Here is how to use Apple Sidecar using the Mac and iPad

Apple Sidecar is almost like a new space on the iPad and the screen from the Mac behaves like an app could on the tablet. Here's how to use it.

Here’s how you can use Apple’s new Sidecar feature on the iPad.

One new feature that captured a lot of attention at the WWDC keynote was the introduction of the Sidecar, a new way to use the iPad as an extra screen along with Mac on macOS Catalina. The new feature has already got the thumbs up from creative professionals and may end up killing business of products like Wacom which offer a stylus-based input mechanism.

We did a bit of digging to figure out how this actually works.

The Sidecar is almost like a new space on the iPad and the screen from the Mac behaves like an app could on the tablet. It connects both wired and wirelessly.

Apple Sidecar: How do you connect the iPad?

To connect, go to displays menu on the Mac. The connected iPad — logged in with your Apple ID — will show up here. Once you select, it switches mode immediately.

Apple Sidecar: What all can you do?

Across the bottom you will see the touch bar for any app that’s already running. The sidecar offers a number of controls for creative apps like command, control, shift as well as undo button. This means you don’t need to access the keyboard all the time and you don’t need to be near the screen all the time. In other words, you could be sitting on a comfortable couch somewhere and working on an Adobe Illustrator file.

Apple Sidecar: Screen controls?

Hover over the green button on the Mac app and you see options for positioning the window. You even have the option of moving it fully to the iPad when it will automatically resize for that screen.

Apple Sidecar: Markup mode

On any web page, you can do Shift + Command + 5 to take a screenshot and go into markup mode. You can now use the Apple Pencil to make notes or markups on the screenshot using the iPad.

Nandagopal Rajan

Nandagopal Rajan writes on technology, gadgets and everything related. He has worked with the India Today Group and Hindustan Times. He is an alumnus of Calicut University and Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal. ... Read More