Mobile devices have become one more way to play increasingly demanding titles, to the point of replacing portable consoles. In addition to that, both mobile phones and tablets can serve as a screen to play in other latest generation video consoles, how can your iPad Pro be.
It is very nice to be true, but in this case it is as real as life itself. We are going to explain how you can use your iPad Pro from 2021 as a screen to play both in the PlayStation 5 as on Xbox Series X, in case you are missing one more controller to share with your friend.
Why it should be an iPad Pro
You will surely wonder why it should be this device and not another from Apple. This process can work on any iPhone or iPad running iOS 14.5 onwards. However, apart from the obvious 12.9 inches, this iPad Pro has the peculiarity of having a special screen to be able to broadcast games, under the name of Liquid Retina XDR. In addition, it has more battery and with up to 4 speakers.
How to use your iPad Pro remotely …
Therefore, it is a more than decent device to supply it as a screen when playing with your next-generation console. The possibility of Pairing the PS5 or Xbox Series X controller is an exclusive feature of iOS 14.5, through the bluetooth connection and without the need for cables.
To update your device, you need to have at least an iPhone 6s or, in this case, an 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation). Although, if you have the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, all the better to have a more complete experience. In any case, you will first have to pair your device with the controller, although it is very simple.
As a screen for PS5
First, to pair the PlayStation controller you must access the Settings of your iPad and link the controller in the ” sectionBluetooth‘(which you must have activated). Then, turn on the remote so that the device recognizes it. As you do not have it linked yet, it will appear in ‘Other devices‘.
If for some reason it does not appear to link, activate the pairing mode of the DualSense remote control. For it, press and hold the PS and Share buttons for 5 seconds. At that moment it should appear in the list, so you just have to select it on your iPad and they will automatically be paired.
The next task is to broadcast the image of the games on the screen of the iPad Pro. With the PS5 it is a very simple process, although the console must be turned on at all times. With the PS Remote Play app, you can remotely stream everything you play on another device. What you have to do is the following:
- Enter your PS5 and access’Setting‘,’System‘and then select’Remote use‘.
- Activate the option ‘Remote playback‘.
- Back up and head to ‘Energy saving‘. Then enter ‘Functions available in standby mode‘.
- The next is download the PS Remote Play app for your iPhone or iPad and sign in with your PlayStation account.
- The console will appear on the interface, so click on it to connect it with your iPad. Keep in mind to discard console setup instructions.
The particularity of this app is that it has virtual controls to also be able to play from the device, apart from watching the game on the same screen. It is not the best option, but it is an alternative to play without a controller.
As a display for Xbox Series X
The way to pair the Microsoft console controller is similar to Sony’s, but with some nuances. Before trying to pair the controller from the bluetooth menu, you have to press the pairing button on the Xbox controller. At that moment, the central button will start flashing and that is when it will appear in the list of devices.
After pairing the controller, it only remains to see how to broadcast the image on the iPad Pro, although for the Xbox Series X there are two ways to broadcast the games. You can do it through Xbox Remote Play or from Xbox Cloud Gaming.
To play from Xbox Remote Play, you must have the console turned on, following these steps:
- From the console, go to ‘Setting‘, Choose ‘Devices and connections‘and click on’Remote functions‘.
- Check the box ‘Enable remote functions‘and make sure the power mode is on’Instant start‘.
- At the top of the screen, you will see the option to ‘Remote use‘, which you must activate. If it has a green icon, it means that you have a good internet connection.
- After that, from the iPad Pro, install the Xbox app to stream the games from your screen.
- Sign in with your associated Microsoft account and tap on ‘Console‘, in the upper right corner. So you can link the console with your tablet.
- Click on ‘Remote play on this device‘. You can also enable voice chat, in the three dots in the upper left, with a microphone icon.
If you choose this route, you will enjoy greater fluidity and without needing a too demanding connection. However, if you want to enjoy the games included in Game Pass and being able to play anywhere, you’d better opt for Xbox Cloud Gaming:
- Due to Apple restrictions with the platforms to broadcast games, you can only access by their web version. It is obviously less intuitive and accessible than an app, but its operation is still optimal.
- You just have to enter the page, log in with your account and choose, in a control panel, one of the games you own.
These are all the options to play the PS5 or the Xbox Series X on an iPad Pro, either with the pairing of a controller or from the screen itself. There are also ways to play the PS4 with an Apple device, but for that we already have other articles on the web.