Apple Sidecar on the Mac – How to turn the iPad into a second screen

It's a feature that many have wanted for a long time. The iPad can finally be connected to the Mac and used as a second screen and more - without annoying third-party applications. We would now like to take a closer look at how Sidecar works, what configuration options are available and what you need to take into account.

By far the most impressive new feature this year in macOS Catalina and iPadOS is the Sidecar function. This allows an iPad to be turned into a mirrored Mac display or turns it directly into a second screen - including the ability to use the iPad itself as a graphics tablet together with the Apple Pencil. The connection between the iPad and a Mac device can be made via a cable or wirelessly. Although Apple is a fan of simplicity, there are still a few things to consider. Thanks to Sidecar, various macOS applications - including those from third parties - can be used directly on the iPad. Participating apps include Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Photo, ZBrush and many more.

Which Mac devices support the Sidecar feature on macOS Catalina?

Before we discuss setting up and optimizing the function, we should first clarify an important point - namely which Macs actually support the feature. The compatible Mac models include:

• iMac 27-inch (Late 2015 or later)
• MacPro (2016 or newer)
• Mac mini (2018)
• Mac Pro (2019)
• MacBook Air (2018)
• MacBooks (early 2016 or newer)

However, there is an important point to note. Apple itself has not yet published an official list of compatible Mac devices. The above list has been compiled by renowned developers and beta testers. The information was taken from the beta of macOS Catalina. This means that everything could of course change before the final version of macOS Catalina is officially released. As soon as this has been rolled out to all users, Apple will most likely publish an official list of compatible devices. We will update the article accordingly.

How to set up Sidecar on Mac under macOS Catalina

In order to use this useful feature, you must of course activate it first. To do this, open the Mac system preferences and navigate to the menu item “Sidecar”.  Now select the iPad under “Connect to”. To establish a wireless connection, Bluetooth must be activated on both devices. If you choose a wired connection, a Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable required to enable data transfer - this can be purchased directly from Apple or on Amazon. By the way, both the iPad and the respective Mac must be connected to the same iCloud account.

How to set up Sidecar on the iPad under iPadOS

This step is actually quite simple. If the Apple Tablet has iPadOS and is connected to the same iCloud account, all steps are already completed. An additional menu for Sidecar is not yet available on the iPad. By the way, all iPad models that support iPadOS can also be used for Sidecar. You can find out which iPad models are compatible with iPadOS here.

How to customize Sidecar on Mac under macOS Catalina

As mentioned at the beginning, there are several ways to use Sidecar. The adjustment is also made in the Mac system settings under the Sidecar menu item. Here the user can choose whether Sidecar should be used on the left or right side. At the same time, the user can decide whether the Mac's Touch Bar should be displayed at the top or bottom of the iPad.

How to activate and customize the Apple Pencil in Sidecar

Of course, Apple's own stylus is also included. This can also be adjusted in the same sidecar menu. There are two setting options available. Here, the user can use the double tap function with the Apple Pencil activate or deactivate and show or hide the so-called cursor symbol of the Apple Pencil. Apple AirPods with wireless charging case on special offer on Amazon (Photo by bigtunaonline / Bigstockphoto)