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

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.


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.

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 27, 2024 5:05 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in early December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as...
Whatsapp Feature

WhatsApp to Drop Support for These iPhones Starting May 2025

Monday December 2, 2024 2:57 am PST by
WhatsApp is set to end support for iOS versions older than iOS 15.1 from May next year, removing the chat platform's compatibility with several iPhone models in the process. From May 5, 2025, WhatsApp will no longer be compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus models. Users with those devices won't be able to access the encrypted chat service after the specified date unless they ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

12 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Friday November 29, 2024 5:17 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Apple AI Command Center Concept Mock 3

Apple Expected to Launch This All-New Device Next Year

Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:05 pm PST by
Apple is expected to kick off 2025 by launching an all-new smart home hub, also referred to as a "command center," as early as March. The hub is expected to feature around a six-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. The device is said to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected...
Cyber Monday Deals Feature 2022

Apple Cyber Week Deals Available Now: AirPods, iPads, and More

Sunday December 1, 2024 7:52 am PST by
Although Black Friday has ended, Cyber Week is here and you can find great deals on numerous Apple devices right now. This includes big savings on AirPods, Apple Watch, MacBook Air, iPad, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Specifically,...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Rectangle Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Already Rumored to Have These 8 New Features

Wednesday November 27, 2024 12:19 pm PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch for 10 more months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. An imaginative iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro ...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 17 Designs Revealed!

Friday November 29, 2024 9:34 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the recently leaked design of the iPhone 17 "Air" and iPhone 17 Pro. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Earlier this week, a report from The Information's Wayne Ma revealed that the iPhone 17 Air will have a thickness of between 5mm and 6mm, which would make it the thinnest iPhone ever. In comparison, iPhone ...

Top Rated Comments

till Avatar
17 months ago
Neat trick, but you're definitely adding many frames of input lag.

Probably fine for casual play though.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tweaknmod Avatar
17 months ago

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.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ersan191 Avatar
17 months ago
Input lag central. Terrible idea.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
waaronw Avatar
17 months ago
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!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cateye Avatar
17 months ago

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.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bzhash Avatar
17 months ago
Nintendo should sell a solution to connect the Switch directly to iPad with USB-C without having to convert to HDMI.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)