These New Apps Turn Your iPad Into a Dumb Screen, and They're Awesome

Over the years, I’ve looked at my iPad Pro, and then looked at my camera, or looked at the iPad and a Nintendo Switch and thought, why can’t I connect this to that? Why can’t I use the beautiful, high-resolution 12.9-inch display of my iPad as a display for other devices? Well, now I can, thanks to iPadOS 17 and a whole new category of apps.

“The convenience of having an extra screen, especially one as portable as the iPad, is unmatched. It allows me to seamlessly switch tasks or apps without monopolizing my primary screen,” iPad screen user, coffee blogger, and self-proclaimed digital nomad Tim Lee told Lifewire via email. “Some of us carry an iPad around with us anyway, but now we can get the most out of it. The inner minimalist in me is happy that I can do more with fewer devices.”

With iPadOS 17, the iPad gained the ability to use external webcams for video calling. Simply plug them into the Thunderbolt or USB-C port on your iPad and you’re good to go. It’s as easy as using any external audio device with iPad.