---
title: "Observe iPad guide"
description: "Connect an Observe iPad build to a Hew program on your LAN, inspect actors with touch controls, record sessions and export captures through Files."
source: "https://hew.sh/docs/observe/ipad"
---

# Observe on iPad

Inspect actors with touch controls and keep captures for later.

Check [current downloads](/docs/observe#install) for platform availability. These instructions cover the Tauri app's 0.1.1 iPad controls, including supplied test builds; there is no public iPad download listed yet.

## Connect to your computer

Put the iPad and computer on the same trusted network. On the computer, bind the program's profiler to its actual LAN address:

Replace the example address with your computer's LAN address

```bash
HEW_OBSERVE=hot HEW_PPROF=192.168.1.10:6060 ./my_program
```

1.  Open Observe on the iPad and allow local-network access when iPadOS asks.
2.  Enter `http://192.168.1.10:6060` in **Connect to Profiler**, using your computer's address.
3.  Tap **Connect**, then use **Overview** to confirm samples are arriving.

The iPad's `localhost` points to the iPad. If connection fails, check the computer's firewall, the port and Local Network permission in iPadOS Settings. Keep this endpoint off public networks; it exposes runtime details without a login.

![Observe app touch layout at iPad width, with seven tabs, session controls and Overview metrics](/images/observe/ipad.png)

The app frontend at iPad width with sample data. Native system dialogs are provided by iPadOS.

## Inspect with touch

Tap a tab; scroll the tab row horizontally in Split View. Select actors and supervisor roles for details. Tap timeline events to open their inspector. Zoom, pan, follow-latest and freeze actions have on-screen buttons, so a hardware keyboard is optional. **Freeze View** pauses the viewport while collection continues.

## Record, keep and export a session

1.  Leave **traces** selected to retain events and tap **Record**.
2.  Tap **Stop recording** when the interesting interval ends.
3.  Use **Saved captures…** to reopen app-owned recordings, including after relaunch.
4.  Choose **Export last…**, then select a destination in the native Files picker.

Cancelling the picker keeps your saved capture available. If a Files provider fails, retry with an available destination. Exported files can include endpoint addresses, actor names, handler names and crash messages; review them before sharing.

## Reopen after the program exits

Choose **Saved captures…** for the retained recording, or **Open capture…** for an exported `.hewobs` file. Replay is read-only and works without the producer. Review gaps and clean-close status before drawing conclusions from missing events.

Do not depend on continuous live polling while the app is backgrounded or the device is locked. Stop/finalize first when the interval must be retained, and review gaps after returning.

See the [iPad manual chapter](/observe/manual/manual.html#using-observe-on-ipad), [seven-tab guide](/docs/observe#tabs), or [download the full PDF manual](/observe/manual/manual.pdf).