Give your old iPad a new job

Apple's Sidecar skips older iPads, so an iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4 often ends up in a drawer. SpareScreen brings it back as a wireless second screen for your Mac: it opens a link in Safari, with nothing to install.

Which old iPads work?

Older iPads that Sidecar leaves out, such as the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4 and iPad (5th generation), work as long as Safari opens modern websites. Sidecar needs an iPad Pro, iPad (6th generation) or later, iPad mini (5th generation) or later, or iPad Air (3rd generation) or later; SpareScreen doesn't use Sidecar, so that list doesn't apply.

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 old iPad.
3. Open the link in Safari. Click SpareScreen in the menu bar to see the link and its QR code, then open it on the old iPad. Both need to be on the same Wi-Fi.
4. Click Allow on the Mac. An extra screen appears, shaped exactly like your old iPad. Drag windows onto it like any monitor.

Tap the iPad once to go full screen. An old iPad is ideal for a chat window, music, a calendar or notes beside your Mac.

Good to know

• Turn off Auto-Lock on older iPads (Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → Never) so the screen stays on.
• Keep it on the charger; old iPad batteries don't last long 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 an iPad Air 2 as a second monitor for my Mac?

Yes. Sidecar doesn't support it, but SpareScreen does: the iPad Air 2 opens a link in Safari on the same Wi-Fi.

Does the old iPad need the same Apple ID as my Mac?

No. SpareScreen doesn't use Apple ID, so a family member's old iPad works too.

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 an Amazon Fire tablet as a second monitor for your Mac
• 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
• Best ways to add a second screen to your Mac

Last updated October 2026.