SlateGuidesiPad second monitor for Windows

Setup guide

How to use an iPad as a second monitor for Windows.

Slate creates a virtual display that Windows treats as a real second monitor. Connect wirelessly on your local network or use USB-C, then move windows onto your iPad just as you would with a desktop monitor.

Updated September 21, 20268 min readWindows 10 1903+ / 11 x64

What you need before you start.

Slate supports Windows 10 version 1903 or later and Windows 11 on x64 PCs. The iPad app requires iPadOS 17 or later. The Windows PC also needs a hardware H.264 encoder supported by its Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD graphics hardware.

  • For wireless use: connect both devices to the same local network. The PC may use Ethernet while the iPad uses Wi-Fi.
  • For USB-C: use a cable that carries data, not a charge-only cable. Windows also needs Apple Devices or iTunes for the USB device connection.
  • For installation: allow administrator access so Slate can install its companion app and Microsoft-signed virtual display driver.

Screen streaming does not need an internet connection. Wireless display traffic stays on the local network; USB traffic stays on the cable connection.

Install, open, and pair Slate.

  1. Install Slate for Windows. Download the MSI, run it, and approve the administrator prompt for the companion app and virtual display driver.
  2. Install Slate on the iPad. Open the App Store version and allow Local Network access when iPadOS asks.
  3. Open Slate on both devices. On the same router, the iPad should discover the PC automatically through the local network.
  4. Approve the first pairing. Compare the six-digit code shown on Windows and iPad, then approve it on both devices. Slate remembers trusted devices for later connections.

If the devices do not discover each other, check that a guest network, VPN, or router client isolation is not separating them. The wireless setup guide explains these network details.

Use Extend, not Duplicate.

Once connected, Windows recognises the Slate virtual monitor as another display. Open Settings → System → Display, select the iPad display, and choose Extend these displays. Arrange Display 2 to match the iPad’s physical position on your desk.

Move a document, preview, meeting window, or reference panel past the edge of the main screen. Slate streams that virtual display at up to 1920 × 1080 and 60fps using GPU H.264 hardware encoding. A single tap on the iPad maps to a Windows click.

Slate currently provides one 1080p display. It does not advertise 4K, HDR, 120 Hz, multi-touch gestures, or Apple Pencil pressure features.

Start wireless. Keep USB-C available.

Wi-Fi is the convenient default for a desk because it removes the display cable. Both devices only need to be on the same local network; the Windows PC does not need its own Wi-Fi adapter if it is connected to the router by Ethernet.

USB-C is useful when hotel or office Wi-Fi is congested, when a network blocks device discovery, or when you are offline without a router. When both paths are available, Slate automatically gives USB priority. See the full Wi-Fi vs USB-C comparison.

If the iPad does not appear as Display 2.

  • Confirm that Slate is open on both devices and that Local Network permission is enabled on the iPad.
  • For Wi-Fi, use the same router and temporarily disable VPNs. Avoid guest Wi-Fi or access-point isolation.
  • For USB-C, unlock the iPad, approve the trust prompt, and try another data-capable cable or port.
  • Open Windows Display Settings and choose Extend if Windows selected Duplicate or disabled the display.
  • Use Slate Support for black-screen, performance, pairing, driver, and subscription troubleshooting.