I currently have a personal MacBook Pro and an iPad I use for work. I would like to use my iPad as the main display and my Mac as the 2nd display. Is this possible? (I know you can use sidecar to go from the Mac to the iPad but I am wanting to know is it possible to go from the iPad to the Mac?)
MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.2
Still unclear at to what you’re attempting to display of your Mac. As to your last question, as I had perviously attempted to clarify, SideCar is not designed to extend your iPad display to Mac.
Your office iPad, if permitting access to company information assets or systems, will have security policies and controls contrived to prevent access via other connected devices.
On the basis of your additional explanation, you would be best advised to seek assistance from your company’s System and Security Administrators. If you attempt to circumvent intended security controls, you may find yourself in deep doo-doo...
Still unclear at to what you’re attempting to display of your Mac. As to your last question, as I had perviously attempted to clarify, SideCar is not designed to extend your iPad display to Mac.
Your office iPad, if permitting access to company information assets or systems, will have security policies and controls contrived to prevent access via other connected devices.
On the basis of your additional explanation, you would be best advised to seek assistance from your company’s System and Security Administrators. If you attempt to circumvent intended security controls, you may find yourself in deep doo-doo...
I’m unsure of your expectations - but consider the following...
Unlike PC and Mac computers, with which you are doubtless familiar, iPad doesn’t have the equivalent of an extended desktop - supporting content display across multiple displays (whether this is an external monitor, TV or other computer).
iPad has Screen Mirroring - that reproduces what you can see on the iPad display - on an external TV or monitor. Screen Mirroring does exactly as its name implies; the iPad screen is reproduced on the external display, preserving both the content and aspect ratio of the iPad screen.
AirPlay extends capabilities of iPad - permitting display of playing media content (either download or streamed) to an external TV or monitor, at full resolution and aspect ratio of the source material, independently of the iPad screen. This capability, however, does not extend to other Apps.
In a touch-interface environment, an extended desktop contextually makes no logical sense; you’d not be able to interact with Apps displayed on an external screen. Screen Mirroring displays the iPad screen on an external display - but all interaction with the App is via the touch screen of the iPad.
Consider that, for the most part, a Mac computer can access the same services and content as your iPad - either directly, or perhaps using iCloud and its associated Continuity and Handoff services. Again, these features make the need for extending a display from iPad to Mac somewhat pointless.
As you are aware, a Mac does have the ability to use Sidecar - this permitting use of iPad as both a second display for Mac and as a graphics tablet. For older models of Mac, that do not support Sidecar, there are third-party alternatives such as Duet Display.
If you still need to display your iPad screen on your Mac, it might be worth taking a look at Reflector3. Perhaps this will be suitable for your need:
https://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector
I hope this information and insight is helpful in addressing your question - if only in promoting some additional thought.
Thank you, that pretty much answered my question. My problem is I can access my work content on my iPad, but I cannot on my Mac. The iPad is given to me by my company and grants access to confidential material so I cannot use my personal Mac like I would want. That is why I would need to go from iPad to Mac. To simplify my question, it is could you do the same thing that SideCar does (Mac to iPad) in reverse (iPad to Mac) with the same capabilities? Seems like the answer is no from your answer previously.
Thank you
Can I use my MacBook Pro as a second display for my iPad?
