#Use mac as monitor for pc install#

It adds touch control to OS X, at least on the second monitor. It brings Retina Display to the MacBook Air in a way the laptop lacks, plus Air Display uses touch on the iPad. This has two advantages that provide a great working environment. Using the iPad Air with the MacBook Air is what I usually do. It’s easy to forget you’re on the iPad and not a “real” monitor.

While there are occasional lags due to the network, for the most part the duo works smoothly. Moving apps to the iPad is as simple as dragging them from the MacBook to the tablet. What makes this setup work so well is how fluidly it works. You can set the dual monitor arrangement in OS X to match how you have the iPad placed in relation to the MaBook. You have all of the options with the iPad as you have with any monitor, including using it as a second desktop. The MacBook sees the iPad running Air Display as a regular second monitor, so the OS X settings work as expected. Both the MacBook and iPad must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network to use wirelessly. Once it’s set up and running, the iPad connects to the MacBook over Wi-Fi.

#Use mac as monitor for pc install#

Once installed on the iPad, it prompts you to install the host app on the Mac you want to use it with. I’m writing this in the local coffee shop with a two monitor setup.Īir Display is not cheap at $19.99 for the iPad ($9.99 for Android), but it’s cheaper and easier than buying and carting an external monitor around. I use it on the iPad Air, which serves as a second monitor for the MacBook Air.

While it works on Android tablets, I haven’t tested it. It’s not the only option for turning a tablet into a monitor, but Air Display has evolved into a very good one. If you have an iPad or Android tablet, there’s an app that turns them into a good second monitor for a laptop. While laptops have evolved to have good resolution displays, sometimes you need as much screen real estate as you can get.