These features make Mac and iPad better together

I have been an avid iPad user for almost ten years now. I used it as my main computer and experienced all the pros and cons. But one of the biggest misconceptions about the iPad is that it’s trying to compete with the MacBook when, in fact, it’s designed to work together. It’s not until you have them on your side that you begin to see the magic and power that is an apple orchard. Features like Universal Control, Sidecar, Handoff, and continuity tools create “aha” moments that truly change the way you work. So I wanted to put together a list of some of those amazing ecosystem moments that iPadOS and macOS give you together.

Be sure to check out our latest video, which gives you a first look at some of the ecosystem’s best moments today.

Thanks to Paperlike for supporting 9to5Mac on YouTube, check it out today.

The Sidecar

Sidecar is one of the most popular things you get when you combine an iPad with a MacBook. This feature turns your iPad into a portable external display for your Mac. You can treat your iPad as an extended display or mirror the current display on your Mac. It even allows you to use the Apple Pencil instead of macOS in certain situations, which is awesome. Here’s how to open it:

• Make sure both devices are on the same Apple ID, wifi, have Bluetooth turned on, and Handoff enabled
• On a Mac, go to System Settings > Displays > Add a Display > Mirror or Extend on iPad
• To adjust the iPad’s display position, press the Adjust button and set it where you want

This is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to use your iPad alongside your MacBook. People spend $250 to even $1000 for an external portable display, so I would argue that you should just buy an iPad Air for $499 and use that as a portable display that is also an iPad! I was using my iPad Pro as a reference display in Final Cut Pro, and it worked brilliantly.

Controlling Everything

Using your iPad as an external display makes sense, but what if you wanted to use your iPad as an iPad but use the same keyboard and mouse between your iPad and Mac without having to constantly change the Bluetooth connection? That is exactly what universal control is. Universal Control lets you use a single keyboard and mouse or trackpad to control both your Mac and your iPad seamlessly. It feels like you’re moving between two screens on the same computer, even though they’re different devices. You can even drag and drop files directly between them. The enabling process is almost identical to Sidecar with one difference:

• Make sure both devices are on the same Apple ID, wifi, have Bluetooth turned on, and Handoff enabled
• On a Mac, go to System Settings > Displays > Add a Display > Connect Keyboard and Mouse to iPad
• To adjust the iPad’s display position, press the Adjust button and set it where you want

I also use this alongside my Mac when editing photos in Affinity Photo on the iPad. I’ll create my image, then drag it from my iPad to my Mac and use it as I need to use it. No need to transfer the file over, no Airdrop, no storage gymnastics. Just drag it from your iPad to your Mac and vice versa!

Screenshot editing

This is one of my most used and sleepy features. When you take a screenshot on your Mac you can annotate it directly on the Mac. You can even “handwrite” on it using your trackpad or mouse but it’s never that accurate. It would be much easier if you could use your Apple Pencil to annotate a Mac screenshot, wouldn’t it? This is where continuity comes into play.

If you have your iPad next to your Mac, you can use your iPad and Apple Pencil to do any editing on the screenshot. A screenshot will appear on your iPad, you make your edits, tap done and the new edited screenshot appears as a file on your Mac desktop. It never stays on your iPad. Its magic. All you have to do is:

• Take a screenshot on your Mac
• Tap the pencil icon in the screenshot app
• Tap the down arrow and select your iPad
• Do editing on the iPad
• Tap done on iPad
• Edited image from Mac

Pure magic!

General clipboard

Universal Clipboard lets you copy text, images, or files from one Apple device and paste them into another almost instantly. Once you get used to this, it becomes one of those features you can’t imagine living without. Here’s how to use it:

• Same Apple ID on both devices
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff are enabled
• Copy content to one device
• Attach to another device in seconds

This is great for copying links, text, notes, thumbnails, and even video if you need to. This will work with your iPhone, of course, but it works best between your Mac and your iPad. Just copy one of them and paste it into the other.

Stop me

Handoff lets you start working on an app on one device and pick up where you left off on another. Safari, Notes, Mail, and most Apple apps support this, and it helps your workflow feel continuous rather than fragmented across devices. Here’s how it works:

• Enable Handoff on both devices
• Open the application based on one device
• Look for the app icon in the Dock or app switcher on another device
• Tap to continue where you left off

For example, if you’re using the Notes app on your Mac and you have your iPad nearby, you’ll see the Notes app icon appear in your iPad’s dock with a small computer badge. When you tap that Notes app icon, it will bring you the exact note and location on your Mac. This helps reduce friction and the time it takes to find a note you started on your Mac. This is a very useful feature.

Final thoughts

There are still many other ecosystem moments that I mention in our video that we should explore. The combination of Mac and iPad is something that no other company has. Once you start using tools like Universal Control, Sidecar, and Handoff on a regular basis, the devices stop feeling separate and start feeling like a single system that’s compatible with whatever you’re trying to accomplish.

The best part is that you don’t need an iPad Pro or the best MacBook Pro to enjoy this ecosystem advantage. Even entry-level models unlock most of the same functions. You can get a Mac mini or MacBook Air and pair that with an entry-level iPad and get all the same functions I mentioned above.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? What are some of your favorite moments of the Apple ecosystem? Do you use any of the features I mentioned above?

The best deals for Apple