Sidecar does not run on Windows.
Apple documents Sidecar as a way to use an iPad as a second display for a Mac. Its requirements are based on supported Mac and iPad models signed in with an Apple Account. It does not add an iPad display to a Windows desktop. See Apple’s Sidecar requirements for the official platform details.
A search for “Sidecar for Windows” usually describes the desired result rather than a specific Apple feature: extra Windows desktop space on an iPad. That result is possible with third-party software designed for both Windows and iPadOS.
What Windows users actually need is an extended display.
An extended display gives you a second area of the Windows desktop. You can keep one app on the PC monitor, move another window past the screen edge and leave it visible on the iPad. This differs from mirroring, which repeats the same picture on both screens.
A complete Windows setup needs two parts: software on the PC that creates a display Windows can extend to, and an iPad app that receives and displays that screen. It also needs a connection between the devices. Slate supports a local network connection and a direct USB-C path.
- For Wi-Fi: the PC and iPad must share a local network that permits device-to-device traffic. The PC may use Ethernet while the iPad uses Wi-Fi.
- For USB-C: use a USB-C iPad, a data-capable cable, and Apple Devices or iTunes on Windows. Approve the iPad trust prompt if it appears.
- For Windows: choose Extend these displays after the connection succeeds, then arrange the display to match the iPad’s position on your desk.
Slate turns one iPad into a Windows extended display.
Slate creates one virtual display on the Windows PC and streams it to the iPad over the local network or USB. It chooses an aspect-matched 1920 × 1080, 1920 × 1280 or 1920 × 1440 display at up to 60fps and uses GPU H.264 hardware encoding.
On the first wireless connection, Slate shows a six-digit code on both devices. Compare the codes and approve the connection on each side. The devices can then use saved trust for later reconnections. Screen streaming stays inside the local network or direct USB connection; Slate is not an internet remote-display service.
A single touch on the iPad maps to a Windows click. The Windows PC remains the computer running your apps and files: moving a window onto the iPad does not move the app or its data into iPadOS.
Slate is an option for the Windows use case, not Sidecar itself.
Slate is an independent Windows-and-iPad display app. It is not Apple Sidecar, does not make Sidecar run on Windows and is not affiliated with Apple or Microsoft.
| Capability | Slate on Windows |
|---|---|
| Extended Windows desktop | Yes, one virtual display |
| Wireless connection | Yes, on the same reachable local network |
| USB connection | Yes, with a USB-C iPad and working USB data path |
| Touch | Single touch maps to a Windows click |
| Host computer | Windows only; no macOS or Linux host |
| Remote internet display | Not supported |
| Multi-touch or Apple Pencil pressure | Not supported |
| 4K, HDR or 120Hz | Not supported |
| Clipboard sync or file drag-and-drop | Not supported |
These limits matter when choosing an app. Slate focuses on adding useful Windows desktop space to an iPad rather than reproducing every Apple ecosystem feature.
Start with both apps, then choose Extend.
- Confirm the PC runs Windows 11 x64, which is recommended, or Windows 10 1903+ x64. Confirm the iPad runs iPadOS 17 or later.
- Install Slate for Windows and install Slate on the iPad.
- Open both apps. Connect through the same local network and confirm the matching six-digit code, or connect a USB-C iPad with a data-capable cable.
- Open Settings → System → Display in Windows and select Extend these displays.
- Arrange the displays to match your desk, then drag a Windows app toward the iPad.
The complete setup guide walks through each screen and includes wireless pairing, USB-C and display arrangement.
Choose the connection that fits the environment.
Use Wi-Fi at a home or office desk where the local network allows devices to communicate. Use USB-C when a hotel, café or managed guest network isolates devices, or when no router is available. Slate gives a working USB path priority when both paths are available.
Read the wireless network guide for pairing and discovery details, or compare Wi-Fi and USB-C by scenario. If a device does not appear or the display does not extend, use the connection diagnostic before moving to detailed support.