When we work with several Apple devices together or at the same time, Universal Control lets us do it from a single keyboard and mouse or trackpad. It may seem like a small difference, but it makes a huge impact on our workflow. Let’s take a closer look at what Universal Control is, how we can set it up, and the different ways we can use it to get the most out of all our devices.
What is Universal Control and how does it support our productivity?
Universal Control is designed to simplify the way we interact with our Apple devices. Thanks to it, we can move the mouse pointer or use the keyboard across nearby devices as if they were all part of the same machine. This means we can control our iPad from our MacBook or drag files directly from one device to another just by moving the mouse.
Behind the scenes, the magic of Universal Control relies on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, allowing all our devices to share a keyboard and mouse as if they were physically connected. By simply moving the pointer to the edge of one screen, we can jump from our Mac to a nearby iPad, or even to another Mac sitting on the same desk.
We might, for example, be working on a document in Pages on our Mac while keeping a design open in Pixelmator on the iPad. Universal Control lets us move from one to the other just by sliding across and, once there, we can drag files, images, or text between the two devices.
What do we need to use Universal Control?
The first and most important requirement for Universal Control to work is that all devices must be signed in to the same Apple account, with two-factor authentication enabled. In addition, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Handoff must be turned on for each of them.
As for software, Macs need macOS 12.3 or later, and iPads need iPadOS 15.4 or later. Finally, we should check that our device is compatible with this feature. The list includes most recent models:
- MacBook Pro (2016 or later).
- iMac (2017 or later).
- All iPad Pro models.
- iPad Air (3rd generation or later).
How do we use Universal Control?
Universal Control is enabled by default on all compatible devices, although if we want to make sure, we can go to System Settings > Displays > Universal Control and turn on the option Allow your pointer and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad.
Once that is done, we can start using the feature straight away. How? In the simplest way possible.
All we have to do is place our devices physically close to each other and move the pointer toward the edge of one screen so it jumps to the next one.
A few examples of how to use Universal Control
Universal Control helps us become much more productive by completely removing device switching from our workflow. Let’s look at a few specific examples:
- Instant file transfer: if we take a screenshot on the iPad, we can drag it directly to our Mac desktop or into a Pages document without any extra steps.
- Apple Pencil on the Mac: while using certain apps on the Mac, we can also take advantage of iPad-only apps such as Procreate to develop creative projects or any work where Apple Pencil gives us an edge.
- Even better multitasking: being able to work with several devices at the same time means we have two screens, two processes, and twice the capacity to get things done.
All in all, Universal Control is a genuinely useful feature when it comes to working in an integrated way. Whether we are using the iPad to draw, the Mac to write, or both at the same time, this feature makes working with multiple devices more comfortable, faster, and more efficient.
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