How to Mirror iPad Screen to Mac / MacBook

Screen Mirroring is one of the best features of smart devices. Also known as casting in some devices, its actual role is to display the contents of one device on another’s screen. It can be between smartphones and PCs, Macs, or TVs.

Many users use mirroring to present their screens during meetings, watch movies, play games, watch slideshows and pictures with family, etc. Whatever your reason might be, you can use any of the methods shown below to mirror your iPad screen to your Mac.

We have discussed four different tools to mirror an iPad to Mac. So to make it easier for you to choose, do check the comparison between them at the end to help you better understand which one will do your job.

1. Mirroring With QuickTime Player

QuickTime is an Apple-developed multimedia software that allows you to mirror your iPad screen to Mac. QuickTime uses a USB connection to present your screen onto your Mac. Besides allowing screen mirroring, it will enable you to record what’s on your screen, be it a video game, slideshow, or presentation.

To do this, you are going to need a supported USB cable. Also, QuickTime is pre-installed on Mac. In any case, if it is not, download and install it. Now let’s see how you can mirror your iPad using QuickTime Payer.

1. Connect your iPad and Mac using your cable.
2. Open QuickTime Player on your Mac.
3. Go to File -> New Movie Recording.
4. From the drop-down menu that appears, click on your iPad device name.
5. After clicking, it should start screen mirroring on your Mac.

To record this, just click on the red circular button, and it will start recording the shared screen. If the mirroring does not start, make sure for a few points before contacting support.

• Your USB cable is original and not a duplicate.
• Your iPad is above iOS 8 and Mac above

Pros

1. Does not require Wi-Fi
2. Screen Recording
3. Free and pre-installed on Mac
4. Available for Windows

Cons

1. Not Wireless
2. Content not optimized
3. No resizing options
4. Multi-device mirroring is not possible

QuickTime player is an excellent option if you are not on a Wi-Fi and need to mirror your iPad but do handle the cables well.

2. Mirroring With Reflector (using Airplay)

Airplay Mirroring, using Reflector, is a wireless method to mirror your iPad screen to Mac. This feature was designed to mirror iOS devices to Apple TV but using Reflector, and we can mirror the screen on Macs too.

Firstly, you are going to need Wi-Fi, and make sure that both your devices are connected to the same network. The second thing that you will need is the Reflector App, which you can download and install from the official website.

Now that you are equipped with the requirements follow the steps to mirror your screen to your Mac.

1. Open Reflector on your Mac.
2. Open the app on your iPad that allows for Airplay.

• Click on the Airplay button (a computer screen with a solid triangle with the vertex at the center.)
• It will show a list of devices on your Wi-Fi. Tap on your Mac device name.
• It will ask for an Airplay Code. Type the code on your iPad.
• Now your iPad content will be displayed on your Mac.

Pros

1. Wireless method
2. Fast and smooth
3. Multi-device screen mirroring
4. Record Screens
5. Great for presentations since the content is optimized

Cons

1. Not free
2. iOS 7 and newer versions required
3. Wi-Fi connection required
4. The free version has a watermark

Reflector has a lot of features, it has a seven-day free trial, and the premium comes at just 15$; given a lot of features, it is a good deal.

3. Mirroring With ApowerMirror

ApowerMirror by ApowerSoft is a screen mirroring tool that is compatible with many devices. It provides up to 2K and 90fps mirroring with multiple mirroring protocols. Besides, ApowerMirror also provides Cloud Mirroring and Whiteboard support, making it easier to explain your presentations better. Also, you can use both USB and Wi-Fi to mirror your devices.

Let’s see how you can cast your iPad to your Mac using ApowerMirror. Before this, make sure your devices are on the same Wi-Fi.

1. Download and install ApowerMirror on your iPad and Mac.
2. Launch the app on your iPad and tap the Mirror button at the center and let it scan the available devices.
3. After the scanning is complete, you will see a list of devices, tap on your Mac’s name and proceed with Mirror Phone to PC.

• Open Control Center ->Screen Mirroring and choose the computer name starting with Apowersoft.

This should start mirroring your iPad to your Mac. Now let’s see the USB method to do this.

1. Connect your iPad and Mac via USB cable and open ApowerMirror.
2. Let ApowerMirror detect the device and drivers. If it prompts Install Now, click on it and install the required drivers.
3. If it’s your first time, click on ‘Trust‘ when prompted on your iPad and ‘Already Trusted, next’ on your ApowerMirror Mac screen.
4. Wait for a few seconds, and your iPad will be successfully mirrored.

Pros

1. Both Wi-Fi and USB support
2. Easy process
3. Cloud Mirroring support
4. Multiple devices mirroring support
5. Real-time annotations

Cons

1. Smoothing and optimization are not up to the mark
2. Paid software with a trial period.

ApowerMirror is a great mirroring tool and can be used for live streaming, conference presentation, and intelligent education too. It offers a trial period, after which the pricing starts at $29.95 per user per month.

4. Mirroring With iMyFone MirrorTo

iMyFone is one of the best companies when it comes to developing utility tools. It primarily develops tools that make our work much more accessible, smoother, and whatnot. From data recovery to device repairing, password removers, data management software, data cleaners, voice changers, location changer, and of course, Screen Mirroring software.

