Windows sees it as real
A software-defined monitor in Display Settings, alongside your physical panels. Set its resolution, refresh rate, and DPI like any monitor.
✦iPad · second display for Windows
A second monitor for your PC. It's the iPad you already own.
Remio installs a virtual display driver on your Windows PC — a software-defined monitor Windows treats as real, right there in Display Settings. The iPad shows that display wirelessly, up to 5K at 120 Hz, with touch and Apple Pencil. Free, no account. A real Duet Display and spacedesk alternative.
✦Real display
A real second display, not a mirror.
Remio installs a virtual display driver on the Windows host. A virtual display is a software-defined monitor the OS treats as real — drag windows onto it, set its resolution and refresh rate, even change its DPI. It shows up alongside your physical displays in Windows Display Settings, and the iPad shows that display wirelessly. Your PC's physical monitors stay untouched.
Resolutions from 1080p to 5K, at 60 or 120 Hz.
Up to 5K, 120 Hz
Pick 1080p, 1440p, 4K, or 5K at 60 or 120 Hz. The iPad shows it at full resolution and native DPI, crisp at 100% scale.
Physical monitors untouched
Stream just the new virtual canvas. Your existing desktop and monitors keep working exactly as before — nothing rearranges.
~8 ms of processing on wired LAN
Peer-to-peer on the local network — about 8 ms of processing latency on a wired LAN, measured internally — the rest is your display's own 60 Hz refresh cadence. Plug the PC into Ethernet; the iPad stays wireless.
✦vs Duet & spacedesk
How it stacks up against Duet Display and spacedesk.
All three extend your desktop to an iPad. The difference is price, the account model, and whether the stream is end-to-end encrypted.
| Duet Display | spacedesk | Remio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Subscription | Free | Free — every feature |
| Account | Sign-in required | None | None — six-digit code |
| Encryption | — | — | End-to-end encrypted |
| Host platforms | Windows & Mac | Windows only | Windows & Mac |
| Connection | USB or Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wireless, peer-to-peer |
✦Touch & Pencil
Touch and Apple Pencil input on the extended display.
Touch lands in Windows apps as pointer input — tap, two-finger scroll, and drag all work. The Apple Pencil forwards as pointer input to the host, and hardware keyboards pass through every key, modifier, and F-row. Mouse and iPad touches coexist with no mode switch.
The extended display isn't just visible — it's interactive.
✦Privacy
Wireless first, never relayed.
The iPad and PC connect peer-to-peer over your Wi-Fi, end-to-end encrypted — your screen never touches our servers, even the relay only sees ciphertext. Keys never leave your devices. Pairing uses a six-digit code you can rotate anytime — no email, no password, no sign-in.
✦Setup in five minutes
Set it up in five minutes.
Install the host, install the client, pair once, add a virtual display, and extend. Then arrange it in Windows Display Settings like any monitor.
01
Windows host
Install Remio Host on the PC
Download the free Remio Host installer from remio.net/download and run it. It works on Windows 10 (build 19041 or later) and Windows 11, Home editions included. Power users can run winget install Remio.RemioHost instead.
02
iPad client
Install Remio on the iPad
Get the free Remio client from the App Store. It runs on any iPad with iPadOS 18 or later. No account, no sign-up — install it and open it.
03
Pair once
Pair with the six-digit code
The host shows a six-digit code. Enter it on the iPad, or scan the QR code on the host screen. The two devices remember each other, so this happens once.
04
Add the display
Add the virtual display
In the Remio Host system tray menu, open Settings → Display → Virtual Display and click Add. Pick a resolution (1080p, 1440p, 4K, 5K) and refresh rate (60 Hz, 120 Hz). The display appears immediately, alongside your physical displays in Windows Display Settings.
05
Extend
Show it on the iPad and extend
Connect from the iPad and pick the virtual display in the client toolbar's Display switcher. Stream just that virtual canvas — the PC's physical monitors stay untouched. Drag windows onto the new display and arrange it in Windows Display Settings like any monitor.
Use it for code, dashboards, or just Teams.
Park whatever you keep glancing at on the iPad and reclaim your main screen.
Code beside docs
Editor on the main screen, reference and API docs on the iPad. Stop tabbing between them.
Dashboards
Trading charts, monitoring, or analytics parked on the iPad while you work on the PC's main displays.
Video tutorial
Keep a tutorial playing on the iPad while you follow along in Premiere, Blender, or Excel.
Just Teams
Banish chat and email to the iPad. Notifications stay off your main screen but in view.
✦Full remote
When to use the full remote experience instead.
Want to control the whole PC — for gaming or reaching a Home edition from anywhere — not just extend the desktop? See remote desktop on Windows 11 Home or cloud gaming.
✦Questions
Common questions
Is it really free?
Yes — every feature, for everyone. There is no subscription, no trial clock, no locked tier, and no account to create. That includes the virtual display driver, 4K streaming, touch and Apple Pencil input, and end-to-end encryption. Second-screen apps for Windows usually run on a subscription; Remio does not.
Does my PC see the iPad as a real monitor?
Yes. Remio installs a virtual display driver on the Windows host. A virtual display is a software-defined monitor the operating system treats as real — you can drag windows onto it, set its resolution and refresh rate, even change its DPI. It shows up alongside your physical displays in Windows Display Settings, and the iPad shows that display wirelessly.
Do I need a cable?
No. The iPad and the PC connect over your Wi-Fi network, directly device-to-device. If you want the steadiest latency, plug the PC into your router over Ethernet — the iPad stays wireless and still benefits from the wired leg. There is no USB tether and nothing to plug into the iPad.
Does it work with Windows 11 Home?
Yes. The Remio host is a native Windows app that runs on Windows 10 (build 19041 or later) and Windows 11, Home editions included. It does not depend on Remote Desktop or any feature Microsoft reserves for Pro editions, so there is nothing to unlock or work around.
What iPad do I need?
Any iPad that runs iPadOS 18 or later, with the free Remio client from the App Store. The virtual display streams at whatever resolution you pick on the host, so a newer iPad simply shows the same desktop on a sharper screen. An iPhone running iOS 18 or later works too.
A second monitor, wirelessly, for free.
Install Remio on your PC and iPad, pair with a six-digit code, add a virtual display, and extend. No subscription, no account.