Mirroring or casting your Mac’s screen to an iPad can be very useful for a variety of situations. Whether you want to use your iPad as a second display, present slides and documents on a bigger screen, or play Mac games on your iPad, screen mirroring allows you to do all of that and more.
In this guide, I will walk you through the different methods of mirroring or extending your Mac’s display to an iPad, the system requirements, and tips for troubleshooting any issues.
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Using Sidecar to Mirror or Extend Display
Sidecar is an Apple Continuity feature that allows you to use your iPad as a secondary display for your Mac. With Sidecar, you can either mirror your entire Mac screen to your iPad, or extend your workspace by showing different apps and windows on each device.
Here are the steps to use Sidecar:
Requirements
- Both devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID
- Mac must be running macOS Catalina 10.15 or later
- iPad must be running iPadOS 13 or later
- iPad models supported:
- iPad Pro
- iPad (6th generation or later)
- iPad Air (3rd generation or later)
- iPad mini (5th generation or later)
Set Up Steps
- On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Displays and select “Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available”.
- Click on the AirPlay icon in your Mac’s menu bar and select your iPad from the list.
- Choose whether to mirror your display (showing the same thing) or use the iPad as a separate extended display.
- You can now move apps and windows seamlessly between the two displays.
Use the Sidebar on your iPad to access useful controls like your Mac’s menu bar, dock, and keyboard.
Using Third-Party AirPlay Apps
If for some reason you can’t use Sidecar, there are third-party AirPlay apps like ApowerMirror and Reflector that allow wireless mirroring from Mac to iPad.
To use these apps:
- Download and install the AirPlay app on both your Mac and iPad.
- Connect both devices to the same local Wi-Fi network.
- Open the app on both devices and select your iPad as the AirPlay receiving device.
- Your Mac screen will now be mirrored wirelessly on your iPad.
These apps provide high-quality, low-latency mirroring suitable for most purposes. Some paid versions also allow remote control of your Mac from the iPad.
Using QuickTime Player (Wired Method)
If wireless mirroring has lag or quality issues, a wired connection is more reliable. You can use QuickTime Player’s screen recording feature to mirror your Mac’s display to your iPad.
Here are the steps:
- Connect your iPad directly to your Mac using a USB or USB-C cable.
- Open QuickTime Player on your Mac and select File > New Movie Recording.
- Next to the record button, click the dropdown arrow and select your connected iPad as the video source.
- Your Mac screen will now show up in mirror image on your iPad.
- To stop mirroring, simply quit QuickTime Player.
While this method requires a wired connection, it provides lower latency and higher quality mirroring compared to wireless options.
Tips for Troubleshooting Mirroring Issues
If you are having trouble getting your Mac to mirror properly to your iPad, here are some things to try:
- Ensure both devices are updated to latest OS versions
- Connect both devices to same Wi-Fi network
- Try both wired (USB) and wireless mirroring
- Restart both devices
- Disable VPN or proxy connections on your network
- Move devices closer together if mirroring wirelessly
- Check for interference from other devices on Wi-Fi network
- Disable energy saving settings on Mac and iPad
In most cases, screen mirroring issues can be resolved through simple troubleshooting. Using a wired connection is also generally more reliable if wireless mirroring fails.
Conclusion
Mirroring your Mac to an iPad takes just a few easy steps using built-in tools like Sidecar or third-party AirPlay apps. Both wired and wireless options are available to suit different needs. With the power of two screens, you can take your iPad and Mac workflows to the next level.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
