

However, you need to ensure that a few settings are enabled before it works.Īccording to Apple, you can't share your iPad's cellular connection during Universal Control, and your Mac mustn't be sharing its internet connection. You just need to add your device to link the keyboard and mouse. When Apple announced Universal Control at WWDC 2021, it said Universal Control was super simple to use and set up, and it wasn't joking.
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How to Enable and Configure Universal Control However, that could be due to several factors, not just Universal Control. I've also seen my iPad drain battery a little quicker than usual. It usually takes me having to restart my iPad to fix it. I've had issues with the automatic connection feature of Universal Control, but after a few minutes, it seems to connect and work flawlessly.Īnother issue I've had is that keyboard shortcuts and scrolling with the mouse stop working intermittently.

While Universal Control is still in beta, the feature feels pretty stable. However, you can also use your Apple Pencil on the iPad screen. In layman's terms, you can use your iPad as an additional display with Sidecar. Sidecar always allows you to extend or mirror the display from the Mac with an iPad. Additionally, it lets you easily send data back and forth from each device without using AirDrop or a similar method. Universal Control allows you to seamlessly use your mouse or keyboard on another device without disconnecting them first. While both are a part of Apple's Continuity features, Universal Control and Sidecar are two different features that potentially target different audiences. Devices also cannot be more than 30 feet (10 meters) away from each other. It's worth noting that Universal Control does not work between two iPads but does work between two Macs. The device must be listed below and on iPadOS 15.4 or later or macOS Monterey 12.3 or later. Universal Control supports most newer devices. I'm using a 2020 M1 Mac mini and a 2021 iPad Air (4th Generation), but it'll work with many different devices, as you'll soon see. In my video below, I show the basics of Universal Control in action - that you can type, use your cursor, and scroll seamlessly through your iPad and Mac computer. Sidecar | Is it Stable? | Configuring Universal Control | Using Universal Control | Universal Control Settings | Useful Keyboard Shortcuts Example of Universal Control at Work Jump to Section: Universal Control Example | Supported Devices | Universal Control vs.
