Last Updated | July 19, 2026
Epic Canto is Epic’s iPad application for clinicians and the tablet counterpart to Epic Haiku, which is designed for smartphones. The larger tablet format is particularly relevant during hospital rounds, where clinicians need patient information to move with them. A study found that 56.2% of clinical information access during ward rounds occurred through iPads, compared with 35.8% through computers on wheels. Epic Canto supports that point-of-care use case by providing access to patient lists, notes, results, medications, schedules, the In Basket, and dictation on an iPad. This guide explains what Epic Canto actually does, how it compares with Haiku, and what building for Epic mobile requires.
Epic Mobile Apps
Epic has three mobile apps, differentiated on the basis of their role and device:
Epic Haiku
Runs on iPhone and Android phones, useful for fast lookups, schedules, and messaging.
Epic Canto
Made for iPad only; offers a bigger screen and real note-writing.
Epic Rover
It runs on phones and some tablets, built for inpatient nursing. Supports barcoded medication administration, flowsheets, wound photos.
All three read from the same live Epic environment, and it is not a summarized mobile copy of the chart. What a clinician sees in Epic Canto is the production record, the same one they would open in Hyperspace.
Epic Canto vs Haiku
Epic runs 43.7% of US acute care hospitals and 56.9% of beds, and Epic Canto ships to every one of those sites. It is a default piece of clinical software sitting on tablets across nearly half the hospital beds in the country.
App |
Device |
Operating system |
Best suited for |
Epic Haiku |
iPhone, Android phones | iOS, Android | Quick lookups, schedules, messaging |
Epic Canto |
Apple iPad only | iPadOS | Chart review, note writing, image review |
Epic Canto App is not for Android
- Epic does not build Canto for Android tablets.
- A lot of health systems standardize on iPads for exactly this reason.
- An Android-first shop runs Haiku on phones, uses Epic Rover for tablet-style inpatient work, and simply does without the tablet-charting experience Epic Canto offers.
Epic Canto is the Most Capable Mobile App
- Clinicians reach for their phone during rounds. Typing a note on a touchscreen is slower than on a keyboard.
- Many providers use Epic Canto to review and their phone or the desktop to write.
How Clinicians Work With Epic Canto
A provider on rounds opens Epic Canto to their patient list, taps a chart, and goes straight to what changes the plan. The latest note, new labs, imaging, the medication list, all in it.
Abnormal results are flagged, which is usually the reason the iPad came out in the first place. From the same screen, they clear In Basket results and messages, so nothing waits until they are back at a workstation.
Then there is documentation, which is Epic Canto’s real advantage over Haiku. The iPad has room for SmartPhrases, SmartLists, and note templates, and a clinician can dictate and finish a note without opening Hyperspace.
But Epic Canto cannot build an order set, reconcile a long medication list, or work a multi-problem encounter.
How to access Epic Canto?
Access Epic Canto in 5 easy steps:
1. Confirm that your organization allows Epic Canto access
Epic Canto is meant to be used by authorized clinical staff, not patients. Your hospital or healthcare organization must license Canto and enable access for your Epic account. Contact your Epic support team, IT help desk, or clinical informatics department for that.
2. Install Epic Canto on your iPad
On the iPad you will use for work:
- Open the Apple App Store.
- Search for Epic Canto.
- Verify that the developer is Epic.
- Tap Get or the download icon.
- Wait for the installation to finish.
3. Configure Canto for your hospital
Your organization should provide a configuration link, setup webpage, QR code, email, or mobile-device-management profile.
Open that setup link on the same iPad where Canto is installed. Tap the option labeled Canto Configuration, Configure Canto, or similar. When asked whether the link can open Canto, tap Open.
Do not use another hospital’s configuration link. Each organization connects Canto to its own Epic environment.
4. Accept the agreement and register the device
When Epic Canto opens:
- Accept the license or security agreement.
- Complete any device-registration prompts.
