Tablets and iPads can serve as an affordable alternative to full-scale monitor setups, especially when meant for occasional use. This remote-access tool allows you to use your Windows PC from the iPad or tablet with a subscription or for free.
Splashtop, an app you install on your tablet or iPad, and Splash Display, a Windows PC agent. Follow the steps below for detailed instructions on how to connect your iPad or tablet to a Windows PC:
Use a charging cable to connect your iPad or tablet to the computer once the software gets installed. Just launch the XDisplay app on your Windows desktop and tweak the frame rate, screen quality, and resolution. Much like Splashtop, Duet Display works by connecting your iPad and Windows with a charging cable. The standard version supports iPad keyboards and will add touch controls to your computer apps on the screen.
You can use the “Duet Air” feature that comes with a paid subscription to add wireless connectivity, remote desktop, and enhanced graphics.
If you plan on using the tablet for drawing features, you may want to pay the extra fee for a “Duet Pro” subscription. To tweak the screen settings, select the Duet Display icon on the PC. If you want to connect an Android tablet to a Mac, skip to the “Alternative methods” section.
The Sidecar is a great native tool that lets you use your iPad in landscape orientation as a second monitor for your Mac. To set up Sidecar, first, make sure you’re logged in with the same Apple ID on your iPad and Mac. If you haven’t connected your Mac to the iPad, navigate to the Control Centre, then click “Display.” You’ll see the Sidecar menu appear. Maybe you have an older Mac version that doesn’t support Sidecar, or you’re using an Android tablet. XDisplay offers a pretty decent screen mirroring experience, and it’s a great alternative if your Mac doesn’t have the Sidecar function. You can pay extra to get a wireless connectivity version and other features like remote desktop or enhanced graphics.
Thankfully, there are enough excellent apps that help connect the devices, and Mac even has a built-in feature that allows you to do so.
How to Use Your iPad as a Second Monitor on Any Computer
Two monitors are better than one, and with a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, you can turn your iPad into a second display with Sidecar, which allows your computer to talk with your tablet and extend the same desktop environment. Thankfully, a few third-party apps can help fill the void on all the devices that can’t run Sidecar.
You can mirror your Mac’s display or extend it, show or hide the Sidebar and Touch Bar that appear on the iPad, or disconnect your tablet. There is some noticeable latency, and I did have some trouble with it getting stuck in Mirrored Mode on one of my computers, but for the price of free, it’s worth a shot. (The $7 Android app has more mixed reviews, and if you’re going to pay money, I think it’s worth shelling out a few more and using our paid recommendation, Duet Display, below.) If you want the smoothest experience possible, Duet Display(Opens in a new window) is the best app I’ve tested for turning an iPad into a second monitor. Finally, click the Duet Display icon on your PC to gain access to a few other settings, like the frame rate and resolution your tablet uses. For me, the default settings worked great, but if you find it’s being a bit sluggish on an older laptop, lowering the resolution, frame rate, or power usage from this window may help.
Duet Display
Duet can connect between your macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices from anywhere in the world.
2 Free Ways to Use iPad as Second Monitor for PC
Using the Sidecar feature, Apple provides a native way to use the iPad as a secondary display for macOS. Fortunately, you can use an iPad as a second monitor on a Windows PC for free. Splashtop Wired XDisplay is one of the best free apps to use iPad as a second monitor for a Windows PC or Mac. As the name suggests, you need to connect PC and iPad using a lightning cable.
Fortunately, the app works on all iPad models, even the older ones, and Windows 7 users can also use it. If iPad doesn’t start working as a second monitor within a minute, unplug the lightning cable and insert it back.
Do check the tips to use the iPad as a second monitor at the end of the post. Tip: Open the Splashtop PC app to adjust the framerate, quality, and resolution of the screen. Spacedesk is another free app to convert your iPad into a second monitor. Install Spacedesk software on your iPad and Windows PC. To install it on your PC, open the Spacedesk official website. Once both the apps are installed, connect your Windows PC and iPad to the same Wi-Fi network.
