How I turn my iPad into a touchscreen MacBook on the road (and what extra accessories I use)

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Wi-Fi and 5G connectivity are becoming more and more commonplace.
• Don’t rely on finding power in public spaces; bring a power bank.
• Always use a trusted, reliable VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi.

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I’m someone who loves the thrill of rocking up in a foreign country, sitting on a balcony or cafe, and getting some work done. Not only do I enjoy sitting in front of my keyboard with a coffee and a tostada, but I love the technical challenges and pushing my gear a little bit further.

Also: The world’s smallest 1TB SSD drive is the travel device I didn’t know I needed

I’m currently in Spain, so it’s a good time to reflect on my travel work kit and workflow, show you what worked, the things that didn’t work, and the couple of things I did that made my life a bit harder.

Traveling with my iPad Pro

First up, this time I’m traveling with my iPad Pro as opposed to my MacBook Pro. A 13-inch tablet was a lot easier to carry about in a backpack — while I walked the last 75-ish miles of the Camino Frances — than a 16-inch laptop would have been.

Also: I changed 6 settings on my iPad to significantly extend the battery life (by hours)

But that brought a challenge. I’ve never been able to transfer my Mac workflow to the iPad. For a variety of small, but important reasons, I need a full operating system.

And you can’t run MacOS on an iPad. Or can you?

Accessing MacOS in the cloud

I’ve been using a cloud subscription service called MacInCloud, which, as the name suggests, gives you access to MacOS in the cloud. Setup is pretty straightforward, and you can customize the hardware, software, and subscription to suit you.

And it works surprisingly well. I use an app called Jump to connect to my Mac in the cloud, and assuming you have a decent internet connection (a bit of foreshadowing there), it works great. As with all remote services, it always feels a little like tending to a bottle garden, but rather than a bottle garden in front of you, it’s next door, and I’m working on it using chopsticks through an open window. 

Also: 9 essential Mac apps everyone should be using in 2026 – and why I vouch for them

There are also a few odd bugs that I’ve had to work around (many related to user interface, and having to choose the best between my fingers on the screen, the Apple Pencil, or the trackpad on the Magic Keyboard).

But it works, and it’s a service I can highly recommend to anyone needing a remote MacOS system.

I’d assumed that the hotspot on my iPhone would be perfect for fixing the iPad connectivity. I’d tested this scenario before leaving and it seemed to work fine, but as soon as I tried using this on the ground in Spain, I found that the connection wasn’t stable enough. I faffed about with some settings and tried a few tricks to make it work better, but it wouldn’t play ball, and I’m not sure why.

Also: How to clear your iPad cache (and wipe out lag for good)

There were moments when I regretted not bringing my satellite dish!

But while hotspot was a no-go, it was fine over Wi-Fi, and one thing that there’s no shortage of where I am here in Spain are cafes with great views and decent Wi-Fi.

Problem solved.

Bringing an anti-theft bag for my kit

I like to have a bag for all my bits of kit. My grandpa had a saying, “everything in its place, and a place for everything,” and a tech bag helps with that. My favorite is the Pacsafe anti-theft sling bag, which has proved itself by making life difficult for a pickpocket. This is perfect for carrying my iPad Pro around.

Also: This anti-theft tech bag foiled a pickpocket attempt live – here’s how it did it

Wi-Fi and 5G are becoming more and more commonplace, even in more remote areas, and are far less of a consideration than they were even five years ago.

Charging in advance and taking a power bank

Connectivity might be commonplace, but something that isn’t is power. If you’re going to be working in public spaces, never rely on having access to an AC outlet or USB charging. Some places just don’t like you doing that because they think you’re going to plug in, set up an office, and live there all day sipping a single coffee. 

Also: The 9 tech gadgets I couldn’t live without in 2025 (and they don’t include AirTags)

Other times, the infrastructure is just broken. I’ve lost count of the number of broken USB ports I’ve come across.

The simple solution is to charge up in advance, and if you need more power, take a power bank.

Using eSIM connectivity and a VPN

For general iPhone connectivity, nothing beats the convenience of the eSIM. 

Gone are the days of having to find a local SIM card, faff about fitting and activating it. I’ve been having great success with Saily (iOS/Android), Nomad (iOS/Android), Airalo (iOS/Android) and Maya Mobile. I recommend buying a small amount of data and testing it first before buying a big chunk or going for an unlimited plan, just to make sure it works, and if it doesn’t, try another provider.

Also, my home provider offers roaming capabilities (although this comes with some caveats and limitations), and I use a smart SIM service (UK based only at present, but I hear it’s going to roll out to other countries like the US soon) from a company called Honest that is a low-data backup eSIM. It makes use of multiple carriers to give you connectivity in spots that might otherwise be dead zones. 

This has worked well for me both in the UK and abroad, and once it rolls out to other countries, it could be a game changer.

Also: Best travel VPNs 2025: Expert-tested for streaming and avoiding censorship

I also use a VPN, swapping between Nord VPN (iOS/Android) and Proton VPN (iOS/Android) depending on what I’m doing. These are a vital layer of defense against snooping and hacking for anyone using public Wi-Fi.

Finally, my mistakes

It’s not often that I make a mistake or blunder, but they do happen, and I like to be honest. Like the last minute decision I made to swap a tested microUSB cable to charge my Spot X satellite messenger for a longer, untested one that I later discovered wasn’t working. 

Also: Why is my USB port orange? I learned what every color really means, and it’s wild

I’ve made the decision that it’s now time to move away from things that don’t use USB-C for charging, and I’m eyeing the new Garmin inReach Mini 3 satellite messenger as a replacement. 

I also packed a dead power bank, and then connected my iPhone to said power bank, and was left wondering why it wasn’t charging.

So stuff like that. Annoying, but nothing show stopping. Thankfully!