Use a Fire tablet as a second screen

Amazon Fire tablets are cheap, and plenty of them sit unused in drawers. SpareScreen turns one into a wireless second screen for your Mac: the tablet opens a link in its Silk browser, with nothing to install from the Appstore.

How to set it up

1. Install SpareScreen on your Mac with the line above. It opens in the menu bar.
2. Allow Screen Recording when macOS asks. That lets SpareScreen show the extra screen on your Fire tablet.
3. Open the link in Silk. Click SpareScreen in the menu bar to see the link and its QR code, then open it on the Fire tablet. Both need to be on the same Wi-Fi.
4. Click Allow on the Mac. An extra screen appears, shaped exactly like your Fire tablet. Drag windows onto it like any monitor.

On the Fire tablet, open Silk and type the link from SpareScreen's menu (or scan its QR code with the camera). Tap the screen once to go full screen.

Which Fire tablets work?

Fire 7, Fire HD 8, Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 models with an up-to-date Silk browser. A Fire HD 8 or 10 is a good size for chat, notes, a calendar or music while you work on the Mac.

Good to know

• Use a Fire HD 8 or 10 if you have a choice; the Fire 7's small screen suits a chat window or music best.
• Keep the tablet charging: Fire tablets' batteries drain quickly with the screen on all day.
• Touch control is optional. Turn it on in the SpareScreen menu (it asks for Accessibility permission) to tap, drag, right-click and scroll on the device. Typing still happens on the Mac.
• Everyday work feels instant. Video and fast scrolling are heavier and can stutter on slow Wi-Fi; 5 GHz Wi-Fi helps.
• Streaming services stay black. Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ block screen capture in every app like this.
• Use Wi-Fi you trust. The picture travels over your local network, never through the internet.

Questions

Can I use a Kindle Fire as a second monitor for a Mac?

Yes. SpareScreen runs on the Mac, and the Fire tablet opens a link in the Silk browser on the same Wi-Fi.

Do I need an app from the Amazon Appstore?

No. Silk, the browser already on the tablet, is all it needs.

What does SpareScreen cost?

It's free for 7 days, then $7.99 once. It's a one-time purchase with no subscription, and one key works on up to 3 Macs.

Which Macs does it work on?

Any Mac running macOS 13 Ventura or later, with Apple Silicon or Intel.

More guides

• Use your iPad as a second monitor for Mac
• Use an Android tablet as a second monitor for your Mac (wireless
• Use an old laptop or Chromebook as a second monitor for your Mac
• Use your phone as a second screen for your Mac
• Sidecar alternative for iPads Sidecar doesn't support
• Sidecar not working or iPad not supported? Use any device as a Mac second screen
• Duet Display alternative with no subscription
• Luna Display alternative
• spacedesk for Mac? Here's what works on macOS instead
• Wireless second monitor for your MacBook
• Use a Chromebook as a second monitor for your Mac (wireless
• Use a Samsung Galaxy Tab as a second monitor for your Mac
• Use a Windows laptop as a second monitor for your Mac
• Add a second monitor to your Mac mini using a tablet or laptop you own
• Use an old iPad as a second monitor for your Mac (iPad Air 2
• Best ways to add a second screen to your Mac

Last updated October 2026.