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OpenDisplay

iPad or iPhone as a Mac second monitor

WHO USES ITMac user · Solo business · Developer

Install to use

Turns an iPhone or iPad into a real second monitor for a Mac.

★ 4k▲ +165 / 7dDaily star increases over 14 days. Hollow bars mean no data. The last day may be partial.2026-09-03 +22026-09-04 +52026-09-05 no data2026-09-06 no data2026-09-07 no data2026-09-08 no data2026-09-09 no data2026-09-10 no data2026-09-11 no data2026-09-12 +132026-09-13 +492026-09-14 +42026-09-15 +692026-09-16 +30largest one-day increase in the 14 days+69last 14 days · stars per dayhollow = no data

4,026 stars · checked on GitHub GitHub check 30 h late · incl. +42 observed via GH Archive since then · 7-day +165 observed via GH Archive (as of )

RANKS HARDWARE #2

opendisplay.app landing: a two-screen smiley icon, the headline 'Use your … as your Mac's second monitor' and an OS line.

TESIGN TAKE

Turns an iPhone or iPad you already own into a true extended display with no account or dongle.

INSTALL

AT A GLANCE

LICENSE
GPL-3.0
USAGE
Use freely. Release your source if you redistribute (copyleft).
LANGUAGE
Swift
PLATFORM
macos · ios
ACTIVITY
last commit 1 day ago () · latest release v1.19.0 () · 40 releases
COMMUNITY
6 contributors · 142 open issues (incl. PRs) · made by: an individual
SOURCES
GitHub
OPEN SOURCE
YES
FIRST SEEN
CATEGORY
HARDWARE · PRODUCTIVITY

A summary, not legal advice.

WHY IT MATTERS

Adding one more screen to a Mac usually starts with buying a device or paying for an app. opendisplay connects an iPhone or iPad you already own over USB or WiFi and uses it as a second monitor. It states low-latency H.264, Retina HiDPI and touch input. Written in Swift and published under GPL-3.0.

BUILD FROM THIS

  • A portable setup that adds a second screen in a meeting room
  • A desk layout with the iPad kept for tool panels only

WHO IT'S FOR

Mac user
adds a second screen in a meeting room or café
Solo business
wants a second monitor without a paid app
Developer
keeps the iPad for docs and tool panels only

START IN 5 MINUTES

# Mac: open OpenDisplay.dmg from the latest release, drag to Applications (macOS 14+)
# iPhone/iPad: install the app via the TestFlight public beta (iOS 16+)
# Connect a data-capable USB cable, then allow Screen Recording and Accessibility

CAVEATS

  • Uses the private CGVirtualDisplay API, so a macOS update may break it
  • The iOS app installs via TestFlight or your own build, not the App Store
  • Encrypted WiFi transport is still on the roadmap

RECEIPT

FIRST SEEN
AT SOURCE
KEPT
STAR DELTA
+36 ★ / 24h
CREATED → FIRST SEEN
94d
WHEN FIRST SEEN
3,056 ★
SOURCES
GitHub

The same facts in machine-readable form — View as Markdown · JSON

SIMILAR TOOLS

Up to five from HARDWARE by ★ total: edited entries first, then repository cards; this entry is highlighted. Drawn from the same stored snapshot as the rankings — a comparison, not a recommendation.

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opendisplay.app landing: a two-screen smiley icon, the headline 'Use your … as your Mac's second monitor' and an OS line.
OpenDisplayiPad or iPhone as a Mac second monitorTHIS ENTRY★ 4k▲ +165GPL-3.0copyleftmacos · ios
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TIMELINE

  1. Repository created
  2. FIRST SEEN BY TESIGN