How I connected my Mac and PC to ONE monitor with ONE Keyboard and Mouse!

A couple of weeks ago I made a video about my “Ultimate PC/ Mac Setup” and you guys seemed to really like it, but one of the questions that I kept getting was: “How did you get the Mac and PC to show up on one screen?”

Well in this video I will be going over step by step exactly how I accomplished this, and hopefully after watching this video you will be able to implement some of these things into your setup!

What I used:

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My Gear:

[brayzinski]

I've been searching all over how to do this and even went to "The Geek Squad" and they could not help me. You did beyond a phenomenal job in explaining the process! Thank you so much!

[Winfrid]

I've been watching videos about this keyboard and mouse for 2 PCs for almost 2 hours, and yours are THE ONLY ONE with complete explanation, there's always some things missing in other videos. Kudos man!

[tolapii]

For anyone who is struggling with a mac and a window laptop to connect it together, I hope this comment can help you out. Try deleting the logitech+ app on macbook, downloading again, and then turn on the firewall. On the option of the firewall settings, choose allow logitech+ incoming connections. I struggled 4 hours w/ that thing and don’t want you to deal w/ it.

[javaman]

I started using Synergy at work in 2011. We had a Windows desktop for all the business apps, and a Linux workstation for the development, testing, running virtual machines, etc. It works great for us. Around 2016 we got MacBooks for testing on those as well, but we didn't get an additional monitor, we use the MacBook display directly. Adding the Mac as a third device was easy. Its great not needing to use that crappy Mac keyboard.
Also, Synergy converted its code from opensource to proprietary sometime between 2012 and 2016. Synergy started charging money for the software. However, the original opensource code was branched to form Barrier. Barrier remains opensource. Barrier does not have quite as many features, but all the keyboard/mouse functionality is there. It just lacks the "nice-to-haves" like being able to drag and drop files between the machines, or transfer files.

[wunder]

Theres a free (opensource) version of synergy. It's called Barrier.

[lhxperimental]

1:57 You can't merge two outputs like this. This is like shorting. One driver could be trying to raise the voltage (that's how speaker outputs work, by dialing voltage up and down at audible frequencies) and the other could be actively trying to pull it low. This causes a tug of war between the two and they may even burn each other off. You have to use a mux chip to do this properly. There could be some product that uses a mux chip, use that instead.

[stephengibellini]

But in this case server needs to be always on or at least on when you want to use second PC. I recently dealt with this problem myself but I had an added computer of my significant other who could also connect to the dock. I solved it using a KVM (usb only).

Set up
2 Monitors
1 Dell Docking station ( For any laptop to come and use desk)
1 Desktop PC
1 KVM switch

Desk top and Docking station connected to both monitors in independent inputs. They both connect the USB to the KVM and all my USB peripherals are connected to the KVM ( Keyboard, Mouse, Headphone USB dongle). I opted not to go for a more fancy KVM with HDMI multiplexing since the monitors had plenty of inputs and getting the best performance for the video output requires more high end KVMs. Whenever I adopt some speakers on the desk I will incorporate the 3.3mm Jack splitter or find alternative solution. Maybe with more high end KVM if I don’t need to use at same time.

[MoathResume]

Spilt screen option question. Can you switch between two computers displaying at the same time to either one? You are displaying Mac and PC, can u do Mac only, then switch to PC only, and so on? Thx 😊

[jahneeseyero]

random comment but you honestly look so kind and safe. Love how you read comments and take in suggestions.

[otter-pro]

I use Synergy to share single keyboard/mouse with 2 PC and 1 Mac (and sometimes Raspberry Pi as well). I DON'T recommend audio splitter! Instead, use the headphone out of mac to line in of PC, and then enable monitoring in windows audio. The better solution would be to use a simple audio mixer like Behringer, which costs around $80+, but well worth the price.

[sickie]

Thanks for helping me decide on a monitor. I just got an imac mini, so I needed a good monitor to use for the mini and my pc. It's nice to see someone actually showing it in action for a change. Once again, thanks :). BTW Synergy is awesome as well, as it allows you to copy/paste between both machines

[starogre]

if you plug in keyboard/mouse/other usb peripherals to the dock, how does the laptop and desktop pc share them? what cable goes from dock to PC to use all the USB stuff? and what about ethernet cable?

[onezero]

I know it's a pretty old video, but maybe I'll get a answer. When using this synergy and the PC is the server, are mouse and keyboard working for the macbook when the PC is off or does it always have to be turned on? Btw great video

[protector]

This was sooo helpful. Thank you for posting this. Synergy was way cheaper and easier to use than a keyboard that you need to click the button every time to switch.

[friiidrettt]

Can you do the same with a pc and a playstation? I want to be connected to the pc and playstation on the same screen like this.

[siopaoman]

IF one PC has a time tracker on it, will the time tracker capture activity done on both PCs since they're sharing displays?

[bastro]

My question is: in case you want to use the mouse on the mac monitor to migrate to the monitor connected to windows, is it necessary that the application that recognizes such monitors can always be connected to the internet? In case you don't have internet access, can you still migrate from one monitor to the other?

[Diamondblend]

question regarding the mouse moving screen to screen like synergy.. how else can you move the mouse/keyboard from screens? You clicked your mouse to switch, what are other options? I’ve only found the kvm option by clicking on my monitor and have the transfer happen… but no smooth screen to screen transfer

[everstormz]

How would I set it up so that I can use a PC to display on two monitors and then switch to MAC to display on those same two monitors? Instead of having one on each side.

[kwhite]

Microsoft's Mouse without Borders works much the same as Synergy...but it's free. I have an MX Keys and MX3 connected by bluetooth to both my work laptop and personal PC. They switch to whichever monitor you are moving to. You can also cut and paste, etc between devices.