When you want to draw digitally at home and on-the-go, that usually means you’re going to have to invest in both a graphics tablet for your PC and a tablet/mobile device that’s easy to carry around.
Astropad, however, has been working since 2015 to allow you to use your iPad as a graphics tablet. The company’s software previously only granted this functionality to Mac users, but that’s beginning to change.
Astropad Now Available for Windows as “Project Blue”
Software company Astropad is launching Project Blue, a pair of apps for Windows and the iPad that allow you to mirror your Windows desktop onto your iPad and use it as a drawing tablet.
On the Project Blue page of the Astropad website, you can “join the beta” by providing your e-mail address. You’ll then be redirected to the Project Blue downloads. The most important Project Blue system requirements are as follows:
- PC laptop or desktop: Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit, Build 1809 or later
- iPad: iOS 9.1 or later
- Stylus: Apple Pencil (Astropad no longer supports third-party styli)
If you are already an Astropad user ($11.99/month or $79.99/year), you’ll be able to use the Windows apps—once they’ve officially launched are are available for purchase—for free. You won’t have to buy the apps again.
Astropad CEO Matt Ronge claims that most common bit of feedback from its users is that they would like to use Astropad on their Windows PCs. While the team is close to getting the app to work just as well on Windows as it does on Mac, they would like to hear input from its users to get it right.
Ronge says that Project Blue has been in the works for almost two years now:
It’s been a massive effort to bring the technology and the powers of Astropad cross platform—[it is] essentially a rewrite of a lot of our code to be able to support both the Mac and the PC. We’re really excited about where it’s come and what we’re going to be able to do in the future.
Using an iPad with a Windows PC isn’t a completely new concept—Duet Display is a competing app that has that same core functionality. Astropad knows this, and actually has a blog post up that compares the two apps.
Use Your iPad as a Drawing Tablet With Astropad
Most Astropad Studio features are available in Project Blue: you have the drawing tablet functionalities, pressure sensitivity, and limited customization (basic sidebar shortcuts, touch gestures, on-screen modifier keys and keyboard, etc.).
Ronge notes that Project Blue will eventually become part of Astropad Studio, so we should be seeing all of Astropad Studio’s features in Project Blue later this year.
If you’re having trouble setting up or using Project Blue, you can visit the Astropad Product Support page or reach out to the Astropad team on Twitter, @Astropad.