My iPad Keeps Freezing During SideCar

Hi there alon99,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We're happy to help with this trouble you're having using Sidecar on your MacBook Pro and iPad. Are you using Sidecar via a USB connection or wireless connection? If using wireless, make sure that interference isn't causing an issue as stated in this article:

Use an iPad as a second display for a Mac

"Additional requirements

• Both devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication. Managed Apple IDs are not supported.
• To use Sidecar wirelessly, both devices must be within 10 meters (30 feet) of each other and have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Handoff turned on. Also make sure that the iPad is not sharing its cellular connection and the Mac is not sharing its internet connection.
• To use Sidecar over USB, make sure that your iPad is set to trust your Mac.

Learn more

Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference, which can affect Sidecar performance when using Sidecar wirelessly."

You can also try the different connection to see. For example, if using Wi-Fi, change to the cable or vice versa. This can help narrow down some issues.

If those steps don't seem to help, here are some other things to consider:

Is this happening with specific apps or all apps when using Side Car?

Does it occur using safe mode and another user account?

Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

How to use safe mode on your Mac

Feel free to reach back out if you have any questions.

Best regards!

I actually noticed that the issue is with the WiFi. It drops when your wifi is unstable. Sidecar doesn't seem to know how to reconnect when it gets dropped so it shows a frozen screen instead.

SOLUTION: So, I turned off my WiFi and also my cellular on my iPad and connected it using a USB, instead. It works for me!

System:

iPad Pro 12"

MacBook Pro M1 Max MacOS Monterey

The one thing that I found makes it work (wired – I can't vouch for wirelessly) is turning off facetime unlock, and setting the unlock frequency to 1 hour. It seems whenever the ipad would normally lock is when the connection breaks. A pretty obvious tick you'd think the richest company on earth could figure out, but the "it just works" days of Apple are long gone.

OK, I set my iPad Pro to "never" lock and have used it all afternoon with Sidebar, with no issues.

Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock = "Never"

THANK YOU!

This happens to me a lot. It seems inconsistent. However, when I move back to wired connection, works perfectly. Might be the peer to peer WiFi connectivity that the Mac established with the iPad.

FYI: MacBook Air M1 + iPad Pro (12.9) M1

I determined that my folio keyboard for my ipad may be the culprit. When I removed the keyboard, sidecar becomes stable.

Hope that helps.

Yes. The first time I used sidecar I had no problem. Then I updated to macOS 12.3.1 and it started happening all the time. Turning off face ID for unlock and setting the unlock time to 1 hour helped. That plus using a wired connection helped. It's not ideal. Definitely expected better reliability and functionality from Apple. This is some Windows-type #@&!.

I have a similar setup, MacBook Pro M1 13" + iPad Pro 12.9" M1

I've given up trying this (wirelessly), instead using Universal Control to control the iPad Pro from the MacBook Pro, which works really nicely. Every time I would try, within a few minutes Sidecar would freeze up on the iPad. Turning the sidebar or touchbar setting on/off (toggle) would sometimes "awaken" it, but it was so annoying I didn't want to put up with it.

However, I have a Zoom conference this morning, and I'm really wanting to use a dual screen setup for it, so I'm going to try the USB method, turning off wifi and Bluetooth on the iPad and connecting the two with a USB-C cable.

We'll see...

But yes, Apple needs to address this, as doing it wirelessly is very convenient...if it would only work.

Embarrassed to admit power cycling the ipad solved my issue over wireless.

Aaaand same here...

Simple workaround that works for me: in the Sidecar icon on the top-bar, change the setting for e.g. Show Touch Bar, and the iPad will respond and no longer be frozen (at least for the next xxx minutes.).

I have this problem with a MacBook Pro (16-inch, M1 Pro) with macOS Monterey 12.3.1 and an iPad Air 5th-Gen with iOS 15.4.1 and a USB-C-to-USB-C cable. I previously used a MacBook Pro (15-inch, i7) and an iPad Air 4th-Gen with a USB-C-to-USB-C cable, and Sidecar worked flawlessly perhaps 99% of the time. Now, Sidecar works properly for a while but eventually unexpectedly freezes. Today this happened within 45 minutes of starting work in the morning. It is very annoying since when it freezes I must disconnect Sidecar, unplug and replug the wired connection, then restart Sidecar. It takes me out of the flow of what I was doing and ruins productivity instead of improves it. I have found no consistent way to immediately reproduce the problem, but the problem consistently recurs. I don't feel that I'm doing anything to cause the problem. Today it happened with two Excel spreadsheets on different devices. I noticed it freezing when my cursor, then on the iPad screen, no longer appeared to move. I can “invisibly“ move the cursor back to the MBP screen—invisible because I can’t see it while it moves, but when the cursor reaches the MBP screen I can see it move again. Activity on the MBP screen continues to work normally while the iPad screen is frozen and stays that way until Sidecar is disconnected. Restarting the devices does not resolve the problem, which eventually returns. I never use Sidecar wirelessly and am surprised that some people are able to resolve their problem by switching from wireless to wired because wired is where I'm seeing the problem.

Same issue. Sidecar freezes every 10 to 15 minutes using Macbook Pro M1 and IPad Pro 2021.

I have used sidecar with these devices for over a year with not one issue and nothing has changed expect MacOS. Same location, same wifi, same router.

• I have tried all the tips, tricks, resets and dances for both devices and my wifi/router.
• Both devices are on the same wifi, same iCloud account, router is in the same room and connection is very strong.
• Both devices are up to date on software.
• I have tried moving away from other bluetooth devices and only connecting sidecar.

I also have an issue connecting my AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro to my Macbook. I gave up on that a long time ago and resorted to using wired headphones. I have no issue connecting them to my 2012 Macbook Pro.

Same here on Macbook Pro 2019. Disconnects over wireless within minutes. No issues over cable. Everything worked fine prior to adding universal control.

It's not that it's locking (I notice when I exit the sidecar, there are times that iPad locked) at least from my experience. Rather the connectivity seems to be unstable. Which is weird since WiFi at home and work is good.