# iPadOS 17: Launch Date, Features, and Device Compatibility
iPadOS 17, the iPad operating system from Apple, was officially launched in September 2023, introducing a range of new functionalities and enhancements. This version builds upon the groundwork established by iPadOS 16, which brought Stage Manager and Freeform, further boosting the iPad’s capabilities and overall user experience. Here’s a comprehensive overview of iPadOS 17, covering its launch date and the features it delivers.
## Major Features of iPadOS 17
iPadOS 17 introduces numerous new functionalities, many of which align with iOS 17 but include specific tweaks designed for the iPad. Some of the key features consist of a refreshed Lock Screen, interactive widgets, and the arrival of the Health app on iPads. Let’s explore the specifics:
### 1. **Lock Screen Personalization and Interactive Widgets**
iPadOS 17 presents a redesigned Lock Screen, enabling users to customize it with unique wallpapers, including themes such as Astronomy and Kaleidoscope. You can also select photographs from your collection to craft a distinctive appearance. Furthermore, the update provides interactive widgets on both the Lock Screen and Home Screen, allowing users to manage music, smart home gadgets, and more straight from the widgets.
The new **Live Activities** feature empowers users to monitor live events like food deliveries, flight statuses, or sports results right from the Lock Screen, significantly enhancing the iPad’s practicality for staying informed while on the go.
### 2. **Upgrades to FaceTime and Messages**
FaceTime receives a considerable boost in iPadOS 17. If a call is missed, you can now leave a video or audio message for later viewing. Additionally, FaceTime introduces entertaining reactions such as hearts, balloons, and fireworks, adding a whimsical element to video communications.
The Messages app undergoes enhancements as well, featuring the capacity to create **Live Stickers** from your images, a new sticker drawer for convenient access, and an inline reply option that makes it easier to respond to specific texts. Users can now filter messages by known and unknown senders, improving organization and privacy.
### 3. **Enhancements to Stage Manager and Freeform**
Stage Manager, a capability that debuted in iPadOS 16, is even better with iPadOS 17. Users can take advantage of more adaptive layouts when resizing and relocating windows, particularly when utilizing an external display. The update also accommodates third-party webcams and microphones, transforming the iPad Pro into a more capable tool for video conferencing and content creation.
Freeform, Apple’s collaborative whiteboard application, receives new drawing tools, including a watercolor brush, calligraphy pen, and shape recognition features. The **Follow Along** functionality enables users to view the work of their collaborators in real time, facilitating smoother teamwork.
### 4. **Health App on iPads**
For the first time, the **Health app** is available on iPads with iPadOS 17. The app is optimized for larger screens, allowing users to access comprehensive health data, trends, and interactive graphs. Users can monitor medications, menstrual cycles, and symptoms, along with new features aimed at evaluating mental health risks such as depression and anxiety.
### 5. **Refined Autocorrection and Dictation**
Autocorrect in iPadOS 17 is upgraded with a transformer language model for improved word suggestions and grammatical corrections. Users can now experience sentence-level autocorrections and predictive text suggestions inline, resulting in faster and more accurate typing. Dictation has also been refined with a new speech recognition model for better voice-to-text accuracy.
### 6. **Safari and Password Features**
Safari in iPadOS 17 brings forth **Profiles**, enabling users to segregate their browsing history, extensions, and cookies based on different tasks such as personal or work-related browsing. The update also introduces **web apps** to the iPad’s dock, offering an app-like experience for websites. Additionally, private browsing is enhanced with options to lock private windows and prevent known trackers.
In terms of passwords, iPadOS 17 adds **shared password groups**, allowing users to share a collection of passwords with trusted contacts. This feature helps keep passwords synchronized for everyone within the group.
### 7. **Enhancements in PDFs and Notes**
iPadOS 17 elevates the PDF experience with **improved AutoFill**, so users can complete forms more rapidly using information saved from Contacts. The Notes app now accommodates full-width PDFs, enhancing document viewing and annotation. You can also link notes together, enabling a robust method for organizing research or creating team wikis.
### 8. **Gaming on iPad**
With iPadOS 17, the iPad’s USB-C port is compatible with more accessories, including the ability to link a **Nintendo Switch** or **PS5** using a capture card. This capability allows users to play
