iPad Using iPad to control desktop?

[Bought]

I was wondering if there was a good app, or if it’s actually built into the operating systems themselves, to remote into my Mac desktop using an iPad on the same Wi-Fi network?

Nowadays I could do most of what I have to do on my iPad, there’s only a few tasks that I have to do on my desktop Mac Mini computer. Mainly it’s entering receipts and expenses into Quickbooks for MAC desktop version that I have.

Is there an easy way for me to use my iPad to control my Mac?

 

[cupcakes2000]

Jump desktop and Sidecar are what I use.

 

[Bought]

Jump desktop and Sidecar are what I use.

Thank you for the reply.

Why do you need to use Sidecar in addition to jump desktop? I’m a little confused about that part.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Thank you for the reply.

Why do you need to use Sidecar in addition to jump desktop? I’m a little confused about that part.

Because I use my Mac mini headless. I need to use jump to get into it and start sidecar, as you ridiculously cannot start it from the iPad.

I use sidecar over Jump on a local network because it’s infinitely better! It’s just your Mac as an app with nothing else in the way and no weird 3rd party app quirks.

 

[Bought]

OK, so if I understand this correctly, Jump will also do what Sidecar does, Sidecar just does it better. Is that correct?

Once you have Sidecar started, you no longer use jump?

 

[cupcakes2000]

OK, so if I understand this correctly, Jump will also do what Sidecar does, Sidecar just does it better. Is that correct?

Once you have Sidecar started, you no longer use jump?

On a local network, yes. Sidecar isn’t a Jump replacement for true Remote Desktop (over the internet). But sidecar is much better over the local network if you ask me.

Unless I’m away from the mac, I only use jump to get into it and start sidecar.

I really wish Apple would make sidecar more robust - but it’s simplicity is what makes it better. Honestly, it’s just your mac on the iPad. Jump is too - but there are other settings that frankly get in the way. Sidecar is just like using an external screen - jump feels like you’re remoting in.

 

[Slartibart]

AnyDesk or - as already mentioned - SideCar.

 

[Digitalguy]

On a local network, yes. Sidecar isn’t a Jump replacement for true Remote Desktop (over the internet). But sidecar is much better over the local network if you ask me.

Unless I’m away from the mac, I only use jump to get into it and start sidecar.

I really wish Apple would make sidecar more robust - but it’s simplicity is what makes it better. Honestly, it’s just your mac on the iPad. Jump is too - but there are other settings that frankly get in the way. Sidecar is just like using an external screen - jump feels like you’re remoting in.

While I agree to some extent, I think it really depends on how you plan to use your Mac with your iPad. Sidecar definitely makes more sense when you have more than 1 monitor and have a mouse, and has slightly better visuals / framerate but has some drawbacks compared to Jump.
You cannot use your magic keyboard trackpad, you cannot use touch (sure it's not multitouch on jump either but at least there is touch) and it does not support sound. The keyboard and touch issues are solved by third party apps like Duet and Luna, but not sound (and of course second screen apps only work on local networks, contrary to remote desktop). Hopefully Apple will improve Sidecar to at least support the trackpad (I doubt they'll add touch...) and ideally sound....

 

[jdb8167]

I was wondering if there was a good app, or if it’s actually built into the operating systems themselves, to remote into my Mac desktop using an iPad on the same Wi-Fi network?

Nowadays I could do most of what I have to do on my iPad, there’s only a few tasks that I have to do on my desktop Mac Mini computer. Mainly it’s entering receipts and expenses into Quickbooks for MAC desktop version that I have.

Is there an easy way for me to use my iPad to control my Mac?

Another remote control app is Screens. The consensus seems to be that Jump desktop is faster but I don't notice any real difference. Screens seems more Mac-like to me.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Another remote control app is Screens. The consensus seems to be that Jump desktop is faster but I don't notice any real difference. Screens seems more Mac-like to me.

I have used various apps to remotely work on my Macs from my iPads, Logmein, Teamviewer, VNC and Screens. I was very happy with VNC until I got an MKB which VNC didn't support at the time, but I have been happy with Screens For past two years.

I recently saw a comment about Jump Desktop being faster so tried it. I didn't notice a speed difference but I did notice a softer rendering. I couldn't find any setting that was as good as Screens. I showed this screenshot in this post.

 

[JD2015]

I use Screens and also thoroughly recommend it. There is a one-off cost and have it on several ipads.iMac and MacBook,

 

[AnotherScott]

YAM is another possibility (YAM Air is the wireless version).

Since we're talking about a Mac Mini, there's also the variable that some of the solutions mentioned require there also be a physical monitor running on the Mac. For instances where that may not always be the case (as in the headless situation mentioned earlier), they make HDMI dummy plugs that fool the Mac into thinking there is a monitor, so that the those remote apps can work anyway.