Get connected
First, learn how to connect a Bluetooth mouse or trackpad to your iPad. To use this feature, you need an iPad with iPadOS 13.4 or later.
Navigate your iPad
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When you connect a Bluetooth mouse or trackpad to your iPad, a circular pointer appears on the display.
Move the mouse or swipe on the trackpad just as you would with a desktop or notebook computer. You can adjust how quickly the pointer moves, along with other trackpad and mouse settings.
As it moves across different elements on the screen, the pointer changes shape. For example, it turns into an I-beam over text, indicating that you can insert the pointer into a text document or highlight and copy words from a webpage:
When the pointer hovers over various parts of iPadOS, they also change appearance and use subtle animation to help you navigate. For example, toolbar buttons in apps change color, and app icons on the Home screen get bigger:
The pointer disappears after a few seconds of inactivity. To make it appear again, just move the mouse or touch the trackpad.
iPadOS doesn't support scrolling or other gestures with Apple Magic Mouse (1st generation) or Magic Trackpad (1st generation).
Adjust trackpad settings
To change how your Bluetooth trackpad works, go to Settings > General > Trackpad. On the screen that appears, you can adjust these settings:
- To adjust how quickly the pointer moves when you use the trackpad, drag the Tracking Speed slider.
- To make content track the movement of your fingers when you scroll, turn on Natural Scrolling.
- To make a tap on the trackpad register as a click, turn on Tap to Click.
- To have a two-finger click or tap behave as a secondary click, turn on Two Finger Secondary Click.
In iPadOS, a secondary trackpad click acts like a long press on the iPad touchscreen, or a Control-click (or right-click) on a Mac. For example, when you use a secondary trackpad click on an iPad app icon, its contextual menu appears.
You can also perform a secondary click on iPad with any pointing device by holding the Control key as you click.
Adjust mouse settings
To change how your Bluetooth mouse works, go to Settings > General > Trackpad & Mouse. On the screen that appears, you can adjust these settings:
- To adjust how quickly the pointer moves when you use the mouse, drag the Tracking Speed slider.
- To make content track the movement of your fingers when you scroll, turn on Natural Scrolling.
With a mouse, you can also choose a behavior for a secondary click. In iPadOS, a secondary click acts like a long press on the iPad touchscreen, or a Control-click (or right-click) on a Mac. For example, when you use a secondary mouse click on an iPad app icon, its contextual menu appears.
Select Secondary Click, then choose whether you want a secondary click to happen when you click on the left or right side of your mouse, or not at all. You can also perform a secondary click on iPad with any pointing device by holding the Control key as you click.
Customize the pointer
To change how the pointer looks and how it works, open the Settings app and tap Accessibility > Pointer Control. There, you can customize these features:
- To make the pointer darker and less transparent, turn on Increase Contrast.
- Tap Automatically Hide Pointer, then select how long you want the pointer to stay visible when it's not moving.
- To select a different color for the pointer, tap Color.
- To make the pointer larger or smaller, drag the Pointer Size slider.
- Turn on or turn off Pointer Animations.
- To adjust how quickly pages scroll when you use your Bluetooth mouse or trackpad, use the Scrolling Speed slider.
Show and hide the onscreen keyboard
Don't see the onscreen keyboard when you have a trackpad or mouse connected? Tap the keyboard button in the lower-right corner of the screen. In the menu that appears, tap the show keyboard button . To hide the software keyboard, tap the dismiss button .
Extend or mirror your Mac desktop with Sidecar
- Make sure that your Mac and iPad meet the Sidecar system requirements.
- You can use Sidecar wirelessly, but to keep your iPad charged during use, connect it directly to your Mac with the USB charge cable that came with your iPad.
- Click the AirPlay icon in the menu bar on your Mac, then choose the option to connect to your iPad. Or use Sidecar preferences to connect.
If you don't see the AirPlay icon, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Displays, then make sure that ”Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available” is selected. - Your iPad should now show an extension of your Mac desktop. You can move windows to it and use it like any other display.
- To mirror your Mac display so that both screens show the same content, return to the AirPlay menu, which is a blue rectangle while using Sidecar. Choose the option to mirror your display. This is a great way to share your Mac screen with others.
- To end your Sidecar session, return to the AirPlay menu and choose the option to disconnect. Or click the Disconnect button in the sidebar on your iPad.
