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.
How to use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac
That extra real estate can be used for video calls, browsing the web, sending emails or even drawing with your stylus. But if you own a Mac and an iPad, you may not have to spend any money to put together a two-monitor setup in your home. As mentioned above, both of your devices need to support Sidecar, which is the feature that allows you to use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac. Also, both devices must be logged in to the same Apple ID account, using two-factor authentication. You can also use your USB to connect the two devices, with the advantage of being able to also charge your iPad while it’s in use as a second monitor. If you’re running MacOS Big Sur or later, click the Display icon in the menu bar at the top right.
If you’re on MacOS Catalina, you’ll instead click on the AirPlay icon in the menu bar and then select your iPad. If for some reason you don’t see the AirPlay icon, click the Apple menu in the top right and go to System Preferences > Displays and check Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available. Once your Mac and iPad are connected, you have several options to choose from that appear in the Display/AirPlay menu: To use your iPad display, drag any window or files from your Mac computer to the right of your screen, which will take you to the tablet. To do this, simply hover your mouse cursor over the green full-screen button that appears on the top left of most windows. After a second of hovering, you should see an option that says “Move to iPad,” which will share that window to your tablet.
: Show or hide dock Command : Double-tap to lock key For instance, if you move Safari over to the iPad, you’ll see Touch Bar controls to go back and forward, use the search bar, flip between tabs and open a new tab. To go back to using your iPad as a second monitor, tap on the Sidecar app icon in the dock.
How to Turn an iPad Into a Second Display for Your Mac
I discovered the Sidecar feature during the move to online learning in the wake of the pandemic, and it quickly became essential to my school routine. It was really convenient to have a second monitor during online classes: I could easily reference my notes on my iPad while keeping my Mac screen clear so I could focus on my professors’ lectures.
It can be connected to your Mac with a USB cable, which will keep it from losing power while you are using its Sidecar capabilities. The Sidebar enables you to have access to the most commonly used Mac controls, “Command,” “Option” and “Shift.” Apple has a full list of multi-touch gestures if you are interested in navigating your second display with your fingers. Using your Apple Pencil while displaying your Mac screen can be helpful when drawing or editing photos.
As usual, you can tap the Touch Bar controls with your finger or Apple Pencil. However, if the Touch Bar is not appearing when using an app that uses Touch Bar controls, you can activate it by going to the Apple Menu > System Preferences > Mission Control and make sure that “Displays have separate spaces” is selected.
If you are running macOS Big Sur or Catalina, then select Apple Menu > System Preferences and click Sidecar.
Sidecar: Turn an iPad Into a Secondary Mac Display
Sidecar is quick, simple to use, and can either mirror content on your Mac or turn it into a secondary display for extra screen real estate no matter where you are. This guide covers everything you need to know about Sidecar, from how to use it to compatibility to Apple Pencil integration. When you click the AirPlay icon at the top of the Menu bar (it’s the one that looks like a screen with an arrow), if you have an iPad that’s compatible with Sidecar, it will show up in the AirPlay list. From there, simply choose the iPad that you want to connect to and it will automatically turn on and be activated as a secondary Mac display. That’s because Sidecar is not meant to bring touch controls to Mac – it’s just a secondary display option. When using Sidecar, the Apple Pencil (first or second generation depending on your iPad) serves as a mouse alternative for clicking, selecting, and other on-screen control tasks.
It’s a great way to create art, edit photos, and more with the interactivity of your Apple Pencil but the power of your Mac. If you click on the AirPlay icon while your Mac is connected to your iPad, you can see some quick controls for doing things like hiding the sidebar or hiding the Touch Bar, and there’s also an option to swap between using the iPad as a separate display or mirroring the Mac’s current display.
There are few details on this method, but those interested can check out our original article on compatibility.
Have questions about Sidecar, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide?
Duet Display
Duet can connect between your macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices from anywhere in the world.
