Want to remotely control a Mac or MacBook? We look at the different ways to log into and access a macOS desktop from an iPhone, an iPad, a Windows PC or another Mac.

By default, your iPad shows an extension of your Mac desktop. You can move windows to it and use it like any other display. To mirror your Mac display so that both screens show the same content, return to the Display menu or AirPlay menu, which shows a blue iPad icon while using Sidecar. Choose the option to mirror your display. The reason I want Mac OS in an iPad format is because the iPad is such a joy to use. It’s partly the size and portability, partly the fan-less nature, partly the performance. Apple Silicon should address all of these things so for a lot of people those will suffice unless you just have to have the Pencil or just really like the tablet form.

‎Download apps by Microsoft Corporation, including Microsoft Lync 2010 for iPad, Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft OneDrive, and many more. IPadOS is a mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc. For its iPad line of tablet computers.It is a rebranded variant of iOS, the operating system used by Apple's iPhones, renamed to reflect the diverging features of the two product lines, particularly the iPad's multitasking capabilities and support for keyboard use.

Extend or mirror your Mac desktop with Sidecar

Follow these steps on a Mac and iPad that meet the Sidecar system requirements. You can use Sidecar wirelessly, but to keep your iPad charged during use, connect it directly to your Mac with the USB charge cable that came with your iPad.

Start a Sidecar session

• If you're using macOS Big Sur, click the Display menu in Control Center or the menu bar, then choose your iPad from the menu.
  
• If you're using macOS Catalina, click the AirPlay icon in the menu bar, then choose your iPad from the menu. (If you don't see the AirPlay icon, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, click Displays, and select “Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available”.)
• Or just move a window to your iPad, as described in next section.
• Or connect using the menu in Sidecar preferences.

Switch to screen mirroring

• By default, your iPad shows an extension of your Mac desktop. You can move windows to it and use it like any other display.
• To mirror your Mac display so that both screens show the same content, return to the Display menu or AirPlay menu, which shows a blue iPad icon while using Sidecar. Choose the option to mirror your display.

End the Sidecar session

• If you're using macOS Big Sur, return to the Display menu in Control Center or the menu bar and choose your iPad again to disconnect from it.
• If you're using macOS Catalina, return to the AirPlay menu and choose the option to disconnect.
• Or use the Disconnect button in the sidebar on your iPad, or in Sidecar preferences on your Mac.

Learn more about using external displays. For example, you can use Displays preferences to arrange displays so that your iPad extends the left, right, top, or bottom of your desktop.

Move a window to your iPad display

If you hover your pointer over the full-screen button of a window, you can choose to move that window to or from your iPad display. It's faster than dragging the window, and the window is perfectly resized for your display.

The sidebar puts commonly used controls on the side of your iPad screen. It includes Command, Shift, and other modifier keys, so you can choose essential commands with your finger or Apple Pencil instead of a keyboard.

Use Sidecar preferences to turn off the sidebar or change its position.

Tap to show or hide the menu bar when viewing a window in full screen on iPad.

Command. Touch and hold to set the Command key. Double-tap to lock the key.

Option. Touch and hold to set the Option key. Double-tap to lock the key.

Control. Touch and hold to set the Control key. Double-tap to lock the key.

Shift. Touch and hold to set the Shift key. Double-tap to lock the key.

Undo the last action. Some apps support multiple undos.

Use the Touch Bar

Many apps on Mac have Touch Bar controls that make common actions even easier. With Sidecar, you get a Touch Bar on your iPad screen even if your Mac doesn’t have a Touch Bar. Tap its controls with either your finger or Apple Pencil.

Use Sidecar preferences to turn off the Touch Bar or change its position.

If the Touch Bar doesn't appear when using an app that offers Touch Bar controls, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, click Mission Control, then make sure that “Displays have separate Spaces” is selected.

