iPad – sharing files between Mac and iPad
The article will provide a user with information and guidance on sharing files between Mac and iPad.
The article will cover how to get documents off of the Mac and onto the iPad, and then after a user has edited them or created new ones on the iPad how to get them onto the Mac. A user can follow two ways to do this.
Use iTunes
For apps that use Apple’s File Sharing, such as Apple’s iWork programs,
• a user can use iTunes 9.1.1 as a conduit to get files on and off the iPad.
• When users iPad is connected to the Mac and iTunes is open, a user can then select the iPad in the iTunes Library and
• then click on iTunes’ Apps tab.
• Scroll down to the File Sharing section.
• A user will then see a list of apps that use File Sharing.
• Click on one and a user will see any files that he has already added to, or created on, the iPad.
Add and delete documents
Now a user can add documents to his/her iPad in two ways.
• Click the Add button, navigate to a document in the Open dialog box that appears, select the document, and then click Open.
• When a user clicks Sync, the file will copy to the iPad.
• Alternatively, a user can drag a file onto the File Sharing list when the appropriate app is selected in the Apps list.
• This method copies the files immediately; a user don’t need to click Sync for the copying to take place.
• To delete documents, selecting them in the file list and press Delete.
Import iWork documents
If a user is working with the iWork apps such as Pages, Numbers and Keynote just getting the document onto the iPad isn’t quite enough.
• A user will need to import the files before a user can view and edit them.
• In order to do this, for example in Pages, a user has to open Pages on the iPad and tap the folder icon in the toolbar.
• A user will see a list of available documents.
• A user can now tap a document to import it.
• Now it’ll now show up in the My Documents list and a user can work with the file.
Avoid problems
Please note that iWork for iPad apps can’t import files with special characters in their titles, such as the forward-slash (/). If a user wants to import files then he should
• remove any special characters from the file names before he/she tries to transfer the files.
• importing isn’t always a smooth process. This is because not all fonts and document elements will come through.
Export iWork documents
After a user has done editing a document on the iPad, a user should
• export it before he/she can move it onto the computer using iTunes.
• Tap My Documents (or My Presentations, or My Spreadsheets, depending on the app).
• Open the document and then tap the send icon.
• Tap Export, and
• then choose a file format.
• If a user has made changes to a document then he/she can import using iTunes,
• A user will view a dialog box asking if he/she wants to replace the original.
• A user should now tap Replace to do this.
• The app exports the file,
• and a user can now copy it from iTunes back to your Mac.
A user should note that other iPad apps may not require the import/export procedure.
Copy documents onto the Mac
If a user wants to copy documents from the iPad onto the Mac using File Sharing then he/she should:
• connect the iPad to the computer and open iTunes.
• Select the iPad in the iTunes Library and
• then click on iTunes’ Apps tab.
• Scroll down to the File Sharing section and
• select the appropriate app.
• Select the file in the list and click Save To.
• In the Open dialog box that appears, navigate to a folder where a user would like to save the file,
• and click Open. iTunes copies the file right away.
• A user can also click on a file in the documents list and drag it to a Finder window to copy it.
If a user followed this tutorial guide then he/she would have learnt about sharing files between Mac and ipad.
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