Please tell me there is a way to use this amazing piece of tech - iPadPro – in similar way as a Wacom drawing tablet to control my computer. I don't want to see the picture on the iPad, just use the surface to control my computer. Like an (actually magical) trackpad with a possibility to use a pencil on it.
iPad Pro, iPadOS 15
The example i gave is just one example and it is old.
There are many more apps like this that have even more extended capabilities.
Take a look at this app in the iOS App Store and read its entire description.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mobile-mouse-ipad-edition/id363573369
works with Apple Pencil and as a pressure sensitive graphics tablet.
Looks like the trackpad/screen area will be almost the entire size of the iPad.
Check this app out.
The example i gave is just one example and it is old.
There are many more apps like this that have even more extended capabilities.
Take a look at this app in the iOS App Store and read its entire description.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mobile-mouse-ipad-edition/id363573369
works with Apple Pencil and as a pressure sensitive graphics tablet.
Looks like the trackpad/screen area will be almost the entire size of the iPad.
Check this app out.
Another feature of compatible models of Apple devices is Universal Control - as described in the iPad User Guide:
Use a keyboard and mouse or trackpad across your Mac and iPad with Universal Control - Apple Support
Again, per your stated objective, this doesn’t transform your iPad into a plain-trackpad as input for a Mac - but does allow you to use a single connected Mouse, Trackpad and Keyboard for the connected Mac and iPad.
If you are seeking a plain external trackpad as input for either a Mac computer, iPad or iPhone, there is already a device in Apple’s product portfolio for this very purpose. Perhaps not surprisingly it is known as Trackpad - of more precisely, an Apple Magic Trackpad - available in either White or Black:
https://store.apple.com/uk/xc/product/MK2D3Z/A
https://store.apple.com/uk/xc/product/MMMP3Z/A
Apple’s Sidecar feature appears to provide the functionality that you seek - subject to the minimum system requirements for the Mac. Here is excerpt from the linked Sidecar support page...
Use Apple Pencil
To point, click, select and perform tasks such as drawing, editing photos and manipulating objects on your iPad while it's extending or mirroring your Mac display, you can use your Apple Pencil instead of the mouse or trackpad connected to your Mac. You can also use it to write, sketch, and mark up documents while seeing the updates live on your Mac.
Information can be found in this support article:
Use an iPad as a second display for a Mac - Apple Support
There are remote trackpad/mouse/keyboatd ( all in one ) apps for iPas that should work with the Apple Pencil. There are many of these in the app store.
These either or both work over a common WiFi network connection or over Bluetooth.There is usually a companion Mac app that needs to be installed.
These may work with an Apple Pencil, but these may not have any pressure or tilt senstivity on iPad or Mac.
As an example, I use Rowmote Pro app with my iPad and older Mav
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rowmote-pro-remote-control-for-mac/id315316036
This is a very old app, but there are a lot of these in the app store that maybe more recent and still getting more recent and regular updates.
Look through the iOS App Store for something more recent to try and assess.
Best of Luck to You!
While iPad is not designed to be a trackpad input device for a Mac, Sidecar does allow you to use the iPad as a Mac graphics tablet…
Use Apple Pencil
To point, click, select and perform tasks such as drawing, editing photos and manipulating objects on your iPad while it's extending or mirroring your Mac display, you can use your Apple Pencil instead of the mouse or trackpad connected to your Mac. You can also use it to write, sketch and mark up documents while seeing the updates live on your Mac.
Sidecar also supports double-tap, which you can turn on in settings. Double-tap enables apps that support this feature to perform custom actions when you double-tap the side of your Apple Pencil (2nd generation).
Why don't you simply look at dedicted tablet apps, like Duet Display or Astropad?
These are the top iPadOS tablet apps.
You draw on the iPad's screen, mirroring your Mac, like a Wacom Cintiq.
Much easier to actually draw on your expensive iPad Pro with your Mac appearing onscreen than try to coordinate your hand movements on blank pen sensitive tablet while looking at your Mac's screen.
Look at Astropad and Duet Display.
These are professional level tablet and drawing tablet apps for iPad and Mac/PC
Both have either monthly subscription fee and/or one-time purchase fee.
