How do I fix the zoomed-in display when using iPad Pro as an extended display through Sidecar?

Trying to use my iPad Pro (M4, 13-inch) as an extended display for my MacBook Pro (M5, 16-inch), and the issue is that when I display the extra screen through the iPad, the display is zoomed in. The typical shortcuts to zoom out have not worked, and neither has trying to adjust the display settings themselves through the resolution, selecting "default" or "more space". I have a feeling it's through a Sidecar setting, but I can't seem to find a solution for this either... Help!!!

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Zooming out extended display

Posted on Oct 26, 2026 10:14 AM

1 reply

kaz-k

Level 9 (53,902 points)

Oct 26, 2026 10:47 AM in response to Typical_user_

Hi,

You can fix a zoomed-in or incorrectly scaled Sidecar display by adjusting the mirroring and resolution settings through macOS.

Adjusting Settings in macOS

Connect your iPad via Sidecar.
On your Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences) and click on Displays.
Select your built-in Mac display first, then set "Use As" to mirror your Mac screen temporarily onto the iPad (select Mirror for [iPad Name]).
Toggle Show all resolutions to ON, then select a proper resolution or scaling option that fits your preference.
Go back to the Use As drop-down menu and switch it back to an Extended display (stop mirroring). This usually forces Sidecar to cache and apply the correct independent proportions.

Alternative Utility

If macOS fails to let you change the aspect ratio or resolution natively, many users resolve persistent scaling bugs by using a third-party menu bar tool like BetterDisplay to manually override and force the correct native dimensions for the Sidecar monitor