Use gestures for scrolling and other actions

Multi-Touch gestures on iPad remain available when using Sidecar. These gestures are particularly useful with Sidecar:

• Scroll: Swipe with two fingers.
• Copy: Pinch in with three fingers.
• Cut: Pinch in with three fingers twice.
• Paste: Pinch out with three fingers.
• Undo: Swipe left with three fingers, or double-tap with three fingers.
• Redo: Swipe right with three fingers.

Use Apple Pencil

To point, click, select, and perform tasks such as drawing, editing photos, and manipulating objects on your iPad while it's extending or mirroring your Mac display, you can use your Apple Pencil instead of the mouse or trackpad connected to your Mac. You can also use it to write, sketch, and mark up documents while seeing the updates live on your Mac.

Sidecar also supports double-tap, which you can turn on in Sidecar preferences. Double-tap enables apps that support this feature to perform custom actions when you double-tap on the side of your Apple Pencil (2nd generation).

Use a keyboard, mouse, or trackpad

During your Sidecar session, you can type using a keyboard connected to either your Mac or iPad, such as the Smart Keyboard or Magic Keyboard for iPad.

To point, click, or select with a mouse or trackpad, use the mouse or trackpad connected to your Mac, or use an Apple Pencil on your iPad.

Use iPad apps

While using Sidecar, you can switch to an iPad app, then interact with that app on your iPad as you normally would. This suspends your Sidecar session until you switch back to the Sidecar app or disconnect Sidecar. The Sidecar app appears on your home screen only while using Sidecar.

Use Sidecar preferences

Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Sidecar. These preferences are available only on computers that support Sidecar.

• Show Sidebar: Show the sidebar on the left or right side of your iPad screen, or turn it off.
• Show Touch Bar: Show the Touch Bar on the bottom or top of your iPad screen, or turn it off.
• Enable double tap on Apple Pencil: Allow apps that support this feature to perform custom actions when you double-tap on the side of your Apple Pencil (2nd generation).
• Connect to: Choose an iPad to connect to, or click Disconnect to stop using Sidecar.

Sidecar system requirements

Sidecar requires a compatible Mac using macOS Catalina or later and a compatible iPad using iPadOS 13 or later.

• MacBook Pro introduced in 2016 or later
• MacBook introduced in 2016 or later
• MacBook Air introduced in 2018 or later
• iMac introduced in 2017 or later, or iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
• Mac mini introduced in 2018 or later
• Mac Pro introduced in 2019
  

• iPad Pro: all models
• iPad (6th generation) or newer
• iPad mini (5th generation) or newer
• iPad Air (3rd generation) or newer

Additional requirements

• Both devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication.
• To use Sidecar wirelessly, both devices must be within 10 meters (30 feet) of each other and have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Handoff turned on. Also make sure that the iPad is not sharing its cellular connection and the Mac is not sharing its Internet connection.
• To use Sidecar over USB, make sure that your iPad is set to trust your Mac.

Learn more

• Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference, which can affect Sidecar performance when using Sidecar wirelessly.

iPad Q&A

Update Published September 30, 2020

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What operating system do the regular, full-size iPad models use? Which iPad models support which versions of the iOS? Which features are and are not supported by different models?

Note that this Q&A covers all regular, full-size iPad models, including the current ones. EveryiPad.com provides separate Q&As that cover iOS support for the iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro models.

The original Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi/3G/GPS iPad models first shipped with iPhone OS 3.2 (subsequently renamed the 'iOS'). At the time, it was disappointing to many as this version of the iOS did not support true system-wide multitasking.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Original iPad)

However, iOS 4 was released in a few months and the original iPad models support multitasking when upgraded to iOS 4 or later. All subsequent iPad models shipped, or ship, with a version of the iOS that supports system wide-multitasking by default, as well.

However, not all iPad models support all versions of the iOS and not all devices are compatible -- or fully compatible -- with the current version of the iOS, iOS 14 (iPadOS), either.

