How to Use Your iPad as a Second Display for Mac with Sidecar
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Tested on
- macOS Sequoia 15.0 - iPadOS 18.0
- You will need
- Mac running macOS Catalina or later, iPad running iPadOS 13 or later, Same Apple ID on both devices, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled
Step by step
Verify Apple ID and Connectivity
Ensure both your Mac and iPad are signed into the same Apple Account with Two-Factor Authentication enabled. Confirm that both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on and are in close physical proximity to each other.
Note: Handoff must also be enabled in System Settings on both devices.Open Control Center on Mac
Navigate to the top-right corner of your Mac menu bar. Click the Control Center icon, which looks like two overlapping sliders.
Select Screen Mirroring
Click the Screen Mirroring tile within the Control Center menu. A list of available devices will appear; select your iPad from the list to begin the connection process.
Note: If you prefer a wired connection, connect your iPad to your Mac via USB cable before performing this step.Adjust Display Arrangement
Go to System Settings on your Mac and navigate to Displays. Click the Arrange button to visualize your monitors and drag the iPad icon to match the physical position of your iPad relative to your Mac.
Optimize Sidecar Settings
Within the Displays menu, select your iPad. You can choose to use the iPad as an extended display or mirror your Mac screen, and toggle the visibility of the Sidebar and Touch Bar for specialized controls.
Note: Use the Sidebar on your iPad to access common modifier keys like Command, Shift, and Option.End the Sidecar Session
To disconnect, open the Control Center on your Mac again, select Screen Mirroring, and click your iPad to stop mirroring or extending your desktop.
Note: You can also tap the Disconnect icon on your iPad's Sidebar.