Learn more about using external displays. For example, you can use Displays preferences to arrange displays so that your iPad extends the left, right, top, or bottom of your desktop.
Move a window to your iPad display
If you hover your pointer over the full-screen button of a window, you can choose to move that window to or from your iPad display. It's faster than dragging the window, and the window is perfectly resized for your display.
The sidebar puts commonly used controls on the side of your iPad screen. It includes Command, Shift, and other modifier keys, so you can choose essential commands with your finger or Apple Pencil instead of a keyboard.
Use Sidecar preferences to turn off the sidebar or change its position.
Tap to show or hide the menu bar when viewing a window in full screen on iPad.
Command. Touch and hold to set the Command key. Double-tap to lock the key.
Option. Touch and hold to set the Option key. Double-tap to lock the key.
Control. Touch and hold to set the Control key. Double-tap to lock the key.
Shift. Touch and hold to set the Shift key. Double-tap to lock the key.
Undo the last action. Some apps support multiple undos.
Use the Touch Bar
Many apps on Mac have Touch Bar controls that make common actions even easier. With Sidecar, you get a Touch Bar on your iPad screen even if your Mac doesn’t have a Touch Bar. It works just like the Touch Bar on Mac, and you can tap its controls with either your finger or Apple Pencil.
Use Sidecar preferences to turn off the Touch Bar or change its position.
If the Touch Bar doesn't appear when using an app that offers Touch Bar controls, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Mission Control, then make sure that “Displays have separate Spaces” is selected.
Use gestures for scrolling and other actions
Multi-Touch gestures on iPad remain available when using Sidecar. These gestures are particularly useful with Sidecar:
- Scroll: Swipe with two fingers.
- Copy: Pinch in with three fingers.
- Cut: Pinch in with three fingers twice.
- Paste: Pinch out with three fingers.
- Undo: Swipe left with three fingers, or double-tap with three fingers.
- Redo: Swipe right with three fingers.
Use Apple Pencil
To point, click, select, and perform tasks such as drawing, editing photos, and manipulating objects on your iPad while it's extending or mirroring your Mac display, you can use your Apple Pencil instead of the mouse or trackpad connected to your Mac. You can also use it to write, sketch, and mark up documents while seeing the updates live on your Mac.
Sidecar also supports double-tap, which you can turn on in Sidecar preferences. Double-tap enables apps that support this feature to perform custom actions when you double-tap on the side of your Apple Pencil (2nd generation).
Use a keyboard, mouse, or trackpad
During your Sidecar session, you can type using a keyboard connected to either your Mac or iPad, including the Smart Keyboard or Magic Keyboard for iPad.
To point, click, or select with a mouse or trackpad, use the mouse or trackpad connected to your Mac, or use an Apple Pencil on your iPad.
Use iPad apps
While using Sidecar, you can switch to an iPad app, then interact with that app on your iPad as you normally would. This suspends your Sidecar session until you switch back to the Sidecar app or disconnect Sidecar. The Sidecar app appears on your home screen only while using Sidecar.
Use Sidecar preferences
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sidecar. These preferences are available only on computers that support Sidecar.
- Show Sidebar: Show the sidebar on the left or right side of your iPad screen, or turn it off.
- Show Touch Bar: Show the Touch Bar on the bottom or top of your iPad screen, or turn it off.
- Enable double tap on Apple Pencil: Allow apps that support this feature to perform custom actions when you double-tap on the side of your Apple Pencil (2nd generation).
- Connect to: Choose an iPad to connect to, or click Disconnect to stop using Sidecar.
Sidecar system requirements
Sidecar requires a compatible Mac using macOS Catalina and a compatible iPad using iPadOS 13:
Mac using macOS Catalina
- MacBook Pro introduced in 2016 or later
- MacBook introduced in 2016 or later
- MacBook Air introduced in 2018 or later
- iMac introduced in 2017 or later, plus iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac Pro
- Mac mini introduced in 2018 or later
- Mac Pro introduced in 2019
iPad using iPadOS 13
Using Trackpad With Ipad
- iPad Pro: all models
- iPad (6th generation) or later
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- iPad Air (3rd generation)
Additional requirements
- Both devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication.
- 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
Keyboard With Trackpad For Ipad
- Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference, which can affect Sidecar performance when using Sidecar wirelessly.