Use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac
Open a link in Safari on your iPad and your Mac gets an extra screen, shaped exactly like the iPad. Nothing to install on the iPad, no cable, no Apple ID requirements.
Click to copy. Uses Homebrew, a free and widely trusted installer for Mac apps. 7 days free, then $7.99 once.
Why not just use Sidecar?
Apple's Sidecar only works with newer iPads (iPad Pro, iPad 6th generation or later, iPad mini 5th generation or later, iPad Air 3rd generation or later), and both devices must be signed in to the same Apple ID. If your iPad is older, belongs to someone else in the family, or Sidecar simply won't connect, SpareScreen still works: it only needs Safari.
Older iPads that Sidecar leaves out, such as the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4 or iPad (5th generation), can run SpareScreen as long as they open modern websites in Safari.
How to set it up
- Install SpareScreen on your Mac with the line above. It opens in the menu bar.
- Allow Screen Recording when macOS asks. That lets SpareScreen show the extra screen on your iPad.
- Open the link in Safari. Click SpareScreen in the menu bar to see the link and its QR code, then open it on the iPad. Both need to be on the same Wi-Fi.
- Click Allow on the Mac. An extra screen appears, shaped exactly like your iPad. Drag windows onto it like any monitor.
Tap the iPad's screen once to go full screen. To put the iPad on the left or right of your Mac, use System Settings → Displays → Arrange, the same as any monitor.
Good to know
- Add it to the Home Screen (Share → Add to Home Screen) to open SpareScreen full screen with one tap next time.
- Turn off Auto-Lock while you use it if your iPad's iPadOS is too old to keep the screen on by itself: Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock.
- 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
Does it work with old iPads that Sidecar doesn't support?
Yes, as long as the iPad opens modern websites in Safari. SpareScreen doesn't use Sidecar, so Apple's iPad model list doesn't apply.
Can I use an iPad signed in to a different Apple ID?
Yes. SpareScreen doesn't use Apple ID at all; the iPad just opens a link on the same Wi-Fi.
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
Last updated October 2026.