How to Use Universal Control Between Mac & iPad (tutorial + troubleshooting)

Learn how to control your iPad from your Mac with Universal Control in this tutorial. Or, if Universal Control isn’t working, learn how to troubleshoot it. And learn the difference between Universal Control and Sidecar.

Apple’s official documentation on Universal Control:

00:00 Introduction
00:15 Setup
02:20 Example use cases
03:12 Universal Control vs. Sidecar
04:32 Troubleshooting (Universal Control not working?)
06:03 Conclusion

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[PeterAkkies]

What will you use Universal Control for?

[justinsomniactor]

Have yet to have this consistently work. It seems to function sporadically if at all.

[robprovoice]

Yea! It worked! I’ve been trying to get this to work for the last three or four days. I watched your video, unchecked one box and bingo! Super pleased! It’s already transforming the way I’m using the Mac / iPad. Sidecar was good-ish. This is brilliant! Thank you!

[Captrick]

This is one of the nicest things they’ve introduced in a while. I have both an iPad Pro 12.9 and now a Mini 6 using the one external full-size Magic keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and either MX Vertical or MX Anywhere mouses with my M1 MacBook Pro 16. Putting aside two of my three external keyboards opened up my desk. The curser can be misplaced, sometimes, and typing happens on the device where the curser was last clicked, not necessarily where you’ve moved it. So that can lead to starting type where you think the curser is, but finding that it was last ‘clicked’ on another device, and likely not actually typing anything.

Thanks for your great instruction! I’ve used Things for years, but never took the time to learn what it could do other than make a list to check off. And Notes and Reminders were useless to me, until lately. You’ve really helped me.

[raebridges]

I've watched so many videos showing how to use my iPad pro as a second monitor and your video is the only one that actually helped me. Thank you so much for making this!!! 🙂🙂🙂

[joshrainbow-IceTenor]

Hi, great video. I want to use the I pad to control my DAW that is installed on the iMac. I followed your video but the DAW doesn't show on the I pad, I only see the screensaver that is on the iMac. Is that even possible without purchasing a program to do that between the 2 devices? All I want to do is when I am in my vocal booth to be able to press play or record on the iPad - for now I have to carry the iMac and the gear into the vocal booth to be able to record which is a lot of work. Maybe I missed something, but I am sure you can help me to set it up 🙂

[muthapucca]

i have new apple devices, and they are up to date with the os. but i can not find link keyboard and mouse. please help

[josealbertoortizmanrique]

Thank you, I struggled for a month untill I realized that I needed an OS update from 12.3 to 12.5

[bazs]

It didn’t work for me either, but connecting the two devices with a cable solved the problem for me.

[melp]

I have done all of these and it STILL doesn't work. I don't know what else to do now 😢

[NeonPixels]

Nice to see it working for so many people but mine still wants to go into Sidecar instead of Universal Control.

[Gomes]

I’ve been having trouble with my universal control. I have an M1 MacMini and an M2 Air. Everything was working fine until the new update. Ever since than I have been having constant problems using this feature. I called in several times and they pretty much told my that I would have to wait until the next update to “see” if the problem was fixed. Not cool…

[RickerSilva]

Hi, it happens for me that I cannot enable universal control. I have all settings you mentioned but the display icon in the top bar doesn't show and only monitor directly connected to my mac are shown. When I add my iPad, it always go directly to sidecar and in display settings there is no keyboard link mode, only main display, extended display or mirror. My mac just got updated to Ventura and it is a MacBook air M1, and My iPad is a Pro M1 too.

If you have a tip to my issue, I will appreciate it. Thank you

[poolio]

This is so awesome!! Had not heard about it before, thanks!

[jp]

I tried what he said here and didnt work until i turned on the bluetooth of both my ipad and macbook. Hope this helps🥰

[JeremyDeBose]

4 days in with a new MacBook and I can’t get mine to work no matter which methods I try. It doesn’t have the Link keyboard option showing on the Mac either. I only get sidecar.

[boozle]

What do u mean by the ipad and Mac shouldn’t be sharing internet connection ? Im hooked on to my house Wi-Fi on both

[justinreyesv]

mine is not working for some reason

Macbook Air 2020 i3
iPad Pro 2021 2TB

[buketikevgeny]

Should I be exactly on the same wi-fi network both on the Mac and iPad to use Universal Control? Or I can use different wi-fi?

[Arnav]

My iPad’s Bluetooth doesn’t work so will universal control work?