Support

Write to a person, not a ticket system.

PCBPad is made by one developer. Every message is read, usually within a few days.

Email

pcbpad.app@gmail.com, or the Feedback button on the app's home screen, which opens your Mail app with a message addressed to us.

Community

r/PCBPad: release notes, known issues, and questions others have already asked.

What to include in a bug report

• Your iPad or Mac model and the system version.
• Your Apple Pencil model, or "no Pencil".
• The app version, as shown on the app's page in the App Store or TestFlight.
• What you did, what you expected, what happened. A screen recording helps most.
• If you can share it, the .kicad_pcb or .kicad_sch file. It is used only to reproduce the problem and deleted when you ask.

The most valuable report: you saved a file in PCBPad, compared it with the original (for example with git diff), and something changed that you did not change.

Common questions

How do I open my own project?

Copy the project folder to your iPad (iCloud Drive, AirDrop, or a USB drive), then use the open command at the top left of the app, or tap the .kicad_pcb file in the Files app. Opening the whole folder lets PCBPad also find the schematic and the project rules next to the board.

I don't have an Apple Pencil. Can I draw?

Yes. When the app hasn't seen a Pencil, the board offers to let you draw with one finger. You can also choose it in Settings › Preferences › drawing with fingers. Then one finger draws, two fingers pan, and pinching zooms. On Mac, drag with the pointer to draw and scroll to pan.

Will KiCad open the files I save?

That is the point of the app: it saves the same file format and rewrites only what you changed. It has been tested on real projects, including the KiCad 10 format. If a file comes back different, please send it.

How do I undo?

Tap with two fingers to undo and with three to redo. Hold one finger still for the radial menu.

Where are my files?

Files you opened stay where they were. Boards you create in the app are in the Files app, under PCBPad. Nothing is stored on a server.

Does it cost anything?

PCBPad is free during the preview, and the pricing isn't decided yet. If a paid plan ever comes, opening your boards, viewing them in 2D and 3D, and checking them with the design rules and the ratsnest will stay free.

Is this an official KiCad app?

No. PCBPad is an independent app that reads and writes the KiCad file formats and ships copies of the official KiCad libraries, credited in Settings. Please send questions about PCBPad to the address above, not to the KiCad project.