Touch gestures represent the primary way to control your iPad, so be sure to practice using the tap, scroll, and pinch gestures until they become second nature. By knowing these three commands, you’ll be able to get the most out of your iPad no matter which app you may be using at the time.

In a few apps, such as the Photos app, you can use a fourth touch gesture known as the rotate command, which lets you rotate an image on the screen. Just place two spread fingers on the screen, and then rotate your two fingers in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to rotate the image currently displayed on the screen.

Try these common touch gestures on different apps, both the built-in ones that come with your iPad and any additional ones you may have downloaded from the App Store. You’ll quickly see how you can control almost any app with your fingers alone. Some applications also use the iPad’s orientation as a control, and nearly all apps will change depending on how you hold your iPad: in portrait or landscape mode.