MirrorTo is a screen mirroring tool developed by iMyFone to share iOS and Android screens to PC and Mac. It supports iOS 7 and above, including iOS 15, and makes the mirroring experience thrilling and smooth with minimal or no lags. iMyFone makes MirrorTo has many special features that make it superior to its counterparts. Let’s have a look at them.

Features

1. Effort-less screen sharing
2. Fluent Mirroring
3. Up to 2K 90fps HD quality
4. Easy operations
5. Keyboard and Mouse move combinations make controls easier

Using MirrorTo, you can mirror your screen using both Wi-Fi and USB. Here are the steps using which you can mirror your iPad screen to Mac using Wi-Fi.

1. Download and install iMyFone MirrorTo from the website.
2. Connect your Phone and Mac to the same Wi-Fi
3. Open iMyFone on your Mac and tap on Wi-Fi, and select iOS
4. Go to Control Center and tap on Screen Mirroring. Now you have successfully mirrored your iPad to your Mac.
5. To avoid any connectivity issues while controlling, turn on your Bluetooth and connect it to your Mac. This way, you make sure that when you are working faster, there is no chance of staying behind.

Let’s see how you can connect your iPad using USB.

1. Connect your iPad and Mac via USB cable.
2. Tap on ‘Trust’ when it prompts ‘Trust This Computer’ and enter your passcode to continue
3. Tap on the USB option on the MirrorTo screen.
4. It will start the connecting process, and you should be mirrored in a few seconds. However, if you don’t have the required drivers installed, MirrorTo will install them and ask you to restart the app.

• Restart the app and begin from Step 1, don’t worry. It’s just a one-time step.

With this, you have successfully mirrored your iPad to your Mac using a USB cable.

Pros

1. The keyboard and Mouse combination provides better controlling
2. Live stream support
3. Convenient recording and capture options
4. Both USB and Wi-Fi support
5. Voice changer support
6. Stream-to-conference support

Cons

1. None to mention

MirrorTo has a lot of features to consider its Paid part as a con. Moreover, using MirrorTo, you can also mirror the iPad via USB cable if you don’t have access to Wi-Fi. It is best for streaming games, fast actions, smooth sharing, and easy management tools.

Which one should you choose?

This mostly depends on your purpose and the extent of your needs. However, if you are looking for a mirroring tool, why not get the best one while you are at it.

Though all of the mentioned tools do the basic job of mirroring your iPad to Mac, some have a high-margin upper hand regarding the small necessary features required that many don’t pay attention to. Let’s see what these are.

• QuickTime is a built-in Mac software, so it is more accustomed to the iOS ecosystem, but it doesn’t provide much other than mirroring and recording. Moreover, you will always need a USB for connection.
• Reflector removes the USB downside of QuickTime by using AirPlay to mirror the screen. It also optimizes the screen content and allows up to 1080p video quality. It will satisfy your basic needs, and you can mirror multiple screens at a time.
• QuickTime and Reflector are all good, but if you are a true entertainment enthusiast and know what quality is, MirrorTo or ApowerMirror should be your first preference. With their 2K and 90fps immersive experience, you can game without lags and feel your iPad content.
• MirrorTo‘s keyboard shortcuts make it much easier to use, while ApowerMirror‘s Cloud Mirroring and Whiteboard features are a lot better for official purposes. Besides this, there isn’t much difference other than the pricing and connection steps.

With this, you must have understood which tool will work the best for you.

FAQs

1. Can I mirror my iPad screen without Wi-Fi?

Yes, you can easily mirror your iPad screen without Wi-Fi. For this, you can use QuickTime or MirrorTo, depending on your requirements, and you can check out the detailed steps above.

2. How do I turn on Screen Mirroring on Mac?

To turn on screen mirroring on Mac, you need to go to Display Settings and see if ‘Show Mirroring options in the menu bar when available’ is checked. This makes sure that whenever mirroring is available, it will receive it and notify you.

3. Can I mirror my iPad screen to Windows PC?

Yes, you can easily mirror your iPad to Windows PC using MirrorTo or LetsView. You just need to install the software on your respective devices and then follow the steps mentioned, and you will be able to easily mirror to Windows PC too.

4. Why can’t I see my Mac on the device lists?

It might be because your Mac isn’t connected to our Wi-Fi or your Mac’s Screen Mirroring is turned off. Try reconnecting your Mac to your Wi-Fi and check if Screen Mirroring is turned on. If it still doesn’t work, try restarting all your devices, including Wi-Fi, then it should work. Your last option is to try to contact the support of the software you are using, and they will provide a solution.

Conclusion

The demand for screen mirroring is continuously rising because people love to cast their content on larger screens with better quality. Also, mirroring provides extensive management experience, making it even more popular.

In this article, we saw how to easily mirror an iPad screen to Mac. Now, of all the options, you can freely choose any. Do make sure that it fits your primary needs, and my advice is don’t go for more featured apps if you don’t need them. However, third-party apps make your experience much smoother and more featured, so they are always a better option than the default available options.

In the end, I would suggest you try out MirrorTo. It has been the best for me, and the no lag, 90 FPS experience is not something other software can compare to.