SideMini

Use an iPad as your Mac mini’s only display

A Mac mini with no monitor cannot start Sidecar by itself, because someone has to pick the iPad from a screen that already works. SideMini does that part for you, at every boot. Set it up once with a monitor attached, then take the monitor away.

A Mac mini with no monitor attached, using an iPad as its only screen, with a keyboard and mouse on a wooden desk
No monitor on the desk. The iPad is the Mac mini’s screen.

What you get

  • The Mac starts with no monitor and the iPad becomes its screen, every time, untouched.
  • If the iPad is asleep or locked, waking it is enough. SideMini keeps waiting in the background rather than giving up.
  • Your resolution and layout are remembered and applied again on every connection.
  • Plug a real monitor back in and SideMini steps aside. Unplug it and the iPad takes over again.
SideMini Settings on the iPad Only tab, where one switch sets up a Mac mini to use an iPad as its display
One switch. It sets start-at-login, auto-connect and the rest for you.

What you need

An Apple silicon Mac and a Sidecar-compatible iPad on macOS 14 or later, signed in to the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication. The iPad has to be unlocked once, for the first pairing.

Do the setup while a monitor is still attached. A USB cable is optional but makes the connection faster and keeps the iPad charged. On the iPad, set Auto-Lock to Never while it serves as your display.

Before you rely on it

  1. Unplug the monitor while the Mac is running. The iPad should take over within seconds.
  2. Restart with the monitor unplugged, then wake the iPad and wait about fifteen seconds.
  3. Keep a monitor or Screen Sharing available as a way back in.

Questions

Does this work on a Mac Studio?

Yes. Any Mac without a built-in display works the same way, including Mac Studio and Mac Pro.

What happens if the iPad is asleep at boot?

It keeps waiting, so the Mac is ready the moment you wake the iPad.

Can I still plug a monitor in sometimes?

Yes. SideMini stands aside while a monitor is attached, and takes over again when you unplug it.

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