You click Sidecar, select your iPad, and wait. Then the message appears: “Unable to Connect to iPad. The device timed out.” You restart both devices, sign out and back into your Apple ID, toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off and on. Nothing works. If this sounds familiar, there’s a specific fix buried in Apple’s own developer forums that most guides never mention.
Sidecar device timed out is one of the most persistent connection errors in the Apple ecosystem. The standard advice — restart, check Apple ID, toggle Bluetooth — doesn’t always resolve it, similar to how the standard fixes for Universal Control disconnecting in clamshell mode don’t always hold either. This guide covers the overlooked fix first, then the broader troubleshooting worth trying if it doesn’t work.
The Fix Most Guides Miss
Buried in an Apple Developer Forums thread, marked as the accepted answer after multiple users tried everything else without success, is a genuinely unexpected fix: disabling a specific Home Screen setting on the iPad.
How to try it:
- On your iPad, go to Settings > Home Screen & Dock
- Find Keep Today View on Home Screen
- Turn it off
- Try connecting Sidecar again
This has no obvious connection to Sidecar at all, which is exactly why most troubleshooting guides never think to mention it as a fix for sidecar device timed out. Yet multiple users in that same forum thread confirmed it resolved a persistent, unresolved timeout error after every standard fix had already failed.
Why This Unusual Fix Might Work
There’s no official explanation from Apple for why this specific setting affects Sidecar’s connection handshake. The most likely explanation is that the Today View widget on the Home Screen interacts with background processes in a way that occasionally conflicts with how Sidecar establishes its connection, though this remains unconfirmed — a similar unresolved mystery to what we found with Universal Clipboard’s own hidden setting. What matters practically is that it’s a real, low-risk fix worth trying, especially if you’ve already exhausted the more commonly cited advice.
General Sidecar Troubleshooting
If the fix above doesn’t apply to your situation, work through these more standard causes in order.
Confirm Basic Requirements
Sidecar wirelessly requires both devices to meet baseline Continuity requirements. Missing just one can cause sidecar device timed out to appear, looking identical to a deeper problem.
How to check: Both devices need to be signed into the same Apple ID with two-factor authentication enabled, within 30 feet of each other, and connected with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Handoff all turned on simultaneously.
Check for Conflicting Network Sharing
If either device is sharing its internet connection, Sidecar’s wireless handshake can fail. Often there’s no clear error explaining why.
How to fix: Confirm your iPad isn’t sharing its cellular connection, and your Mac isn’t sharing its internet connection through System Settings > General > Sharing.
Try a Wired Connection Instead
If wireless Sidecar consistently times out, connecting via USB cable can bypass whatever’s interfering with the wireless handshake specifically.
How to fix: Connect your iPad to your Mac with a USB cable, then select it from the Sidecar menu as you normally would.
Check Your Firewall Settings
An overly strict firewall configuration can block the communication Sidecar needs between devices.
How to fix: Go to System Settings > Network > Firewall > Options, and confirm Block all incoming connections is turned off.
Restart Both Devices Properly
A full restart, not just closing and reopening apps, clears many temporary connection states that can cause sidecar device timed out to recur.
How to fix: Restart your Mac from the Apple menu, and restart your iPad by holding the top button and a volume button until the power slider appears, then sliding to power off before turning it back on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Today View fix work for everyone experiencing sidecar device timed out? Not universally, based on forum reports, but it’s a genuinely low-risk step worth trying, especially since it takes seconds and doesn’t require restarting anything or changing core settings.
Will turning off Today View on Home Screen affect anything else? No, it only affects whether the Today View widget page appears when you’re on your Home Screen. It doesn’t delete any widgets or affect their functionality elsewhere, like in the dedicated Today View you can still access by swiping.
Why does Sidecar time out more often wirelessly than over USB? Wireless connections depend on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi conditions that can vary, including interference and distance. A wired USB connection provides a more consistent, direct link between devices.
Is Sidecar device timed out a known bug Apple has acknowledged? Apple hasn’t issued a specific public statement about this exact error message. However, the volume and persistence of forum reports over multiple macOS and iPadOS versions suggests it’s a recognized, ongoing issue rather than an isolated one.
The Bottom Line
Sidecar device timed out is frustrating specifically because the standard fixes don’t always work. The actual solution can be something as unexpected as a Home Screen display setting. Try the Today View toggle first, since it’s fast and has helped users when nothing else did. If it doesn’t apply to your case, work through the more standard checks around Apple ID, network sharing, and firewall settings, or try a wired connection to rule out wireless interference entirely.