Use Your iPad as a Teleprompter With Sidecar
Sidecar turns an iPad into a wireless second display for your Mac. With Telepront, you can drag the floating teleprompter panel onto the iPad and use it as a dedicated prompter screen, no extra iPad app required. The script renders natively on the Mac and streams over Sidecar at full quality.
See It in Action
Sidecar was introduced in macOS Catalina and remains one of the simplest ways to add a second display without buying a monitor. When you connect an iPad via Sidecar, macOS treats it like any other extended display. That means any Mac app you can drag to a second monitor can also be sent to the iPad, including Telepront.
The workflow is straightforward. Open Telepront on your Mac, then drag the floating panel onto the iPad Sidecar window. Resize to fill the iPad. Because the panel is always-on-top, it stays visible even if you click back to your Mac to manage other apps. The script is rendered locally on the Mac and streamed across, so font scaling, mirror, and opacity all work normally.
For a beam-splitter prompter setup, mount the iPad horizontally below your camera and toggle Telepront's mirror text. The reflected text reads correctly from the talent's side while the camera looks straight through the glass. Combined with adjustable scroll speed and voice tracking, this gives you a serious prompter rig for the cost of an iPad you already own.
Everything happens on-device. Apple's Speech framework powers the voice tracking on the Mac, with no audio leaving your hardware. The Mac App Store install is sandboxed and free.
Key Features
How to Get Started
Tips from Creators
Use a wired Sidecar connection for long shoots to avoid Wi-Fi hiccups
Mount the iPad in landscape under your camera for an eyeline-friendly read
Pair a Bluetooth presenter to advance the script hands-free from across the room
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate iPad app?
No. Telepront runs only on your Mac. Sidecar handles the display extension so the iPad shows the prompter window like any other display.
Does it work over Wi-Fi or only USB?
Both. Sidecar supports wireless and USB connections. Wired is more stable for long shoots; wireless is fine for short reads.
Can I mirror the text for a beam-splitter prompter?
Yes. Telepront has a horizontal mirror toggle so the iPad shows reversed text that reads correctly through a beam splitter.
Does the iPad respond to taps as remote controls?
Sidecar passes touches through as cursor input, so tapping the toolbar works. For reliable remote control, use the Mac's keyboard shortcuts or a Bluetooth controller.
Is the app free?
Yes. Telepront is free on the Mac App Store and Sidecar is built into macOS, so the whole rig costs nothing.
Ready to try it?
Free on the Mac App Store. No account needed.
Download on Mac App Store