Video: How to Use an iPad as a Screen for Your Nintendo Switch

[MacRumors]

If you're on the go and want to play your Nintendo Switch on a larger display than the tiny 6-inch to 7-inch screen that is built into the console, you're in luck if you have a USB-C iPad. With an app and a couple of accessories, you can use your iPad as your Switch display, as MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera demonstrates in his latest video.

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Using an iPad for a Nintendo Switch was shown off on TikTok recently, and we thought it was a neat idea going under the radar. Though people have mostly demoed a Switch, it works with any console.

You'll need a USB-C iPad running iPadOS 17 for this to work. The Lightning models can't support the feature because of a specific dongle required. iPadOS 17 is expected to launch to the public next month, but there is a public beta available if you want to test it out right now.

Along with a USB-C iPad, you're also going to need a USB-C video capture card, which is around $20. It's basically an HDMI to USB-C adapter for the iPad that allows it to hook up to the Switch. After that, you need to install an app. Since this is new iPadOS 17 functionality, few apps are available, but Capture Pro is available via TestFlight and it's what we used for the video. From there, you just need the Switch and an HDMI cable, and Dan demos the whole setup process in the video.

Have you tried using an iPad as a display for a console? Let us know in the comments below.

Article Link: Video: How to Use an iPad as a Screen for Your Nintendo Switch

 

[till]

Neat trick, but you're definitely adding many frames of input lag.

Probably fine for casual play though.

 

[scheinderrob]

who would be this desperate? anyone going through this effort probably has video game addiction...

 

[ersan191]

Input lag central. Terrible idea.

 

[waaronw]

I’ve used this trick recently for both setting up a Raspberry Pi and as an external focusing monitor for my DSLR.

(However, I was using FaceTime as the only app to display camera input, so the apps mentioned will be quite useful)

I think one of these dongles will quickly become a standard part of most people’s IT kit - basically having a portable HDMI monitor with you everywhere you go is awesome!

 

[seek3r]

who would be this desperate? anyone going through this effort probably has video game addiction...

If you're traveling I could see it as useful. Back when I did more racking and stacking it could have helped when I had my bag but no crash cart handy as another thought. See less use, particularly in gaming, with a switch though, which has its own screen, and more for other types of systems and gear

 

[FaustsHausUK]

I do this on my Mac using the Genki ShadowCast. I have the Switch in a floating window while I do other things, it's a great way to play, and the lag isn't noticeable in the genres of games I play.

 

[sunny5]

Would be nice to acquire Nintendo OR release Nintendo games (not latest) only on Mac.

 

[falcones]

Well, while the idea is interesting, I've tried that with another capture card and a MacBook and I found the input lag to be a little too obvious and the colors washed out.
Maybe it was due to the quality of the dongle, but who knows.

 

[pbridge354]

I tried this with my iMac back in the day. It has just enough input lag to annoy you to the point of making you not want to play.

I found the best route was to use remote play (I know Switch doesn't natively have this) with your controller still connected to your console. This provides the least amount of input lag.

 

[tweaknmod]

who would be this desperate? anyone going through this effort probably has video game addiction...

Fiddling with tech, and trying to use it all in strange and fun combinations is something like a hobby of mine.

And I’m willing to bet it’s the same for a lot of people on this forum.

 

[bzhash]

Nintendo should sell a solution to connect the Switch directly to iPad with USB-C without having to convert to HDMI.

 

[unashamedgeek]

I'll use this with NUCs that I work on as my iPad is always near me and this is easier than pulling out a portable monitor and having to put something else on my desk. I will also like to use it on the go when using my NES retro game box. I don't think any lag will be enough to matter on those old games.

 

[dontwalkhand]

This would be a good idea as an IT Professional to use as a "crash cart" so we don't have to carry around monitors etc.

 

[ams1117]

I tried this with my iMac back in the day. It has just enough input lag to annoy you to the point of making you not want to play.

I found the best route was to use remote play (I know Switch doesn't natively have this) with your controller still connected to your console. This provides the least amount of input lag.

kinda amazed to learn that remote play has lower latency (or maybe they're compensating for it somehow)
I think good capture cards introduce less than a couple frames of latency (which to be honest is a lot)

 

[TEG]

I'm hoping GENKI Arcade comes to the iPad to may this work well.

 

[klasma]

If only we had OLED iPads.

 

[phenste]

Would be nice to acquire Nintendo OR release Nintendo games (not latest) only on Mac.

lol, as cool of an idea as this is, Nintendo’s chokehold on its own IP is stronger than Apple’s itself by order of magnitude—they are vehemently against their games being played on any platform besides their own, even their oldest ones that they no longer sell or emulate on the Switch, and I doubt they will ever seek acquisition given how profitable their IP is across several forms of media (one word: Pokémon).

but hey, Death Stranding is coming to the Mac! that’s kinda like the latest Zelda in terms of the mind-bogglingly large map!

 

[Marshall73]

Would be nice to acquire Nintendo OR release Nintendo games (not latest) only on Mac.

Just run Yuzu, runs great on AS Macs.

 

[cateye]

Fiddling with tech, and trying to use it all in strange and fun combinations is something like a hobby of mine.

And I’m willing to bet it’s the same for a lot of people on this forum.

Agreed. Half the joy of technology is bending it in ways it wasn't intended. That's how you arrive at new and interesting use-cases beyond what some self-absorbed company like Apple (or Nintendo, for that matter) dictates its products should be used for.

As others have suggested, the real killer app of a setup like this is being able to spin up using an iPad as a monitor in situations where having a dedicated monitor is impractical or an unnecessary extra expense (I.T. crash cart, server rooms, headless device configuration, etc.) Hopefully over time the software/hardware mix becomes more stable and performant.

 

[seek3r]

Well, while the idea is interesting, I've tried that with another capture card and a MacBook and I found the input lag to be a little too obvious and the colors washed out.
Maybe it was due to the quality of the dongle, but who knows.

A lot of the cheap ones can only do 1080p@30fps at best (like the linked one I believe)

 

[jimbobb24]

You can use iPad to play PS5 remotely (PS5 at home, you are on road with iPad) and a PS5 controller works. Pretty cool

 

[Pakaku]

Asides from the novelty, what's the point when the Switch itself has a screen built in? A better use-case would be for a traditional console.

 

[B4U]

Dongle and an app?
Might as well use the dock with a portable monitor?

 

[xxFoxtail]

Neat trick, but you're definitely adding many frames of input lag.

Probably fine for casual play though.

Don’t play any high precision games with it - like any 2D platformer. I’ve had no trouble with Mario Kart though, and as you mentioned, any casual game is probably fine.