In macOS Catalina, it seems whether or not you own a MacBook with a Touch Bar, Apple still wants you to be able to access those virtual controls, even if that means putting them right on the screen.

sidecar touch bar macos catalina

Image credit: Reddit user dotmax

Apple's new Sidecar app lets you connect an iPad to your Mac for extra screen space. It works both wired and wirelessly, and supports the Apple Pencil as an input device for the Mac.

And for Mac apps with Touch Bar support, the controls appear at the bottom of your ‌iPad‌ screen — even if your Mac doesn't have a Touch Bar.

In other words, the ‌iPad‌ Touch Bar mirrors the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar on a model with a Touch Bar, and when used with a ‌MacBook Pro‌ that doesn't have a Touch Bar, it lets you tap into functionality that would otherwise be unavailable.

The implementation will be familiar to users of Duet Display, which was first to offer Touch Bar support on a connected tablet's screen.

Since its introduction, the Touch Bar has divided users – some find the functionality useful, while others prefer their ‌MacBook Pro‌ to have a full set of physical function keys instead.

The ‌Sidecar‌ app is compatible with Late 2015 27" iMac or newer, 2017 ‌iMac‌ Pro, Mid 2016 ‌MacBook Pro‌ or newer, Late 2018 Mac mini or newer, Late 2018 MacBook Air or newer, Early 2016 MacBook or newer, and 2019 Mac Pro.

Top Rated Comments

CLS727 Avatar
80 months ago
Nice.... but sucks for the Duet Display people..... talk about getting your business gutted....
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
- rob - Avatar
80 months ago
The touchbar is obnoxious for users, who would prefer an actual touch screen and physical function keys, and for developers who have better things to do than support the touchbar for the small percentage of users who have them. At the very least apple should make real function keys an option on all configs of the MacBook Pro, not just the wimpy one with inadequate cooling and slower WiFi.
This is a wild guess but I can actually see this being Apple’s “soft landing” for the Touchbar apps. If it is going to get discontinued, Apple can say: “well, these are still useful they just live in sidecar now.

However, I suspect if this becomes the case it will end up only marginally supported and eventually die completely.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aaronhead14 Avatar
80 months ago
This is a better implementation of Touch Bar than the actual Touch Bar on MacBooks. Lol.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
raccoontail Avatar
80 months ago
Since its introduction, the Touch Bar has divided users - some find the functionality useful, while others prefer their MacBook Pro to have a full set of physical function keys instead.
The touchbar is obnoxious for users, who would prefer an actual touch screen and physical function keys, and for developers who have better things to do than support the touchbar for the small percentage of users who have them. At the very least apple should make real function keys an option on all configs of the MacBook Pro, not just the wimpy one with inadequate cooling and slower WiFi.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechGod Avatar
80 months ago
Apple really knocked it out of the park this time.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SnarkyBear Avatar
80 months ago
I wonder which iPads it will work with. Will my old first gen iPad mini finally have a new life as a side screen for my iMac??
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Foldable iPhone Display Production Begins Ahead of Launch Next Year

Wednesday July 9, 2025 10:59 pm PDT by
Production of foldable OLED displays for Apple's first foldable iPhone have begun ahead of its expected launch next year, Korea's ETNews reports. The first foldable iPhone's displays are being produced by Samsung Display, who are establishing a production line dedicated to the upcoming Apple device its A3 factory in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do. The production line will make displays exclusively...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...