Play games on iPad

In the App Store app , you can find your next game across dozens of categories including action, adventure, racing, puzzles, and more. You can also play with your friends, earn achievements, and compete on leaderboards using Game Center.

Note: Game Center, Apple Arcade, and Apple One aren’t available in all countries or regions. See the Apple Support article Availability of Apple Media Services. The availability of Apple Arcade games across devices varies based on hardware and software compatibility. Some content may not be available in all areas. See the Apple Support article Apple Arcade game availability across devices.

Find and download games

Tap any of the following:
- Games: Explore new releases, see the top charts, or browse by category.
- Arcade: Enjoy the curated collection of premium games from Apple Arcade (subscription required) without ads or in-app purchases.
- Search: Enter what you’re looking for, then tap Search on the keyboard.
To download a game, tap any of the following:
- The price: Buy the game.
  If you see instead of a price, you already purchased the game, and you can download it again for free.
- Get: The game is free or included with your Apple Arcade subscription. If the game is coming soon, you’re notified when it’s available.
If required, authenticate your Apple ID with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.

Play Apple Arcade games on your other Apple devices

If you subscribe to Apple Arcade, you can play and access your game progress on your compatible Apple devices where you’re signed in with your Apple ID. (Not all Apple Arcade games are available on Mac and Apple TV.)

See the Apple Support article Access your Apple Arcade gameplay data on all of your devices.

Connect a wireless game controller to iPad

See the manufacturer’s instructions and Set up and use Bluetooth accessories on iPad.

Play with your friends in Game Center

You can send friend requests, manage your public profile, and track your high scores across your Apple devices using Game Center.

Go to Settings > Game Center, then sign in with your Apple ID.
To create a Game Center profile, do any of the following:
- Choose a nickname: Tap Nickname, then enter a name or choose one of the suggestions. Your friends see your nickname when you play games together.
- Personalize your profile picture: Tap Edit at the top, then create a new Memoji, use an existing Memoji, or customize how your initials appear.
To add friends, tap Add Friends, then enter their phone number or Apple ID, or tap to invite someone in your Contacts list.
Recipients can respond to friend requests in any of the following ways:
- In Messages, tap the link.
- In a supported game, tap the Game Center profile picture, tap Friends, then tap Friend Requests.
- In the App Store, tap or your profile picture at the top right, tap Game Center, then tap Friend Requests.

In your list of friends, tap a friend to see games they recently played and their achievements. You can also report a user for cheating, an inappropriate picture or nickname, or another problem. To remove a friend, tap Remove Friend.

Set Game Center restrictions

You can set restrictions for multiplayer games, adding friends, private messaging, and more.

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, then turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
Tap Content Restrictions, scroll down to Game Center, then set restrictions.

Helpful?

iPad User Guide