Apple dominates the tablet market with the iPad, which is the trendiest and, arguably, the most reliable. The company actively develops four main variants of the product with different sizes, specs, and price tags. While iPads on their own are generally capable, their vanilla form factor can be quite limiting.
Fortunately, all iPad models are equipped with a USB-C port and Bluetooth connectivity, letting you easily pair wired and wireless peripherals. Whether you’re using your iPad for work, entertainment, gaming, or something else, you may want to make it more functional with some of these essential accessories.
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Stylus
Tablets and stylii go hand in hand. Even if you’re not a professional illustrator, a stylus can simplify certain tasks—like taking handwritten notes or doodling casually. And with newer iPadOS versions now recognizing and polishing handwritten text, using a stylus to jot down your thoughts has become even more practical. Similarly, Apple Intelligence can transform your basic scribbles to neat images that better reflect the ideas you have in mind.
While the Apple Pencil (USB-C) (on sale for $49) and Apple Pencil Pro (on sale for $95) offer the tightest ecosystem integrations with your iPad, there are plenty of other recommended stylus options for iPad out there. The Logitech Crayon (on sale for $53) is a reliable pick featuring a sleek design, high precision, a more affordable price, instant connectivity, and more.
Bluetooth Mouse
With iPadOS 26, Apple redesigned the built-in cursor, putting it on par with that of desktop operating systems. Thanks to its new arrow shape, you can now click smaller buttons more comfortably, even if the touch targets aren’t too wide. To unlock the iPad’s cursor, you’ll first need to pair a compatible mouse or trackpad.
The Logitech MX Master 4 is one of the best mice out there, offering an ergonomic design, quiet buttons, and support for a wide range of devices. If you value aesthetics more than practicality, Apple’s Magic Mouse will also work with your iPad flawlessly.
Keyboard
As an iPad user, you’re probably familiar with how large and unintuitive the software keyboard can be, blocking a significant portion of the screen. What many users don’t know, however, is that you can hide it by connecting a physical keyboard to your iPad. This lets you take full advantage of the tablet’s display.
Apple sells different Magic Keyboard and Keyboard Folio variants designed for specific iPad models. Not only do these double as a protective cover, but they also offer an embedded trackpad. If you’re on a budget, you can opt for a third-party brand, like the Belkin Pro Keyboard Case.
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Game controller
The iPad Air and iPad Pro now pack Apple’s M-series chips, initially designed for the Mac. At this point, they’re capable of running AAA games, such as Resident Evil and Grand Theft Auto. While most iPadOS games offer touch controls, they can be unintuitive for complex gameplay.
iPadOS fully supports certain game controllers, letting you pair and customize them with ease. Sony’s DualSense Controller (on sale for $55) and Microsoft’s Xbox Controller (on sale for $40) are two dependable options approved by Apple. If you’re not looking to spend around 70 bucks on a controller, you could opt for any cheaper MFi-certified brand instead.
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USB-C hub
All iPad models are now limited to a single USB-C port. Consequently, you can’t charge your iPad while using a wired accessory simultaneously. Thankfully, iPadOS supports the best USB hubs and dongles, letting you add more ports and slots as needed. The manufacturers and port assortments are plentiful, however, so you’ll have to hunt for a variant that caters to your needs. Some of the reputable options include Anker, Belkin, Ugreen, and even Amazon Basics.
Headphones
Now that iPads no longer offer a headphone jack, opting for wireless earbuds is the most convenient route. The AirPods and Beats lines come with varying features, build qualities, and price points, and they all work seamlessly with iPadOS. Some of their perks include effortless firmware updates, instant pairing, automatic device switching, Spatial Audio support, and more. Otherwise, you’ve got plenty of excellent third-party options, such as the Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones (on sale for $398) and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen (on sale for $216).
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External storage
While iPads can accommodate up to 2TB of internal storage, some creatives’ needs extend beyond that limit. Luckily, you can connect both basic flash drives and larger Mac-friendly SSDs using the USB-C port. SanDisk and Samsung offer external storage devices that are fully compatible with iPadOS and its built-in Files app. This allows you to quickly offload large files or transfer them to your desktop computer.
Stand
As we’ve established, iPads are great for gaming and media consumption. Needing to hold your tablet at all times, however, can get tiresome and downgrade your experience. An iPad stand can fix that once and for all.
Amazon Basics sells a budget-friendly iPad stand (on sale for $8) that supports multiple viewing angles. If you’ve got a larger iPad model or want more than the bare minimum, you could go for Ugreen’s higher-end iPad stand (on sale for $15), which comes with a sturdier build, rotating mechanism, and folds up for compact storage. You’ll want to ensure that your iPad’s dimensions are compatible with the chosen stand, however.
Travel bag
Last, you may want to invest in a travel bag or sleeve for when you take your iPad to school, the office, or a café. Given the tablet’s delicate nature, carrying it outdoors without protection can be risky. Luckily, you’ve got plenty of options, with some brands offering minimalist sleeves and others going for larger bags with extra pockets for the charger and other accessories. You may want to check out the Tomtoc Tablet Sleeves, Tomtoc Shoulder Bags, and MoKo Carrying Cases to find the color, material, layout, and size that fit your needs.
Author: Mahmoud Itani, Contributor, Macworld
For a decade, Mahmoud has rigorously evaluated Apple hardware and software. His current technological arsenal features an iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9, MacBook Air M2, iPad Air M1, AirPods Pro 2, AirTag, Apple TV 4K 3, and HomePod Mini stereo pair. Outside of work, you’ll likely find him jogging at a park, swimming in open water, brainstorming at a coffeehouse, composing poetry on a rooftop, or merely lost in nature.