use ipad as primary display for mac mini

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. To use Sidecar, make sure the Mac and iPad are logged in with the same Apple ID. To see if your Apple devices are compatible, here’s the official list: The only problem is that Sidecar doesn’t work on all Macs and iPads. It beats having to buy an expensive second display if you already own Apple’s premium tablet, as it has a fantastic display of its own. The Sidecar feature first introduced in MacOS Catalina allows Mac owners to extend or mirror their primary display to an iPad. Having an additional display makes it a lot easier to do your work.įor more help with Universal Control read: Universal Control and Sidecar: Do they run on your Mac and iPad? and How to share a mouse and keyboard between Macs and iPads. The Mac is usually the main production device, and all your software tools are on it. However, if you work primarily on a Mac and just want to expand the desktop or use touch gestures, Sidebar is the way to go. While still very new, it’s a fantastic feature that could begin to bridge the gap between the Mac and the iPad while also respecting each device’s integrity. If you fit any of those criteria, you’re going to want to use Universal Control. You’re performing hardware administration and need to manage another Mac or iPad.You need to use two Macs and having one set of input devices is easier to manage.You want to transfer files between devices and don’t want to use AirDrop, a cloud storage service, or an external storage device.You have an iPad app that doesn’t have a Mac equivalent.You have an iPad app you prefer to use over a Mac app.There are also a few settings on the Mac, including Show Sidebar, Show Touch Bar, and Enable double tap on Apple Pencil While using the iPad, you can freely use touch gestures or the Apple Pencil to control Mac apps. If you’d rather mirror your Mac’s desktop, return to the Display menu and choose the option to mirror your display. That will connect your iPad to your Mac as a secondary display.īy default, your iPad will extend the desktop of your Mac. In the list, find the iPad you want to use as a secondary monitor and select it. On your Mac, select the Display arrow in the menu bar or the Screen Mirroring icon in Control Center.

Setting up Sidecar takes just two steps, as long as both devices are signed into iCloud with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication.

Use ipad as primary display for mac mini