An iPad screen is the perfect size for lots of activities — typing emails, creating songs with Garage Band, watching a show while you lie on the couch, and more.
But for some activities, your iPad's screen can feel a bit small. And if you have to present a slideshow or video to a larger group, the iPad is hardly the right screen to use.
Fortunately, you can connect your iPad to a projector and cast the same images seen on its small screen onto a much larger display. Here's how to do it.
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Apple TV 4K (From $199.99 at Best Buy)
HDMI VGA AV Adapter Converter (From $25.99 on Amazon)
AmazonBasics Mini DisplayPort to VGA Monitor Adapter (From $11.99 at Best Buy)
Apple Lightning to Digital AV Adapter (From $44.96)
How to connect your iPad to a projector with an adapter cable
Your projector likely has a VGA port or HDMI port, and you will need to get an adapter to connect it to your iPad. HDMI is usually the way to go, as it supports both video and audio, while VGA doesn't support sound.
Fortunately, it's easy to find adapters that have both VGA and HDMI inputs as well as adapters for one or the other. Just keep in mind that you will also need a VGA or HDMI cable to run between the adapter and the projector.
You should also double check your iPad port — most iPads have lightning ports (so you'd want a lightning adapter), but recent iPad Pro models have replaced the lightning port with USB-C, so you'd want a USB-C adapter for these iPads.
How to connect your iPad to a projector with Apple TV
You can also use an HDMI cable to connect your Apple TV box to a projector, but note that you may need to work with the setup menu on the projector for it to find the Apple TV.
Then, with your Apple TV and iPad on the same Wi-Fi network, just swipe up from the bottom or down from the top right to open the Control Center and then tap Screen Mirroring.
For more information on how to connect your iPad to Apple TV, read our article, "How to connect an iPad to your TV in 2 different ways."
How to connect your iPad to a projector with a single cable
Some newer projectors, like the Bijou portable projector, can connect to your iPad with just one cable.
This projector has a USB-C port, so you'll simply need a lightning to USB-C cable to connect your iPad (unless you have the recent iPad Pro models, in which case you'd need a cable with two USB-C ends).
You can make the projection bigger by moving it further away from the surface you are projecting onto — Bissou recommends a distance of about two meters.
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