Tap on OK to allow Spacedesk to find and connect to devices on the local network. However, if you get an error, try to uninstall any other screen mirroring apps like Splashtop, Duet Display, etc., from your computer.
Whether you are using an iPad wirelessly or with a wire, you should know the following tips for best results. Use this tip if your PC’s display is mirroring on your iPad instead of extending it.
You can also use the shortcut Windows key + P to quickly choose from different project modes. You can easily choose the position of the iPad in a multi-monitor setup as per your preference. If you want to mirror the entire screen of your PC to iPad, you should use the Chrome Remote Desktop extension. Grant screen mirroring permission on the web and connect to the computer on the iPad app.
How to use your iPad as a second monitor for your Windows computer
To use an iPad as a second screen on a Windows 10 computer, you’ll need to use a third-party app like SplashTop. There are also several premium apps that let you use your iPad as a second Windows screen, such as Duet Display and iDisplay. Installing a second monitor is a popular way to expand your screen real estate. If you only need a second display occasionally — like if you work from home once in a while — but don’t want to buy an entire second monitor, you can use your iPad as an inexpensive alternative. There’s no built-in way to connect your iPad to Windows as a second screen, but there are several apps you can install which do it instead. SplashTop is primarily a remote-access tool — it lets you use your Windows desktop from your iPad remotely for a subscription.
How To Use An iPad As A Second Screen On Windows
Third-party software and applications have finally enabled users to connect an iPad to a Windows computer, so that the tablet can act as a convenient extra monitor. To use an iPad as a second screen for a Windows computer, you’ll need to use a third-party software such as SplashTop, Duet Display, iDisplay, or Spacedesk. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, connecting your Apple iPad to your Windows PC computer is incredibly simple and convenient. To use your Apple device as a secondary screen on a Windows 10 computer, you’ll need to use third-party software. There are multiple options with varying features, so this will mainly come down to personal preferences and budget. SplashTop has two main components: a desktop application that runs in the background and an app for your tablet or iPad.
This means it lets you access your Windows desktop from your Apple device remotely for a subscription fee. Before you begin the setup process, ensure that iTunes is downloaded onto your Windows PC and Apple iPad.
Duet Display is similar to SplashTop as it requires a wired connection and software for both devices. With Duet Air, you’ll receive wireless connectivity, remote desktop capabilities, and improved graphics. This frees up your physical desk space and will enable you to charge your iPad simultaneously. Select OK and enable Spacedesk to find and pair the devices on your WiFi network.
If you get any error messages or prompts, uninstall any other screen monitoring tools like SplashTop, Duet Display, iDisplay, etc. If you’re still experiencing issues, you can always contact the Spacedesk customer support team for assistance.
You can use your iPad as a second monitor with just a few clicks — here’s how
Knowing how to use your iPad as a second monitor could transform how you work, whether that’s from home, school, or the office. Even if you’re not rocking the latest gear, Apple says on its support page (opens in new tab) that Sidecar works just fine as long as you’re running macOS Catalina or later on your Mac and iPadOS 13 or later on your tablet, along with one of the following: Using your iPad as a second monitor is really easy if you’re using a Mac, though the process is slightly different depending on which version of macOS you’re running.
Whichever version you have, the first step is to make sure you’re signed in to the same iCloud account on both devices. Open the Control Center on your Mac by clicking the icon that looks like two toggles in the top-right of the display. However, the app hasn’t been updated since 2018 and is reported to be laggy, though it should be more than sufficient if you’re in a pinch and need a second display for working on a spreadsheet or document. If you’re prepared to go the paid route, Duet Display (opens in new tab) is a more seamless experience — it was built by ex-Apple engineers, according to its blurb. Though the iPad app isn’t cheap at $10/£8.99, it’s certainly more cost effective than forking out for an actual monitor.
