InkTether

In development Coming to iPad, Windows and Mac.

The pen display you already own.

Turn your iPad and Apple Pencil into a wired drawing display for your Windows PC or Mac.

See how it works What you’ll need

An iPad with Apple Pencil shows a drawing. The coral line runs out of the iPad’s edge and becomes a USB cable plugged into a laptop, which shows the same drawing. Apple Pencil USB cable Your PC or Mac

Draw in the software you already use PhotoshopClip Studio PaintKritaBlenderCAD tools

01How it works

From cable to canvas in three steps.

  1. Connect the cable

    Plug your iPad into your PC or Mac with a USB cable. The connection runs over the wire, so there’s no Wi-Fi network to set up.

  2. Open InkTether on both

    Start InkTether on the iPad and on the computer. Your desktop appears on the iPad, ready for Apple Pencil.

  3. Draw where you already work

    Draw straight into Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, Krita, Blender or your CAD tool. Brushes, layers and files stay on your computer.

02Features

Built around Apple Pencil.

  • Pressure and tilt on Windows

    On Windows, Apple Pencil reaches your apps as Windows Ink pen input with pressure and tilt, so brushes respond the way they do with a pen tablet. Apps without pen support get a mouse instead.

  • Pointer control on Mac

    On a Mac, Apple Pencil moves, clicks and drags the pointer today. A tablet mode that carries pressure is being tested.

  • Wired, not wireless

    Video and Pencil input travel over the USB cable, so a busy or missing Wi-Fi network doesn’t come into it.

  • Shortcuts for each app

    Give Pencil double-tap and squeeze a different job in each program: undo in one, the eraser in another. Squeeze needs Apple Pencil Pro.

  • Pan and zoom on the iPad

    Pinch to bring a detail up close and pan with two fingers, then fit the whole view again. The Pencil follows the zoom, so strokes land where you put them.

  • Native and private

    Native apps for iPad, Windows and Mac. There’s no cloud account to create, and the picture stays on the cable between your devices.

03Requirements

What you’ll need.

iPad

  • iPadOS 17 or later
  • Apple Pencil
  • For hover, an iPad and Apple Pencil that support it

Windows PC

  • Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11
  • Pen input with pressure and tilt through Windows Ink, or mouse control

Mac

  • macOS 14 Sonoma or later
  • Pointer control today; pressure is in testing

Cable

  • A USB cable that connects your iPad to your computer

04FAQ

Common questions.

Do I need Wi-Fi?

No. InkTether connects your iPad and computer over the USB cable. Video and Pencil input both travel over the wire.

Does it replace my drawing app?

No. InkTether shows your computer’s screen on the iPad and sends Apple Pencil strokes back. You keep drawing in the desktop software you already use, with your own brushes, layers and files.

Does Apple Pencil pressure work on a Mac?

Not yet. On a Mac, Apple Pencil controls the pointer today, and a tablet mode with pressure is in testing. On Windows, pressure and tilt reach your apps through Windows Ink.

Do I need an account?

No. There’s no cloud account, and your screen is sent over the cable to your iPad, not through a server.

When can I get it?

InkTether is in development and is being tested on real iPads, PCs and Macs. There’s no release date or price yet. When there is, you’ll find it here.