done on your laptop but don’t have WiFi.
Or you can simply use the cell connection to browse on your iPad. Then, you won’t have to drain the battery on your phone to use it as a hotspot. I just have the WiFi model, so this won’t work for me, but it’s still nice to consider.
8. Manage Your Website
If you have a website for music or something else, you can manage it on your iPad. You can do a lot of things now that iPads work similarly to desktop computers.
So you could add a new page, update an existing one, or respond to comments. If you just have something quick to do, this is great. Sometimes, I’ll get an email or an idea to change something but won’t want to grab my laptop.
And of course, you can manage your website on the go. Then, you won’t have to take your laptop with you when you travel.
9. Engage on Social Media
You can download social media apps to your iPad just like your phone. That makes your tablet a great tool for building your online presence.
Engage with your target audience to help build your following. You can also share promotional images or posts.
And you don’t have to use the small screen on your phone or carry around your laptop.
Which Ways Will You Use an iPad?
There are multiple ways to use an iPad outside of music. From studying to growing your online presence, consider a few options.
And if you need help using your iPad for music stuff, download forScore and More to learn everything you need to know!