Specifically, iOS support for each regular iPad model follows:

iOS 3.2-iOS 6

Later iPad models cannot run these early versions of the iOS at all. The original iPad cannot run any subsequent versions of the iOS, either.

iOS 7-iOS 14

*Siri and FaceTime over a cellular network are not supported on the iPad 2 when running iOS 6 or later.

** The iPad 2 provides bare bones support for iOS 7, iOS 8, and iOS 9 with no advanced features supported.

† When running iOS 7, the iPad 3rd Gen supports Siri, Filters in Photos, and advanced photo functionality that Apple formally refers to as 'square and video formats and swipe to capture,' but it does not support AirDrop. When running iOS 8 and iOS 9, it continues to support Siri, but supports no other advanced features.

†† The iPad 4th Gen does not support the Panorama and 'In Camera' Filters functionality (like Instagram), but these models otherwise are fully compatible with iOS 7.

+ The iPad 4th Gen supports iOS 8 including AirDrop, Siri, and Continuity, but do not support Panorama photography, Health, or Apple Pay. Running iOS 9, the original iPad mini and iPad 4th Gen support neither Transit nor multitasking features like Slide Over, Picture-in-Picture, and Split View.

++ The iPad 4th Gen supports iOS 10, but does not support Rich Notifications nor does it support the minor Raise to Wake or Ride-Booking features that are not supported by any iPad models.

‡ The iPad 5th Gen supports iOS 12 with the exception of the minor Memoji and Camera Effects features.

♦ The iPad 5th Gen and iPad 6th Gen support iOS 13 (iPadOS), with the exception of the Adjust Portrait Lighting and 'High-Key Mono' photography features as well as modest AR features (Motion Capture and People Occlusion).

♦♦ The iPad 5th Gen supports iOS 14 (iPadOS), but it does not support Spatial Audio. None of these iPad models support Location Anchors or On-Device Dictation.

Please also note that once an iPad device has been upgraded to a later version of the operating system, it can be challenging to 'downgrade' it back to an earlier version without resorting to hacks. It's always wise to wait for feedback from other users and a couple of 'bug fix' releases before upgrading the operating system.

If you are not sure which iPad you have, see EveryiPad.com's iPad Identification section.

Will operating system updates for the iPad be free like the iPhone or will they cost money like the iPod touch?

As first spotted by MacRumors in the original iPad licensing agreement, the next major version of the operating system (4.x) would be provided free of charge. Indeed, iOS 4 was provided free of charge.

At the time the iPad first was released, operating system updates were free for the contractually bound iPhone, but cost money for the no contract iPod touch. Based on the fact that Apple only stated the next major version of the iOS would be free and that the iPad was not bound by a contract, EveryiPad.com originally speculated that subsequent versions of the operating system presumably would cost money. However, the site also noted that 'only time will tell.'

In a nice surprise, Apple released iOS 5 at no charge for those using earlier iPad models. Apple has released all subsequent revisions of the iOS free of charge, too. It certainly appears that Apple now considers free iOS updates to be strategically important to encourage as many users as possible to upgrade to the latest version.

However, it also is important to be aware that Apple notes operating system 'updates and releases may not necessarily include all of the new software features that Apple releases for newer iPad models' or support older iPad models at all.

Can applications that run on the iPhone and iPod touch run on the iPad models? Can the iPad models run Mac OS X applications?

Applications that can run on the iPhone and iPod touch models -- with the exception of applications that require hardware capabilities that the iPad models lack (such as a 'phone' for any iPad or a camera for the original iPad models) -- can run on the iPad.

If an app is not optimized for the iPad, which basically all apps are these days, apps will either be shown at actual size centered in the middle of the larger iPad screen or 'doubled' (which 'blows up' each pixel in the iPhone/iPod touch application to twice its size).

Of course, the iPad also can run apps and webapps designed explicitly for the iPad, like EveryMac.com's own EveryMac app for the iPad. A version of the EveryMac app for the iPhone and iPod touch devices is available, too.

The iPad cannot run OS X applications, though.

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