Astropad
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/astropad-studio/id1181582576
Duet Display.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/duet-display/id935754064
Thank you LotusPilot, but this is not what i'm looking for. I don't want the iPad to have mirrored or extended screen on it. Just black screen to work as a surface – just like a trackpad with a pencil. Pencil is more ergonomic to use than a mouse or a trackpad just as it's more ergonomic to look at the screen in front of me, instead of the screen of the iPad that I'm using as a drawing tablet.
Not what I'm looking for: "while it's extending or mirroring your Mac display".
Many things can be used for purposes they were not originally designed for. iPad certainly has all the technical features to be used in the way I described. Samsung tablets seem to have this option.
I am an iPad and Mac digital artist, also.
I would really give Duet Display a serious look.
It is the cheaper of both Astropad and Duet Display.
Duet Display is a $15 U.S.D. initial purchase with a $4 U.S.D. monthly subscription fee for the “Pro” graphics tablet functionality or $35 U.S.D. yearly.
Astropad is much more expensive with a $15 monthly subscription fee or $99/year.
Astropad has been with iPad since about 2012 and has been designed as a dedicated graphics drawing tablet from its beginnings.
However, this app has gotten much more expensive over the past 10-years and really, now, just caters to professional level users that own very expensive iPad models, like the newest Air and iPad Pro models.
Good Luck to You!
Here's something that might better fit your need in the iOS App Store.
One-time purchase. No sub.
Yam Pad
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yam-pad-drawing-tablet/id1136567314
Anothet app to consider.
Thank you Michel, but this is not what i'm looking for. I don't want the iPad to have mirrored or extended screen on it. Just black screen to work just like a trackpad with a pencil. Pencil is more ergonomic to use than a mouse or a trackpad just as it's more ergonomic to look at the screen in front of me, instead of the screen of the iPad that I'm using as a drawing tablet.
Thank you for your delightfully condescending reply. My MacBook Pro does have a trackpad of it's own, and I have "magic" trackpad as well. That's not what i'm looking for. I have stated what I'm looking for in my original post. I have tried sidecar and universal control, but they certainly did not do the trick. I'd like to have one less product to carry around and use the iPad instead of a Wacom tablet. You clearly don't understand my need, but thank you anyway for trying to help.
"You draw on the iPad's screen, mirroring your Mac, like a Wacom Cintiq."
The thing is I don't want to look at my hand and the iPad, I want to look at the big screen that is adjusted ergonomically in front of me. I want to use the pencil to control my computer in general, instead of a mouse or a finger on a trackpad. If I need to do detailed drawing, I can do it by mirroring the screen with sidecar. I'm looking for a way to use the iPad as something else that it was originally designed, for the sake of ergonomics.
gjanne wrote:
"You draw on the iPad's screen, mirroring your Mac, like a Wacom Cintiq."
The thing is I don't want to look at my hand and the iPad, I want to look at the big screen that is adjusted ergonomically in front of me. I want to use the pencil to control my computer in general, instead of a mouse or a finger on a trackpad. If I need to do detailed drawing, I can do it by mirroring the screen with sidecar. I'm looking for a way to use the iPad as something else that it was originally designed, for the sake of ergonomics.
The types of apps I, originally, referenced are about as close as you are going to get, I think, but I am not going to do this app research for you.
I gave you a trackpad app that will act as a pen tablet.
Search the rest of the apps that come up in that search category to see if there are even more recent mouse/trackpad apps that both support the Apple Pencil AND can act as prseeure sensitive graphics pen tablet-like experience.
You know.
There are plenty of smaller sized pen tablets on the market to use with your MacBook.
There are lots of known makers of these, now.
You may need to use and carry around another piece of dedicated hardware.
The iPad drawing tablets apps,,like Duet Display and Astropad were purpoed designed to offer a much cheaper version of a Wacom Cintiq or any other visual screen tablet on the market.
They were not design to just mimic an ordinary pen tablet.
Just stating.
Thank you! This might be what I'm looking for. I will try it.
iPadPro as an input device for MacBook Pro?
