Mirroring an iPad screen to a Mac

terse

MobiLifer
Mobi Veteran
Real Name
Ted
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iPhone 14 Pro
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Too often, I find that an image I've posted that looks fine on my iPad looks not-so-fine when viewed through a web browser on my MacBook or desktop screen. In particular, I can see signs of oversharpening or other overprocessing that didn't show on the smaller (but higher resolution and finer pitch) screen of the iPad. So I've been wondering if there's a simple way to mirror the screen of my iPad to my Mac so that I can look for these problems before I post an image online.

It turns out there is.

1. Connect iPad to Mac using your Lightning-to-USB cable. (This may automatically launch iTunes or Photos on the Mac. You can quit those if they're in the way; they won't be needed.)

2. Launch QuickTime Player on your Mac. It's probably in the top level Applications folder, but you can also launch it by pressing Command-space to open the Spotlight search window and then typing Quick to find QuickTime Player.

3. From QuickTime Player's File menu, select New Movie Recording:

screen1.jpg


4. When the recording window opens, click on the down arrow to the right of the record button in the middle:

screen2.jpg


5. From the menu, select your iPad for the camera:

screen3.jpg


6. From this point on, everything you see or do on your iPad screen will be mirrored to your Mac screen.

NOTE: Do not click the Record button unless you actually want to record what you're doing to a video file. You don't need to record in order to have mirroring.

If Windows users have QuickTime Player (they used to, I think, but I don't know if they still do), this may work for them as well.
 
Too often, I find that an image I've posted that looks fine on my iPad looks not-so-fine when viewed through a web browser on my MacBook or desktop screen. In particular, I can see signs of oversharpening or other overprocessing that didn't show on the smaller (but higher resolution and finer pitch) screen of the iPad. So I've been wondering if there's a simple way to mirror the screen of my iPad to my Mac so that I can look for these problems before I post an image online.

It turns out there is.

1. Connect iPad to Mac using your Lightning-to-USB cable. (This may automatically launch iTunes or Photos on the Mac. You can quit those if they're in the way; they won't be needed.)

2. Launch QuickTime Player on your Mac. It's probably in the top level Applications folder, but you can also launch it by pressing Command-space to open the Spotlight search window and then typing Quick to find QuickTime Player.

3. From QuickTime Player's File menu, select New Movie Recording:

View attachment 149595

4. When the recording window opens, click on the down arrow to the right of the record button in the middle:

View attachment 149597

5. From the menu, select your iPad for the camera:

View attachment 149596

6. From this point on, everything you see or do on your iPad screen will be mirrored to your Mac screen.

NOTE: Do not click the Record button unless you actually want to record what you're doing to a video file. You don't need to record in order to have mirroring.

If Windows users have QuickTime Player (they used to, I think, but I don't know if they still do), this may work for them as well.
That’s very handy! :notworthy:
 
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