Multi Touch gestures have been a feature on iPad since iOS 5.0, yet many people still don’t know that it exists, or aren’t sure how to use it. When you do make use of this feature though, you will be able to use your iPad more efficiently and conveniently. You do have to make sure this feature is turned on though and to do that, just tap on Settings, then General and scroll down until you find the Multitasking Gestures tab. At that point, you will be able to toggle the switch to on and start to use the multi touch gestures.

To use the multi touch options on your iPad after it is turned on, go back your home screen and call up the multitasking bar to switch quickly back and forth between open apps and close multiple apps all at the same time. All you have to do to call up the multitasking bar is either double tap the Home button or swipe the screen upward with four fingers.

One way to use the multi touch feature on your iPad after you are sure it’s turned on is to pinch apps to quickly get back to your home screen. To do this, touch your screen with four or five fingers in a “pinching” motion and you will be taken directly back to your home screen. You can also quickly swipe from left to right or right to left to quickly access all your open apps.

If you want to use the multi touch option on your iPad to close multiple apps all at the same time, call up the multitasking toolbar and touch the little red minus icon that you will see on each open app with a different finger.

You will notice that some apps work excellently with the multi touch option and that others work better without it. You can learn which ones work the best with it in the iTunes description of each app. If there are apps that you want to use that don’t work well with the multi touch feature, you can always go back to Settings and turn it off and then turn it back on later.