- Enter a configuration password if your organization provided one.
- Complete multifactor authentication or Epic Authenticator enrollment if required.
5. Sign in and test your access
Open Epic Canto and enter the same Epic username and password you normally use for Epic Hyperspace, unless your organization gave different instructions. Complete multifactor authentication if prompted.
After signing in, confirm that you can see the appropriate clinical features, such as your schedule, patient lists, In Basket, results, or notes. The exact features available depend on your organization’s configuration and your assigned permissions.
If login fails, send your IT help desk the exact error message and ask them to verify your Canto authorization, device registration, configuration profile, and Epic security role.
What a Canto Rollout Across a Health System Involves
Epic Canto gives clinicians access to patient information through an iPad, so the organization must make sure the app is secure and connected to the correct Epic environment. The access should only be available to approved users and suitable for the clinical workflows it is intended to support.
A successful rollout usually involves several teams working together, including:
- Epic analysts
- Information security
- Networking
- Mobile device management
- Clinical leadership
- Training
- Help desk
1. Defining the Purpose and Scope
The health system first needs to decide why it is introducing Canto and who should receive access. The organization may want physicians to review patient charts while moving between locations, allow on-call clinicians to access results from home, or help clinical leaders manage In Basket messages away from a workstation.
The project team must identify which groups will be included in the rollout. Access may be limited to physicians and advanced practice providers, or it may include other approved clinical staff. This step is important because the size and purpose of the rollout will affect device requirements, training needs, technical support, security controls, and project timelines.
2. Establishing Project Ownership
Clinical leaders are needed to decide how Epic Canto should be used in practice. Epic analysts are responsible for system configuration and user access. Information security reviews how patient information will be protected. The network team confirms that the app can connect reliably. The mobile device team manages the iPads, and the training and help-desk teams support users.
Without clear responsibilities, problems may be passed between teams and remain unresolved. The health system should therefore define who approves access, who manages devices, who resolves login issues, and who makes decisions about clinical workflows.
3. Reviewing the Current Environment
Before configuring Canto, the organization should assess its existing technology and policies. The project team should confirm whether Canto is already licensed, which Epic environments are available, how clinicians currently access Epic remotely, and whether the organization already uses mobile device management.
The team also needs to review supported iPad models, operating system requirements, multifactor authentication, Wi-Fi coverage, remote access, and current mobile-device policies. This review helps identify any gaps. They may discover that some iPads are too old, remote access is not configured, or personal devices are not currently permitted.
4. Configuring Canto in Epic
Epic analysts must configure Canto so that it connects to the health system’s Epic environment. They must define the production environment, testing environment, connection details, authentication methods, session settings, and mobile access rules.
The organization may provide users with a configuration link, QR code, setup website, or managed device profile. When users open this configuration on their iPad, it tells the Canto app which Epic system to connect to. This configuration is specific to the organization. Simply downloading Canto from the App Store does not give a user access to the health system’s Epic system.
5. Setting Up Secure Network Access
Canto must be able to connect securely whether the clinician is inside the hospital or working remotely. The network team needs to confirm that the app works on internal Wi-Fi, approved external networks, home internet connections, and other locations where clinicians may need access.
Depending on the health system’s setup, users may need a virtual private network, secure gateway, or another remote-access method. The team should also test connection speed and reliability. A clinician may technically be able to log in, but slow loading times or repeated connection failures can make the app difficult to use during clinical work.
6. Protecting Patient Information
Because Epic Canto provides access to protected health information, security is a major part of the rollout. The health system must decide how users will verify their identity, how devices will be protected, and what will happen if an iPad is lost or stolen.
Security controls may include multifactor authentication, strong passcodes, device encryption, automatic screen locking, session timeouts, remote wipe, device registration, and access monitoring. The organization must also decide whether clinicians can use personal iPads or only health-system-owned devices. Personal devices may require additional agreements, security checks, and mobile device management enrollment.