Here’s How to Turn Your iPad Into a Second Laptop Screen
Processing power is typically reduced, storage space is often more limited, and as a rule, screens are much, much smaller. That sleek Apple tablet can also be an excellent second screen for your laptop (or desktop), and it’s actually pretty simple and inexpensive to make it happen. You download an app on both your iPad and computer (or use the one that’s already built in), and the devices link through either Wi-Fi or Lightning cable to provide one cohesive display across both screens. If so, Apple’s Sidecar lets you connect your iPad to your Mac desktop or laptop, wirelessly or via a cable, and extend or mirror your display from the latter to the former.
It’s slick, straightforward, and easy to use, so if your devices all support it, Sidecar is the best way for those in the Apple ecosystem to use their iPad as a second screen. Of the third-party offerings, Duet is arguably the most popular iPad dual-screen app, thanks to its easy setup, lag-free wired connection, and wide range of features.
The app uses minimal CPU and battery, and despite running at 60fps in Retina resolution, there’s virtually no delay (lag) between the first and second screens. Cross-platform (Android and Windows) and with performance and feature updates released every month, it’s actively developed and well supported.
The base version of Duet is ideal if you’re looking to use a cable to connect your Windows or macOS computer to your iPad. At higher resolutions, both your laptop and iPad need to work harder to stream the display, and you may notice some delay on older devices. Splashtop XDisplay offers a wired way of turning your iPad into a second screen for your Windows or Mac computer. For those whose Mac and iPad meet the minimum requirements, Apple’s inbuilt Sidecar app is the obvious option.
Now that you’ve picked the app you like, go the extra mile and turn your laptop + tablet or smartphone into a makeshift double-screen computer. It’s a straightforward approach, but since you can’t align the iPad with the laptop display or computer monitor, it’s a pretty makeshift solution. You’re better off with a proper tablet stand that holds your iPad straight up and down, and can be adjusted vertically to sit perfectly in line with your main display. If you use your extra screen to stream an episode or two of your favorite show during another endless Zoom meeting, there’s nothing wrong with that!
How to use your iPad as a second monitor
The Sidecar feature first introduced in MacOS Catalina allows Mac owners to extend or mirror their primary display to an iPad. To use Sidecar, make sure the Mac and iPad are logged in with the same Apple ID. Also, be sure to connect the iPad to an electrical outlet or USB charging port given that the constant screen use will drain the battery.
Now you can enjoy a larger desktop, and if you take a screenshot, MacOS grabs both screens, not just the primary display connected to your Mac.
To mirror the Mac’s screen or make additional changes, do the following: This is a you-see-what-I-see setup and keeps all apps and programs confined within a single defined virtual space despite appearing on two displays. To stop screen sharing, click the Display icon shown on the menu bar. Duet Display retails in the App Store for $10 and offers a great multimonitor experience for Windows 10 and older Macs. The Duet Display setup requires free desktop software, the $10 iPad app, and a wired connection between the two devices.
With both types of software running, connect the tablet and see your PC’s desktop extend to its screen.
On the desktop client, you can change the frame rate, performance, and screen resolution. If you need to switch the iPad display between Mirror and Extended, just do the following (on Windows 10):
Step 1: Click the Notifications icon on the taskbar and then select the All Settings tile in the Action Center. Step 4: Select the tablet’s thumbnail shown under Rearrange Your Displays. If you find it’s a bit sluggish on an older computer, however, try lowering the resolution or frame rate to speed things up. Note that you can switch to other iPad apps while streaming Windows 10 to its screen and then return to Duet Display without any disconnection. Also, we managed to draw using an Apple Pencil, GIMP, and the free service, eliminating the need for a Wacom pen tablet. However, to take advantage of the Apple Pen’s pressure and tilt control features, you’ll need the Duet Pro subscription costing $30 per year. Splashtop Wired XDisplay is a decent method for Windows 10 and older Macs. You’re better off paying for the $10 Duet Display app, but if you’re short on cash, this could be a temporary solution. Once all three are installed, ensure the desktop software is running, connect the iPad to your computer with its USB cable, and then launch the XDisplay app on your tablet.
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