How to use an iPad as a second monitor
Assuming you have the right equipment (as per the list above) you will be able to use your iPad as a second screen for your Mac, either mirroring it or extending your display so that you can fit in even more windows. You can choose to plug the iPad directly into the Mac or connect it wirelessly using Bluetooth and Continuity (within a range of 10m). There’s not much of a difference in terms of delay, but you might find your iPad battery lasts a little longer if plugged in. Setting up the iPad as a second display is, in typical Apple style, fairly straightforward. Click on Add Display, here you have the choice of Link Keyboard and Mouse, or Mirror or extend to. When you click on the iPad in Mirror or extend you may find your Mac display changes resolution to accommodate the new screen.
If you find that the text is now too small click on Display Settings and then choose Scaled and select the one that feels most comfortable. When you chose Mirror or extend your iPad will have switched to a Mac display – with the same wallpaper.
(In older versions of macOS there was an AirPlay icon in the menu at the top right of your screen.) (Alternatively, if you are in an older version of macOS you should see your iPad listed in the AirPlay menu options.) But note you can’t use touch to control the interface so you won’t be able to swipe and tap, you’ll need the mouse and keyboard. Click on Add Display, here you have the choice of Link Keyboard and Mouse, or Mirror or extend to.
If this is the case, click on Display Settings and choose your iPad from the column on the left. (In older versions of macOS there was an AirPlay icon in the menu at the top right of your screen.)
(Alternatively, if you are in an older version of macOS you should see your iPad listed in the AirPlay menu options.) While it doesn’t accept touch input, you can use an Apple Pencil and turn your iPad into a graphics tablet.
There are some third-party tools that allow you to use your iPad as a monitor for your Mac, but unlike Apple’s built-in option, these are paid-for apps. Note that macOS 10.13.4 (High Sierra) broke some of the DisplayLink functionality that these apps rely on, but that issue was resolved with the release of macOS Mojave 10.14.2, so it shouldn’t be a problem now – as long as you aren’t running that version of High Sierra.
Duet Display also provides limited touchscreen support, allowing you to tap and swipe your way around macOS. It means you don’t have to spend your time moving your mouse between the two screens, which becomes especially laborious when using a trackpad and again, enables users to be more productive.
This is an important step, as the companion app allows your iPad and Mac to ‘talk’ to each other.
On your iPad, open the Duet Display app and plug it into your Mac or PC using a Lightning cable. The iPad should be recognised by the Duet companion app, and your desktop should now extend across the two displays. Quality settings can be tweaked via the Duet companion app on your Mac or PC to provide higher graphics, smoother refresh rates, etc.
How to Use Your iPad as a Second Monitor
Select Sidecar menu on your Mac to choose the iPad’s role. Open System Preferences on your Mac by either selecting it under the Apple menu or clicking its icon in the Dock. The Sidebar contains buttons that let you open a keyboard, press the Command key, and other items that help you perform tasks on your second screen.
contains buttons that let you open a keyboard, press the Command key, and other items that help you perform tasks on your second screen. The Touch Bar mirrors the functionality of the context-sensitive menu on some Mac models. Select the box next to Enable double tap on Apple Pencil to quickly switch between tools, show a color palette, and more. Select the Sidecar menu on your Mac to choose the iPad’s role. Tap the top icon to toggle showing the menu bar. The next four buttons mirror the Command, Option, Control, and Shift keys on a keyboard. The 9.7-inch display of the full-sized iPad won’t give you as much real estate as a 22-inch monitor. This makes the connection fast, allowing you to do everything from watch video, which would be laggy over Wi-Fi, to play games. The iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch display makes it perfect for adding a second monitor to your MacBook, iMac, or PC.
You can watch a demo video of Duet Display in action on Youtube. And while Duet Display hasn’t registered a TKO, the champ has definitely been backed into a corner. Avatron has an Air Display 3 Upgrade Bundle available in the app store.
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