These controls are intended to reduce the risk of unauthorized access while still allowing clinicians to use the app efficiently.
7. Managing the iPads
Mobile device management allows the organization to install the app, apply configuration settings, enforce security requirements, check whether a device is compliant, and remove organizational data when necessary.
In case any clinician leaves the organization or loses an iPad, the mobile device team may be able to remove Canto access without affecting the user’s personal data. This process also helps the organization manage application updates and block devices that are outdated, jailbroken, or otherwise considered unsafe.
8. Assigning User Access
Each user needs an active Epic account and the correct security role. The user may also need department access, patient-access permissions, mobile access approval, multifactor authentication enrollment, and device registration.
The access team should confirm that each user can only see the information and functions required for their role. A physician may need access to patient charts, results, schedules, and In Basket messages, while another user may have a more limited level of access. This process helps protect patient information and prevents users from receiving unnecessary permissions.
9. Defining Clinical Workflows
Epic Canto may be used for reviewing charts, checking laboratory results, reading imaging reports, reviewing medication lists, accessing patient lists, managing schedules, responding to In Basket messages, or completing selected documentation.
However, it may not support every task available in Epic Hyperspace. Some complex documentation, order entry, or administrative workflows may still require a workstation. The organization should clearly explain what Canto is intended for and what it is not intended for. This avoids confusion and reduces the risk of clinicians attempting to complete unsupported tasks.
10. Testing the System
Testing should begin with installation and configuration, but it should also include login, multifactor authentication, patient search, chart access, results review, patient lists, In Basket, documentation, session timeout, and remote access.
Different user roles should be tested because one clinician may have access while another receives an error due to different security settings. Testing should also take place on different iPad models, operating system versions, networks, and physical locations. The purpose of testing is to identify problems before go-live rather than discovering them when clinicians are already trying to use the app during patient care.
11. Running a Pilot
Most health systems begin with a pilot group instead of releasing Canto to everyone at once. A pilot may include a small number of physicians, advanced practice providers, clinical leaders, and support staff. These users test Canto during real clinical work and report problems.
The pilot helps the project team understand whether the technical setup works, whether the workflows are practical, and whether the training materials are clear. The pilot may reveal that users are having difficulty with device enrollment, that certain departments need different permissions, or that the support team needs better troubleshooting instructions.
12. Training Clinicians
Training should focus on how clinicians will actually use Canto in their daily work. Users need to understand how to install and configure the app, sign in, complete multifactor authentication, find patients, review information, manage common tasks, and log out securely.
Training should also explain when clinicians should use Canto and when they should return to Hyperspace. Some users may only need a quick-reference guide, while others may benefit from a live demonstration or short video. Good training reduces support calls and helps clinicians use the app more confidently.
13. Communicating the Rollout
Users need clear information before they are expected to use Canto. The communication should explain who is eligible, which devices are supported, whether personal devices are allowed, what users must do before installation, when access will become available, and where to get help.
The health system should avoid sending users a download link without context. Users need to understand that they may have to enroll their device, register for multifactor authentication, or receive approval before they can sign in.
14. Deploying in Phases
A phased rollout allows the health system to control the number of users receiving access at one time. The organization may roll out Canto by hospital, department, specialty, region, or clinical role.
Each phase should have a defined go-live date, user list, training plan, support coverage, and escalation process. The project team should review issues from each phase before moving to the next one. This allows the organization to improve the process as the rollout expands.
15. Preparing the Help Desk
The help desk must be prepared to support Canto before users go live. Support staff should know how to:
- Troubleshoot installation problems
- Configure errors
- Solve password issues
- Authenticate multifactor authentication failures
- Solve device registration errors
- Offer a way out for missing permissions & network problems
- Configure unsupported devices
They also need to know when an issue should be sent to the Epic team, security team, network team, or mobile device team. Without a clear support process, clinicians may be transferred between teams and experience long delays.
