Hands-On With the New Freeform App in iPadOS 16.2

When the new software updates were introduced way back in June, Apple demonstrated a new Freeform app that was in development. Freeform is now in the final stages of development, and the app is available in the iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 betas.


Freeform is available cross-platform, but it works best on the iPad because of the Apple Pencil integration. At first glance, it looks similar to the Notes and Preview apps, offering up some of the same editing tools.

There's an interface with a grid where users can insert drawings, sticky notes, text boxes, shapes, photos, and videos, plus it supports links, PDFs, and other document types. There are all kinds of shapes to choose from, including animals, nature, food, geometry, symbols, arts, science, and people.

Text and shapes can be customized with different colors and styles, and there are quick access tools for edits like duplication and deletion. Undo and redo tools are available, and on the Mac, you can add photos, scanned documents, and sketches from your iOS device using Continuity features.

Multiple Freeform boards are supported, and Apple intends for Freeform to be used collaboratively. All of your boards can be shared with others, and all participants can update a board and add new features, with the changes shown in real-time. As of right now, the sharing features do not appear to be implemented.

Apple will continue to improve the Freeform experience over the course of the beta testing period, adding new features and new functionality.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
35 months ago
I feel like this New Freeform App is going to help me make lots of new friends.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
35 months ago

I stopped watching at “This is my first time opening the app”. Why post a video where the viewer could just do the same thing in the same amount of time?
Relax.

Not everyone wants to download a new app that's part of a beta OS to give it a whirl.

I certainly don't. Props to MR for checking it out for readers with a hands-on demo.

Looking forward to iPadOS 16.2!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ultra Golden Software Avatar
35 months ago
As a custom software developer, I find this app to be promising. Being able to "spitball" with clients and other developers on a whiteboard using a pencil while incorporating links and graphics would be very helpful. Of course there are other platforms like Zoom which provide collaborative whiteboards but they can become expensive for a small business.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
35 months ago
Ridiculous, tying a such simple App to an OS update, instead of making it available over the AppStore.
Just a confession of failure, that they can't innovate anymore.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wallaby Avatar
35 months ago

Since when has Apple ever designed something to be better outside of there own eco system?
Introducing Apple Freeform, the best way to collaborate on Windows Surface Pro
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
evertjr Avatar
35 months ago
this actually looks amazing, simplistic but powerful like most Apple apps. I can see myself using it a lot.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)