How to master Pages’ image formatting tools on iPad & iPhone

Pages is like Microsoft Word’s fun cousin, offering formatting options for all your created content, easy photo manipulation and other cool features that are specifically designed for creative people who want to enjoy working on their iPads. These tools are surprisingly powerful, too
– whether you want to edit your photo or you want to add elements like frames, borders and shadows, the tools you need are all within easy reach.

Whether you need to crop an image to fit a certain area, or add a mask to your shot so it fits into a specific shape, the tools are there. Pages also offers a powerful Instant Alpha tool to help you cut out photos and other images so you only get the subject you want, without any distractions. Style options give you the ability to add borders, frames and shadows in various styles and colours, and of course you can add effects like reflection that will look fantastic on any document. And when you’re happy with the effects you have applied, you can choose wrap and organisation options so your images look perfect whether alongside text or standing alone.

Read on and we’ll show you how to make the most of these options, and how to customise the standard settings to make every image look completely unique. You’ll be creating incredible documents in no time.

1 Pick a style

Select your image with a tap, then hit the formatting icon in the toolbar. The first tab shows all your styles, but each one is very customisable, so tap any one to get started.

2 Customise your style

Tap the Style Options button below and choose whether or not to add a border, using the controls to customise it, or scroll down to select one of the photo frame options.

3 Add a Mask

To mask an image with a shape, first add the shape you want, tap and hold it, then tap the image to select that too. You can then use the pop-up Mask With Shape option.

4 Edit mask

To edit the mask of an image, simply double-tap it or choose Edit Mask from the Format menu. You can do this with any image, not just those that have been masked by a shape.

5 Instant Alpha

You can also remove an image’s background using Pages’ Instant Alpha tool. It’s found in the Format menu’s Image tab, and a tap will open the tool up for the selected photo.

6 Tap and drag

Pinch to zoom in on your photo for improved accuracy. Tap and hold, then drag slowly away from the point to extend the range. Release your finger to remove the highlighted areas.

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