How to Screen Share Mac to iPad?

Sep 07, 2024 • Filed to: Mirror Phone Solutions • Proven solutions

You all might have heard of screen mirroring platforms providing the basic services of extrapolating the screen experience of a user from a smaller view to a larger view, such as, from an iPad screen to a Mac OS PC. You may find it peculiar, but the process also goes the other way round. Considering the need of the hour, there are certain users who cannot look over a bigger screen and prefer working across a smaller screen to save their health and time. While resting across a couch, the user will always prefer having a smaller screen to look on. Rather than carrying the weight of a bigger device with a massive screen to manage, you can simply screencast it onto a smaller range. For this, this article seeks to provide a typical guide to three easy and efficient techniques that can be easily used to screen share Mac to iPad.

Part 1. How to screen share Mac to iPad with Apple's solution?

If you come to the approaches that are involved in screen sharing a Mac onto an iPad, there are two basic divisions that should be immediately catered for implementation. Since Mac and iPad belong to the top-grossing, leading technology developers, Apple, it is more likely that you can simply share your screens across the devices through an Apple's solution. The first approach simply involves a remedy presented by the developers themselves. Although there was not a solution that has been made available by Apple initially, they came up with the idea of their own dedicated screen sharing platform in the macOS Catalina released in October 2019. This release provided Apple users with the ability to easily use their iPad as a secondary screen for the Mac. This option allowed the users to practice two different schemes in screen mirroring, i.e., to extend their display or mirror their display to watch it across a smaller and efficient screen.

Sidecar emerged as a dedicated Apple option with two different connectivity schemes. The user had the autonomy to plug their iPad with the Mac through a USB connection or have a Bluetooth connection for a wireless screen sharing from their Mac to the iPad. This efficient platform led the users onto a new era of screen mirroring, where the diversity offered by the platform is far superior to any other screencasting platform that exists in the market.

What You Need?

  • Your Mac should be updated to the macOS Catalina – with a Mac that is both compatible for Catalina and allows you to operate Sidecar.
  • iPad that runs over iPadOS 13 or above.
  • The iPad and Mac should be logged in under a similar iCloud account for a successful screen share.
  • A wireless connection requires you to stay within 10m of the premises of your Mac.

iPads Compatible with Sidecar

  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro
  • 11-inch iPad Pro
  • 10.5-inch iPad Pro
  • 9.7-inch iPad Pro
  • iPad (6th generation or later)
  • iPad mini (5th generation)
  • iPad Air (3rd generation)

Macs Compatible with Sidecar

  • MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
  • MacBook (2016 or later)
  • MacBook Air (2018 or later)
  • iMac (2017 or later, as well as 27in iMac 5K, late 2015)
  • iMac Pro
  • Mac mini (2018 or later)
  • Mac Pro (2019)

Using iPad as the second screen over macOS Catalina

With a compatible and working Mac and iPad, you can easily set up a screen mirroring environment across your devices by following the guidelines offered as follows.

Step 1: Connect your iPad

You need to configure setting up your iPad either through a USB connection with the Mac or through a Bluetooth connection. It is preferable to set up a wired connection for better and efficient, lag-less results.

Step 2: AirPlay Options

Approach your Mac and tap on the “AirPlay” icon present on the top of the menu bar. It can be observed across the top-right of your Mac’s screen.

Step 3: Connect with iPad

With the iPad listed in the options, simply tap on it to extend your Mac’s screen onto the iPad with ease.

select your ipad device

Step 4: Change Screen Options

If you are up for mirroring the screen of your Mac onto the iPad, you need to slightly amend the settings available. Tap on the "Screen" icon that is being displayed across the status bar after a successful connection. Change the settings from "Use as Separate Display" to "Mirror Built-in Retina Display." A similar procedure can also be executed through accessing the "Sidecar" section from the "System Preferences" of your Mac.

tap on mirror built in retina display option

More Features Offered at Sidecar

Sidecar has not been introduced as a simple screen mirroring system that helps you extend your workspace or seek ease in executing a task. It provides a series of other features that typically include a virtual "Touch Bar" that is present on the iPad for managing the Mac screen through the iPad with the features offered by the specific bar. As there is an exception of no-touch input with Sidecar, the use of an Apple Pencil can help you cover this task with ease, making your iPad act as a graphic tablet. The list of iPads below can provide such a feature of Sidecar to act as a graphic tablet.

  • 12.9in iPad Pro
  • 11in iPad Pro
  • 10.5in iPad Pro
  • 9.7in iPad Pro

How to use iPad in Screen Mirroring across Older Macs

Although macOS Catalina brought tranquility in using the screen mirroring feature across your Apple devices, there are a few platforms that can still come quite handy in managing screen mirroring across the older Macs. The use of third-party tools can guide you in managing your Mac across the iPad, which still requires you to cover a few things before moving towards the connection.

What you Need?

  • Lightning to USB Cable.
  • iPad and a Mac is having a macOS 10.13.3 or earlier.
  • You should be having software such as Duet Display, iDisplay, or AirDisplay.

Part 2. How to screen share Mac to iPad with third-party software?

The second approach the comes with screen sharing your Mac across an iPad involves the use of third-party tools. There is a variety of tools that are available across the market for an easy adjustment of systems; however, this article figures out the two best options that undertake a cohesive technique to screen mirror your Mac to an iPad.

LetsView

This tool offers you the perfect environment in screen mirroring your Mac across an iPad. With a free interface and a wireless system to execute your work, you can easily cover your presentations with the provision of sharing graphics across the iPad with ease. LetsView has targeted the best screen mirroring platforms in the business and led the users towards a better experience. To understand the serenity in utility offered by LetsView, you need to go through the steps offered as follows.

    • Download and install the LetsView application across your Mac and iPad simultaneously and have them launched.
    • Tap on the “Computer Screen Mirroring” option and provide the platform with the PIN code of your iPad for establishing a connection.
enter the pin
  • With a successful intrusion of a PIN Code, a mirroring connection has been successfully established.

ApowerMirror

Another impressive tool that may come into your mind when seeking a way to mirror your screen is ApowerMirror. This tool has presented very impressive compatibility in screen mirroring across a range of devices and looks forward to offering a qualitative result that is both promising and effective in wireless connections. Though many users have presented a skepticism in using wireless connections, ApowerMirror covers a lot of ground in screen mirroring devices, where you can simply understand the basic connection of screen mirroring your Mac with the iPad by looking over the guide as follows.

  • You need to download and install the application across your Mac and iPad.
  • Launch the application on your iPad and tap on the "Mirror" button. In the list that appears on the screen, tap on the name of your Mac, and proceed by selecting "Mirror PC to Phone." You can configure a similar and easier screen mirroring through the use of a Lightning cable along with the installation of the appropriate drivers.
select mirror pc to phone feature
style arrow up

Wondershare Dr.Fone

Mirror your iPhone to a big-screen PC

  • Compatible with the latest iOS version for mirroring.
  • Mirror and reverse control your iPhone from a PC while working.
  • Take screenshots and save directly on the PC
Available on: Windows
3,347,490 people have downloaded it

Conclusion

The article has presented the users with a new and distinctive guide on how to screen share their Mac over an iPad with two basic and unique approaches. These approaches can guide users to easily cover the process without going through a lot of difficulties. Look over the article in detail to develop an understanding of the methods that are involved to successfully screen share Mac to iPad without any assorted discrepancies.

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James Davis

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