Getting Started
visualOS on iPhone, iPad & Mac
The native app shows the real thing: the complete canvas with every feature, driven by touch — plus Apple Pencil support and sync through a folder in your own iCloud Drive.
More in Getting Started
Getting set up
- Install the app
One purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac — no subscription. The browser version remains free either way.
- Connect your iCloud folder
Open settings via the ⋮ menu → Folder & Workspace → Connect and pick a folder in iCloud Drive (create one first in the Files app if needed, e.g.
iCloud Drive/visualOS). Choose the same folder on each of your devices. - Set the folder to “Keep Downloaded”
In the Files app (or Finder on Mac), make sure the folder stays on the device. This is the single most important step for fast, reliable sync — full instructions here.
Touch controls
| Gesture | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drag with one finger (empty canvas) | Pan the view |
| Pinch with two fingers | Zoom in / out |
| Tap an element | Select it (“pick it up”) |
| Drag a selected element | Move it — unselected elements pan instead, so you never move something by accident |
| Double-tap | Open / edit (folder, note, document…) |
| Long-press (½ second) | Context menu (like right-click) |
New elements come from the + button, undo/redo lives in the pill at the bottom-left, and everything else is in the ⋮ menu.
Apple Pencil
Drawing on iPad is a first-class citizen: pressure sensitivity, smooth 240 Hz strokes, and palm rejection — rest your hand on the screen while you sketch; finger touches are ignored while the Pencil is down. More in Drawing & Apple Pencil.
The Mac app
The Mac app is the same full canvas with mouse and trackpad support — pinch to zoom, scroll to pan, right-click menus, all keyboard shortcuts. It connects to the same iCloud folder as your iPhone and iPad.
PDFs, videos and Office files open in iOS’s built-in viewer (QuickLook) or the default app on Mac — double-tap any file card.