How to stream your iPad

Tutorial
Written By Azel

This post originally appeared for free on my Patreon, posting it here as well as an archive.

I get this question constantly, so I figured I would write a blog post that I could direct folks to. A lot of people are interested in how to stream art or games from iPad and what tools and software I use.

I'll cover my iPad art setup in another post, this will focus purely on getting your iPad screen onto your PC for streaming on Twitch, Picarto, Discord, etc. There are 2 options when it comes to using your iPad as a source for streaming- Hardware vs Software. Which you choose depends on your goals for streaming and how much you want to invest.

The hardware path is more expensive, but in my opinion more reliable with zero lag. Plus, if you have a capture card, you'll also have the added ability to stream your game consoles as well! I've used this setup to stream my Nintendo Switch and it worked perfectly.

The software solution is much less expensive and does not require any additional hardware, you just need to download a screen mirroring program on your PC. Pros for this method- it's wireless, and less expensive; cons for this method- there can be a bit of lag depending on your network configuration. If you're just getting started and purely want to share your iPad as quickly and inexpensively as possible- go with the software method.

Option 1: Hardware (this is what I use)

You'll need the following:

How to set it up-

  • Connect the Apple Multiport Adapter to your iPad. Plug the HDMI cable that's included with the Elgato HD60X into the Apple Multiport Adapter, and plug your iPad charging USB cable into the Multiport Adapter. This keeps your iPad powered and charged while you're streaming.

  • Connect the Elgato to your PC following the instructions and install their 4K capture utility software. You'll connect the capture card to the PC with the included USB cable, and plug the HDMI cord from the Apple Multiport Adapter into the HDMI-In port.

In the example photo below, I'm using my iPad in a Sketchboard Pro stand- the Multiport Adapter stays attached to the stand so when I'm ready to stream I just plug in the cables and put my iPad in the stand.

Now that the hardware is connected, let's setup your iPad as a video source in OBS.

How to setup your iPad/capture card as a video source for streaming in OBS

I'll be using OBS in this tutorial, but it applies to all the streaming platforms (I used to do this on Twitch Studio when that was a thing). Note: You can't have the Elgato 4k Capture Utility running at the same time as OBS, as the video source will only prioritize one of them.

In the Sources panel, click the + icon, and select Video Capture Device

In the Properties window for the new source, under Device, select Elgato HD60 X. Here is a screenshot of my settings:

And you're all set! There is additional customization you can do based on what's best for your streaming setup, but this is the basic way to connect your iPad with a capture card. Now I'll go over the software solution.

Option 2: Software (Doryuu uses this)

This method is much more simple, and only requires a screen mirroring software on PC. I recommend Reflector 4. It's very easy to set up, and at at the time of writing, is only $22. I tried this method briefly back when I first started streaming, but since I already had a capture card at the time I just went with that. My boyfriend uses this method and it works great for him!

As a side note, do not bother with any of the screen mirroring apps on the App Store. I've tried a bunch and they were all either garbage or, tbh, a scam. Instead, use a screen mirroring software installed on your PC.

Setup is pretty simple!

  • Download and install the software.

  • The first time you launch it, it will walk you through connecting your iPad, but essentially all you need to do is drag down from the top right corner of your iPad and tap the Screen Mirroring icon.

Reflector "tricks" your iPad into thinking your PC is an Apple TV- select your PC from the source list.

Your iPad will ask for an AirPlay Code- type in the code displayed on Reflector.

And that's it! You'll get an on screen reflection of what's currently happening on your iPad. You can tweak the settings in Reflector to show the edge of the iPad screen, etc. Then just add Reflector 4 as a source in OBS and you're good to go! Unfortunately I don't have recommended settings to use in OBS as Doryuu's setup is dual PC and thus complicated, but it should be fairly straightforward for a single PC setup.

Hope that helps to setup your iPad for streaming, let me know in the comments if you have any questions!

Note- some links in this post are affiliate links and help support my work!

Azel
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