iA Presenter works great when you’re presenting online—but what about on-site presentations? Let’s work through the options.
If you’re going to present on a setup that belongs to the host, be sure to find out in advance what software and hardware options are available at the venue. If you’re not sure, you should probably bring your own computer along.
Depending on the setup at the venue, you may be asked to choose between:
When using iA Presenter, make sure you choose Extended Mode. This way, your Mac acts as a teleprompter by displaying speaker notes, while the secondary device (such as a projector or smart TV) will show the slides that only the audience will see.
Most projectors require that you physically connect them to your Mac, usually via a VGA or HDMI cable (more options listed here). Few Macs have a built-in HDMI port. Most of them don’t. Modern laptops no longer come with a VGA port.
If the equipment at the venue is outdated, you may find yourself relying solely on a VGA cable—so it’s probably a good idea to bring along your own HDMI/VGA Mac adapter. First test it home.
After connecting your Mac to the projector, it should automatically detect the presence of the projector and transmit both audio and video.
To help your Mac detect any external peripherals, try to follow this sequence:
If you need to modify what’s shown on the display, change the resolution. Or, if your Mac doesn’t recognize the projector, open the Display Settings of your Mac via → System Settings → Displays.
You can also force your Mac to scan for all connected displays. Press and hold the Option key to make the button Detect Displays appear in place of the Night Shift button.
The audio signal should be sent directly from your HDMI cable. As a first step, turn up the volume on the projector. If you’re not getting any sound coming from the projector, check the audio settings on your computer. Go to → System Settings → Sound → Output and select the proper device for sound output.
Troubleshooting Apple hardware or operating system (macOS) issues falls outside our support scope, but you can learn more on the Apple Support Site:
For troubleshooting third-party party hardware, please refer to the projector or external display’s documentation.
Many venues are now equipped with smart TVs that let you connect your laptop to a display without cables. On Mac, you can stream content to an external display with AirPlay through a Wi-Fi connection.
If you aren’t sure whether the TV at the venue is a smart TV or not, here are some indicators. Smart TVs:
If most of these features are missing on the TV at the venue, then it probably isn’t a smart TV. That also means you’ll need to connect your Mac with a cable instead (find out how above).
Most smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Sony etc.) are compatible with Apple AirPlay, but in some cases that may not be an option. Try to verify AirPlay compatibility on the TV’s general settings. You can also find a list of compatible devices on the Apple Support Site: AirPlay-Enabled TVs and Video Accessories.
Venues may also make use of an AppleTV connected to an external source like a projector, external display or non-smart TV. In this case, you can connect to the Apple TV via AirPlay.
Your Mac and the smart TV/Apple TV unit need to be on the same Wi-Fi Network for AirPlay to work. Some venues will have different networks available, so be sure to check which one you should connect to.
💡 If the smart TV is not an Apple TV, you might need to turn on AirPlay in the TV’s settings.
On your Mac, go to Control Center → Screen Mirroring, select your external display and choose Use as Separate Display. This will let you choose what you show to your audience (the slides, in your case) instead of mirroring your Mac. You might be asked to enter a four-digit code on your Mac. More about that on the Apple Support Site: Use AirPlay.
Some third-party tools allow you to mirror your Mac wirelessly instead of using AirPlay. Please refer to those apps’ documentation in case you run into issues.
If you are experiencing a problem that our support section doesn’t solve please reach out to us. We take a break on the weekends (JST), but during weekdays we aim to reply within 1-2 business days.
Action 
How to use the teleprompter: read your notes and get a preview of your slides.
Use either your mouse, keyboard, or remote controller and learn how to customize the navigation keys.
Use Presenter with third-party software such as Zoom, Loom, or Google Meet for an online Presentation.
How to use Presenter in a face-to-face situation with projectors or smart TVs.
Share your presentation to your audience as Markdown, PDF, HTML, PPTX or Images.
With Sharing you can publish your presentation as a temporary static site and share its link with your audience.
A detailed walkthrough on exporting and sharing your presentation on social networks.