Edit and Print Files on iPad
After being asked many times, I’ll explain how to edit files easily (sort of) on the iPad. I’ll tell you which apps are the best for:
- Editing Text Files
- Editing Spreadsheets
- Putting together a Presentation
- Printing your Documents
- File Sharing on iPad
- Organizing Files
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Learn How to Use Mail on iPad
This might sound crazy, but many people have trouble editing the attachments that are sent through email. If an email has an attachment it will have a paper clip next to the email address that sent it. The attachment is always at the very end of the email message. To open the attachment:
- Tap on it to get a preview of the document
- Tap and hold the icon, representing the attachment, to open it in a app that can open it
- When you tap and hold, you get the option to see a preview “Quick Look”, Open it in the default app, or click Open in to see every app that can open it
So that is how you open attachments on iPad.
File Sharing with Dropbox on iPad
Dropbox provides you with the ability to share your files across all of your devices. After you install Dropbox on your desktop, download the Dropbox app. This provides you with easy access to all of your files, without taking up valuable space on your iPad.
Once installed, you can view previews of all your files, but also easily launch those files in the app of your choice. Just select the file you wish to open and click the box with the arrow coming out of it. It’s in the upper right hand corner. All of the apps that can edit that file pop up.
Good Reader The Best File Viewer on iPad
Good Reader will open pretty much any type of file. To be safe always save the file in one of the common formats (Microsoft file formats). It allows you to also:
- Manage your files on Cloud drives like Dropbox, Google Docs, etc.
- Save files from any where online, for offline viewing
- Access and save files via wifi
It doesn’t allow you to edit those files however.
Quick Office The Best General Purpose File Editor
Quick Office is without a doubt the best general purpose file editor. I tried them all. It opens up pretty much everything that Good Reader does, plus it allows you to edit text and spreadsheet files. It provides you with the ability to access your cloud drives. It is packed with all kinds of neat tools, except for one. It doesn’t allow you to add photos to either text or spreadsheet files. I hope they fix that soon, but in general, if you want to edit a file Quick Office is the way to go.
If you want to edit Spreadsheets on iPad, I would also turn you toward Quick Office. Numbers, Apples Spreadsheet on iPad, is charming, but it doesn’t provide you with the ability to save in Excel format. If this changes, so might my opinion on Numbers.
Keynote for Presentations
Keynote is an awesome presentation software app. It provides an effortless way to build professional presentations from anywhere. It also allows you to add great transitions, graphics, graphes and yes even pictures. If there is any down side, it is that you can’t access your cloud drives through Keynote. You can however email presentations as needed.
I’d provide more on how to use Keynote, but Apple has a great tutorial included when you download the app.
Pages for Wordprocessing with Pictures
Pages is the best wordprocessing app on the iPad. If Quick Office provided the ability to work with photos it might win out, but it doesn’t. Pages also provides the ability to add beautiful charts and tables. It really is a great app.
The major downside again is the inability to save to the cloud.
Printing from the iPad
Many people don’t know that you can print files off of an iPad. The app that provides this capability is called Print Central. I’ve tested it on many wifi and non wifi printers and it works with ease. You can also print to your own printer at home with it, if you have internet access. It truly is a dream.
That’s All Folks
I hope this article keeps you from wasting your money on bad apps. There are plenty of them! If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the comment section below.
Till Next Time
Think Tank
Here is what i want to do:
1. create and edit HTML, CSS, JS files on the iPad
2. view these HTML pages in the Safari browser.
Is there an app for that?
There is a few apps that try to do that being Gusto, HTML Edit and Markup. I’ve played around with them and they aren’t that amazing. I’ll provide an honest review on these apps soon. I don’t recommend them though at this time.
Hope that helps you to at least not waste money 😉