Our Mac screen district sometimes feels tight . Adding an special display is an soft choice with a cable or inexpensive adapter on many mackintosh , although limits employ , particularly with the 2020 and 2021 M1 Macs .
But there are four alternative for extending your desktop in different ways that can buy you a little to a lot extra territorial dominion — sometimes more presentation and sometimes more flexibleness .
Sidecar
Apple add the selection touse an iPad as a practical displaystarting in macOS 10.15 Catalina . This feature , shout out Sidecar , extends your desktop . But it also let you select actions , like moving a window between a Mac - connect display and an iPad with a click or tap .
Apple brook Sidecar only with Macs released in the last five year or so , embark on around the latest reading of a Mac model introduced in 2016 or later . The Mac must have Catalina or later installed . Any iPad Pro model will work with Sidecar , as well as later series of other iPad styles . ReadApple ’s requisite listfor the full point .
The Handoff requirements enforce here for wireless use of Sidecar : the Mac and iPad have to be signed into the same iCloud account ( and two - broker authentication must be enabled ) , have Bluetooth enabled , have Wi - Fi enable , and be within about 30 feet of each other . The Mac ca n’t be divvy up its internet connection , nor can the iPad divvy up its cellular connection . Handoff has to be ferment on , too . On a Mac , go to the General preference window pane and make certain “ Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud machine ” is check . In iOS or iPadOS , go toSettings > General > AirPlay & Handoffand check that Handoff is enabled .
Sidebar lets you click or tap to move a window between a Mac and an iPad.
you could alternatively stop up the iPad in via USB , which simultaneously keeps it charge and allows it to play as a Sidecar display . The only necessity is when connecting the iPad if the “ Trust This Computer ? ” alert appears , tapTrustand enter the iPad ’s parole .
If your devices do n’t meet the bar , the next option may be the right option .
Duet display software
Duetoffers a few software package option to turn any iPhone , iPad , Android gadget , Mac , or Windows system of rules into an additional reminder . All of Duet ’s software supports macOS 10.9 Mavericks or afterwards and iOS 10 or later .
The company could make it much easier to precisely see its one - time fees and subscription prices , as its website does n’t exhibit them on any of their wide-ranging ware offering . This FAQ entry will help . After installing a free edition of the Duet software on your Mac , you’re able to also use :
DisplayLink adapters and driver
A few days ago , we put out a comprehensive look athow many monitorsyou can add — and at which resolutions — to the last - generation Intel Macs and current M1 Macs . One selection not higlighted wasDisplayLink , a combining of hardware adapter that embeds engineering from DisplayLink and akernel annex . DisplayLink allows monitor at a quantity beyond the limits baked in to particular Mac poser , such as one outside display for M1 - based laptop , by using the extension to make virtual displays .
I am not the biggest devotee of meat extension for modifying Mac behaviour because Apple continues to move out from them , and they can stimulate low - level fundamental interaction that are unpredictable depend on what you have instal . notwithstanding , drug user tend to report success with DisplayLink , even with Big Sur on Intel and M1 Macs , which is an achievement .
A variety of third - party manufacturersoffer a mountain chain of DisplayLink - enable adaptersto take among .
Sidebar lets you click or tap to move a window between a Mac and an iPad.
Universal Control (iPadOS 15, macOS 12)
come afterwards in 2021 with the release of macOS 12 Monterey and iPadOS 15,Universal Controlcreates a seamless relationship across up to three Macs and iPads . This new feature film does n’t turn other devices into displays so much as build something akin to an prolonged desktop among gimmick you already own . This connection includes sharing keyboard , mouse , and trackpad control , as well as hang back windows across the twist ’ displays .
Universal Control has very system requirements as Sidecar .
Apple
Universal Control creates a kind of seamless extended desktop among up to three Macs and iPads, including dragging and dropping items and share input devices.
This Mac 911 article is in reaction to a question defer by Macworld reader Kevin .
Ask Mac 911
We ’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most oftentimes , along with resolution and connectedness to newspaper column : read our A-one FAQ to see if your question is get over . If not , we ’re always looking for novel problems to puzzle out ! e-mail yours tomac911@macworld.com , let in screen door captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used . Not every question will be answered , we do n’t reply to email , and we can not supply unmediated troubleshooting advice .