16. Supporting the System After Go-Live
After the rollout, health systems must continue to manage application updates, iPad operating system changes, security requirements, user access, device replacements, and changes to clinical workflows. The organization should also review support tickets and user feedback to identify recurring problems.
Repeated login failures may indicate an authentication issue, while low use in one department may suggest that users need additional training or that the app does not meet their workflow needs.
17. Measuring Success
The health system should define how it will determine whether the rollout is successful. Measures may include the number of users activated, login success rates, adoption levels, support-ticket volume, training completion, user satisfaction, and security compliance.
The organization may also look at whether Canto helps clinicians complete mobile tasks more efficiently or reduces the need to return to a workstation for simple chart review. These measures help leadership decide whether the rollout is meeting its goals and where improvements are needed.
Folio3 Digital Health Supports Epic Interoperability for Canto
Folio3 Digital Health, an Epic Vendor Services provider, works on the Epic integration layer that connects these external systems with Epic. The team develops and implements Epic-supported integrations using HL7, FHIR, SMART on FHIR, web services, and other applicable interface technologies.
These integrations can make external data available within Epic-supported workflows that clinicians may access through Canto, depending on the health system’s Epic configuration and the capabilities supported by the relevant interface.
The objective is not to modify the Canto application itself. It is to build secure and reliable connections between Epic and external systems while keeping Epic as the primary clinical system of record.
Closing Note
Epic Canto is a useful tool that shows the Epic chart on an iPad for review and light documentation at the point of care. It is the reason to choose iPads if you want tablet-based Epic access, and its image capture is quietly one of the best things about it. It is also frequently over-bought and under-used, because typing on glass loses to a keyboard, so plan any rollout around what clinicians will actually do on the device rather than what the spec sheet promises. And if you are building a product that has to live in Epic’s mobile world, the honest takeaway is that you will not extend Canto.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is Epic Canto?
Clinicians use it to reach the Epic chart from an iPad to review notes, test results, medications, schedules, and patient lists, and write notes with SmartTools, and capture clinical photos into the record. It brings most everyday Hyperspace review and light documentation to a tablet at the point of care.
2. Can you get Epic Canto on Android?
No. Canto is iPad only, and Epic does not build it for Android tablets. On Android, clinicians use Haiku on phones and Rover for tablet-style inpatient work. If you specifically need Epic on an Android tablet, Canto will not cover it.
3. What is the difference between Epic Haiku and Canto?
The device: Haiku is the phone app for iPhone and Android; Epic Canto is the iPad app only. They share most clinical features, but the iPad’s larger screen makes Canto better for writing notes and reviewing images. In real use, many clinicians keep both and default to the phone for speed.
4. Is the Epic Canto app free?
It is free to download from the App Store, but you cannot use it without an active Epic account at an organization that has provisioned your access.
5. Can Epic Canto be used for wound care?
Yes. Epic Canto for wound care is suitable for photo capture and chart-side review. A clinician can photograph a wound in Canto and attach it to the chart securely. Structured measurement and tracking over time usually run through Rover and a tool like TissueAnalytics, with Canto handling the fast bedside capture.
6. What is the difference between Epic Canto and Epic Rover?
Epic Canto is the provider iPad app for chart review and documentation. Epic Rover is built for inpatient nursing: barcoded medication administration, flowsheet documentation, specimen collection, and wound photos, mostly on phones. They overlap on images and review but suit different roles, and many hospitals run all three apps together.
About the Author
Shalin Amir Ali
I am a Software Engineer specializing in digital health technologies, developing secure, cloud-based applications for telemedicine, health tracking, referral management, DICOM viewer applications for medical imaging, and HL7/FHIR integration. Passionate about AI-driven diagnostics and health informatics, I build solutions that enhance patient care and optimize clinical workflows. With expertise in Python, .NET (C#), React.js, Next.js, TypeScript, and JavaScript, I create scalable healthcare applications that seamlessly integrate with modern ecosystems.
