How to Use an iPad as a Nintendo Switch 2 Display

When you're away from home and want to play your Nintendo Switch 2 on a larger display, you can do so if you have a USB-C iPad. All you need is an app and a couple of accessories to get everything connected, as MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera demonstrates.


To use this setup, you need a USB-C ‌iPad‌ that's able to run the latest version of iOS, and a Nintendo Switch. We're demonstrating with Nintendo's new Switch 2, but it also works with the original Switch, plus other Playstation and Xbox consoles.

Along with the ‌iPad‌ and the Switch 2, you need to pick up an HDMI cable and a video capture card dongle, which is easy to get on Amazon for around $20. Along with the hardware, you need to get an app that captures the video feed from your Switch and sends it to your ‌iPad‌.

We tested Orion, which is free to use, but has a one-time $5 upgrade for extra features like 4K upscaling.

When you have all the components and the software, plug in the Switch 2 dock, then plug the HDMI cable into the dock. The other end of the HDMI cable connects to the video capture card, and the capture card's USB-C cable plugs into the ‌iPad‌. From there, put the Switch 2 in the dock and power everything on.

You should see your Switch 2's display come up on the ‌iPad‌, and you're ready to play. There is a little bit of input lag, but it's minimal. You may not want to play online shooters, but offline games should be fine.

Popular Stories

apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
New Intel Logo

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones

Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia. Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Friday November 28, 2025 6:24 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...

Top Rated Comments

dontwalkhand Avatar
21 weeks ago
Isn't the entire point of a Nintendo Switch, is that you can undock it and it has a screen built in, so you shouldn't need an external screen like an iPad? :p
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nickerbocker Avatar
21 weeks ago
I would imagine playing through a capture card would introduce a ton of lag.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Arislan Avatar
21 weeks ago
Why? This needs the Switch 2 dock which completely defeats the purpose of it being easy to travel with. The screen on the Switch 2 is giant compared to the original so you really don't gain much going to an iPad screen. If the Switch 2 could output over USB-C without the dock and the iPad could digest it natively without a dongle, then this wouldn't be a bad idea. This is just a mess of cables that no one needs.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Surf760 Avatar
21 weeks ago
If I'm on the road and I have a dock and hdmi cable with me... why wouldn't I just plug into an actual TV and / or portable / external laptop monitor?!?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
edrozenberg Avatar
21 weeks ago
All capture stuff introduces horrible and unacceptable amounts of lag. None of them work for any games that aren't just interactive slideshows. The dream of using existing iPads/iMacs/iAnything as a gaming display is no. Nope. Noway.

Get an ASUS or ViewSonic or Lenovo or LG or whatever portable display (1080p or hard-to-find 1440p) or a desktop 1440p display with 120 Hz or faster refresh (120/240/360/480). Watch out for non-standard resolution displays because some of them (like the ASUS portable 2560x1600) will not properly handle 1440p and will instead stretch the content to fit the display and butcher the aspect ratio and provide no settings to deal with this. Make sure whatever it is has HDMI input, some portable displays are USB-C only.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SanderEvers Avatar
21 weeks ago
So a capture card for an iPad... That is going to add at least half a second of input lag, and well... the Switch 2 already has a screen. It's like connecint an iPhone to an iPad.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)