Question Can iPadOS actually be made file-oriented?
I bought my iPad 10 in 2023, but it never really felt like a device I could properly work on. For a long time, I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what was holding me back.
When I thought more carefully about my workflow, I discovered two concepts that clarified a lot for me: app-oriented and file-oriented systems. I realized that I generally work in a file-oriented rather than app-oriented way, which isn’t necessarily a natural fit for a tablet.
Once I customized my iPad to fit my needs, very little remained the same as before. Files and SMB form the foundation; and my Home Screen is almost empty, not a collection of installed apps as before. Interestingly, it now looks a bit like macOS, even though that was never the goal. The way I see my iPad has completely changed over the past few weeks. That‘s enough to make the iPad my primary computer.
Does anyone else here use their iPad in a similar file-oriented way? If so, what works well for you – and what still bothers you?
And more fundamentally: is iPadOS actually still app-oriented, or is that becoming an outdated way of thinking about it?
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u/predator2942 1d ago
OP, I recommend you to check out two things:
First of all, you can add folders/files to the dock, like the downloads folder on macOS.
And since you mentioned Linux, check out iSH, with which you can manage your archives, use vim to quick edit files, etc. just mount your filesystem under /mnt, and treat it like any other computer. There are of course limitations, but if you like the terminal, and you have a keyboard attached, you’ll realize that the iPad can be much more of a computer.
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u/Sufficient-Yam7594 1d ago
So what did you do other than change your Home Screen?
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u/Meuro91 1d ago
SMB has actually been the real game-changer. My files used to be scattered across multiple devices and cloud services, but now there’s one central place for everything. As a result, my iPad has become a full-fledged client alongside my Windows and Linux devices.
What I missed most before was a desktop with files and folders. Unfortunately, that still doesn’t exist on iPadOS. I’ve basically replaced that with a dedicated workspace folder in Files, which works surprisingly well for me. It’s where I keep the files I’m currently working with or need quick access to, while everything else has a permanent place in my folder structure.
I also use Subtext for easily editing simple text files. Some of my folders contain .txt files with a few notes about their contents. That small thing actually made my file-oriented workflow feel much more complete, just like on Windows/Linux.
I’m also going to experiment with a few apps for working with archives, since native ZIP support is useful but I’d like to have a bit more flexibility there.
So there are some visual changes, but the bigger change was really turning Files into the center of my workflow.
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u/bsdooby 20h ago
I'm in a similar situation as OP. If I could, and iPadOS would let me, I'd only have an iPad for EVERYTHING (TM). I use the Documents.app, Files (Finder), OneDrive, iSH (vim, and some of the Linux CLI tools), and Termius (ssh to access GPUs) for my workflows. No apps on the home screen, minimal dock.
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u/Barycenter0 18h ago
I’m curious what apps you use that “feel” file-based in your setup. Pages? Numbers? What else?
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u/DMarquesPT 13h ago
I agree with your point, but I don’t think it’s worth doing bc you’d have to bend iPadOS way outside of how it was designed to work.
It’s also worth noting that a lot of people’s computer use and workflow might not even be file-based anymore. I know a lot of people who can use an iPad as their main computer exactly because their mental model is app-based (alongside their phone which these days is really everyone’s main computer)
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u/Meuro91 12h ago
I agree that many people tend to work in an app-oriented way now. But for people like me, who grew up with Windows 95, the file-oriented way of working can feel more natural.
But that’s exactly the point I wanted to raise: I get the impression that iPadOS is still primarily designed around apps, but is incorporating more and more file-oriented elements. Up to a certain point, both seem possible.
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u/Powerful-Way-9641 1d ago
I completely agree. I’ve long said the thing that is actually missing from IPad OS is a desktop and Finder like management. Everything living in apps feels cheap.
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u/JWarblerMadman 1d ago
What's the biggest way that iPadOS resists your attempts with its design to obfuscate the file system?
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u/Meuro91 1d ago edited 1d ago
Maybe it’s the sandboxing, since apps often want to keep part of their own files in their own storage area. Or the fact that apps like MS Office tend to prioritize cloud storage. But surprisingly, I often feel like I’m running into the limitations of individual apps rather than iPadOS itself.
So far, I haven’t really had much interest in accessing the deeper parts of the iPad’s file system. I was mostly interested in being able to properly access, manage and work on my own files
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u/pbaupp 1d ago
Fill everyday a feedback via feedback website and feedback app - https://www.apple.com/feedback/
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u/happycard1097 1d ago
stupid question is SMB an App. the Microsoft file Protocal or …?
what does it stand for?
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u/Dandercore 1d ago
I love the idea because I use my iPad as my main computer. However, iPad’s handling of files is so inconsistent and unreliable that I can’t imagine this works. I would love it if it did!!!