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iPad Sidecar really glitchy, not usable at all

I'm using my iPad Pro, iPadOS 15.7, as a sidecar for my Macbook Pro 13", OS 12.6, all updated, and it's glitchy as ****. I often have to reboot both devices just so my Macbook can connect to my iPad. Using the "mirror" option causes a strange flickering to happen constantly on my iPad, to the point where it's unusable. I'm trying to use my iPad as a drawing tablet for Photoshop, and when drawing on my tablet it has a constant lag and glitchy quality to any drawing tool, not smooth at all. Using a two finger pan/zoom on the iPad is like 4x more sensitive than it should be, making the image pan and zoom all over the place with the slightest gesture. Same qualities happen if I add the iPad as an extended display.


And only when in the sidecar app, the color on my iPad becomes about 20% less saturated than my Macbook. On the iPad, I can open an image in Google Photos, and then go to mirrored sidecar where that same image file is open on my Macbook, and this image is 20% less color saturated in sidecar. I mean wow, how does that even happen?


Both devices are on the same Wifi, with Bluetooth turned on, handoff turned on. Having Universal control on or off doesn't fix the issue. Rebooting doesn't fix it. The only thing I can't try is a hard wired USB connection (I just don't have a double-sided USB C cable), though reading several other forum posts it looks like that is not a fix for anyone else either. Seems to be a problem with the entire sidecar function.


Can we please get a fix for this? I bought a $1500 iPad to use as a Photoshop tablet, and it is completely unusable as such. I could have bought a $50 Wacom tablet. Please help :)

iPad Pro, iPadOS 15

Posted on Oct 5, 2022 11:57 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 6, 2022 6:02 PM

Hello Chris_the_Destroyer,


Thank you for reaching out in Apple Support Communities. To help troubleshoot Sidecar, let's follow each of the following steps and test Sidecar:


  1. Turn Handoff off and on again:


  • Mac: Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click General. Select “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.”


  • iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff, then turn on Handoff.


2. Turn Bluetooth off and on for both devices.


3. Restart the Wi-Fi router and modem.


4. Forget the Wi-Fi network on the Mac and the iPad Pro and reconnect.


5. Test in a different user account on your Mac. If you do not have one, please create a test user account. Here's how: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac - Apple Support


Performing each of these steps and testing Sidecar may help resolve your issue.


We look forward to hearing back from you with an update.


Kind regards.

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2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 6, 2022 6:02 PM in response to Chris_the_Destroyer

Hello Chris_the_Destroyer,


Thank you for reaching out in Apple Support Communities. To help troubleshoot Sidecar, let's follow each of the following steps and test Sidecar:


  1. Turn Handoff off and on again:


  • Mac: Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click General. Select “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.”


  • iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff, then turn on Handoff.


2. Turn Bluetooth off and on for both devices.


3. Restart the Wi-Fi router and modem.


4. Forget the Wi-Fi network on the Mac and the iPad Pro and reconnect.


5. Test in a different user account on your Mac. If you do not have one, please create a test user account. Here's how: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac - Apple Support


Performing each of these steps and testing Sidecar may help resolve your issue.


We look forward to hearing back from you with an update.


Kind regards.

Oct 6, 2022 9:30 PM in response to Chris_the_Destroyer

Life is too short to be an app beta tester for all of Apple's inter-device communication features that constantly have ongoing issues,

If Apple's Sidecar implementation is still not working well for you, in the iOS App Store, take a look at Astropad Studio for iPad/iPadOS.


This is a paid monthly subscription app, but Astropad has been with iPad since 2015.

This is a proven professional and “dedicated” drawing tablet app that turns any iPad with Pencil into a professional level drawing tablet.

This app uses proven and reliable technology.

Tap the App Store link below.


https://apps.apple.com/us/app/astropad-studio/id1181582576


Also, look at Duet Display, which offers drawing tablet functionality.

Has been with iPad since around 2017/2018.

This is, also, a paid monthly subscription model, but offers a cheaper monthly or yearly subscription.

Tap the App Store link below.


https://apps.apple.com/us/app/duet-display/id93575406



Best of Luck to You!





iPad Sidecar really glitchy, not usable at all

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