Can I rearrange my iPad apps from my Mac?

Asked on Apple Support Communities in 2020, where the replies were “No” and a link to the old iTunes 12.6.5. The question is the iPad side of the much larger “arrange iPhone apps from my computer” question.

Option 1: Universal Control (built in, free)

Universal Control lets one keyboard and trackpad work across a Mac and an iPad that sit next to each other. Move the pointer past the edge of the Mac screen and it appears on the iPad. Both need to be signed in to the same Apple Account, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Handoff on.

On the iPad, you can then enter jiggle mode and drag icons with the pointer, which some people find more precise than a finger. It is still the iPad's own editor, though: one page at a time, and moving an app pushes the others along. iPhone Mirroring, the iPhone equivalent, does not work with iPad.

Option 2: Apple Configurator (free, for managed devices)

Apple Configurator, Apple's Mac tool for schools and companies, works with iPads as well as iPhones. With the iPad connected, Modify > Home Screen Layout opens an editor where you can drag apps between pages.

It is meant for devices that a school or company manages, and people on Apple's forums report that it only takes effect on supervised devices. On an iPad that is not supervised, people report that the changes do not stick, and others report widgets being removed. See our Configurator guides before relying on it.

Option 3: TidyGrid

1. Connect the iPad to your Mac with a cable and tap Trust on it if asked.
2. TidyGrid reads the Dock, every page, folders (including folder pages), widgets and web shortcuts, and lays the pages out side by side on the iPad's real grid.
3. Drag apps between pages, select several with Command-click or a selection box and move them together, build and rename folders, add or remove pages, and move apps to or from the App Library.
4. Use Arrange to put apps in order By color or A to Z. On iPad, pages that contain widgets are left exactly as they are, because iPad widget sizes are not measured yet. Pages without widgets are rearranged and their gaps closed.
5. Press Apply. TidyGrid saves the current layout as a backup, writes the new one, reads it back and checks the iPad matches.

Where TidyGrid stands on iPad today

Writing a layout has been verified on real devices running iPadOS 15.3.1 and iOS 27.2. Check that list against the iPadOS version in Settings > General > About before you count on applying. On iPadOS versions we have not finished testing, TidyGrid opens the layout read-only and tells you so: you can still see every page, plan a new layout and keep it as a draft, but Apply stays off until that version is tested. The tested list on this page is updated as versions are checked.

Who this works for

• TidyGrid needs a Mac with Apple silicon and a cable to the iPad.
• Reading a layout is tested on iPadOS 15, iOS 16, iOS 17 and iOS 27.
• Applying a layout is tested on iPadOS 15.3.1 and iOS 27.2. iOS 16, iOS 17, iOS 18 and iOS 26 are still in testing, and on those, and on iPadOS versions not yet tested, TidyGrid opens the layout read-only.
• TidyGrid is planned for release in early December 2026. Until then there is a waitlist.

What it cannot do

• TidyGrid does not run on Windows or on Intel Macs.
• It works over a cable, not over Wi-Fi.
• On iPad, Arrange does not touch pages that contain widgets. It also does not reorder the apps inside folders.
• It cannot change the iPad's grid size or icon spacing.
• It cannot add widgets or change widget settings.

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