Side Screen icon
Side Screen icon

Side Screen

Transforms any Android tablet into a Mac's second monitor using USB-C for low latency or WiFi with QR pairing, featuring H.265 hardware streaming, touch input, HiDPI support, lightweight design, Gaming Mode, open-source customization, and virtual display window management.

Side Screen screenshot 1

Cost / License

  • Free
  • Open Source (MIT)

Application type

Platforms

  • Mac
  • Android
  • Android Tablet
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System & Hardware

GitHub repository

  •  1,103 Stars
  •  141 Forks
  •  42 Open Issues
  •   Updated  
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Side Screen was added to AlternativeTo by Danilo Venom on and this page was last updated . Side Screen is sometimes referred to as SideScreen. 

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What is Side Screen?

Side Screen is a software tool that allows an Android tablet to act as a second display for a Mac computer. It can connect via a USB-C cable for low latency, or wirelessly via WiFi with a single QR pairing. This feature, not supported by macOS, is addressed by Side Screen through hardware-accelerated H.265 streaming, low pipeline latency on USB, and full touch input.

Unlike Apple's Sidecar, limited to iPads, Side Screen works with any Android tablet. It is open-source, fast, lightweight, and integrates with existing systems. Users can opt for a wired USB-C connection for minimal latency, or a wireless connection, which involves a one-time QR code scan.

Side Screen offers a virtual display, allowing users to drag windows to the tablet as if it were a physical monitor. It ensures low latency through hardware-accelerated H.265 encoding and decoding on Mac and Android respectively. It supports touch input, HiDPI (Retina) support, Gaming Mode, and custom options for resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and quality presets. It can also run a Mac with no display, making it useful for portable Mac devices.