Use a keyboard and mouse or trackpad to control Mac and iPad
With Universal Control, you can use the keyboard and mouse or trackpad connected to your Mac to work across your Mac and iPad when they’re near each other. You can even connect an additional Mac or iPad and work across three devices. When you use Universal Control, you can open and use apps, enter text, and drag items across devices. If an external keyboard and mouse or trackpad are connected to your iPad, you can use them to work across both devices too.
You can use Universal Control with your Mac and iPad.
Before you begin
Make sure of the following:
Both devices have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, Handoff, and two-factor authentication turned on.
You’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both devices.
The devices must be within 30 feet (10 meters) of each other.
Both devices meet minimum system requirements for Universal Control.
If your Mac doesn’t have a built-in trackpad or keyboard, you must connect a keyboard and mouse or trackpad to your Mac. To connect an Apple keyboard, mouse, or trackpad, see Connect an Apple wireless keyboard, mouse, or trackpad with Mac.
If you’re using a VPN, make sure its configuration does not prevent local networking as that may interfere with some Continuity features.
Set up Universal Control
To connect your Mac and iPad, make sure that both devices are awake and unlocked, then do one of the following:
On your Mac, use your mouse or trackpad to move the pointer to the right or left edge of the screen, whichever is closest to your other device. Pause, then move the pointer slightly past the edge of the screen. When a border appears at the edge of the other device, continue moving the pointer to the other device’s screen.
On your Mac, click
in the menu bar, click Display, then choose your other device below “Link keyboard and mouse to.” Then use your mouse or trackpad to move the pointer past the edge of the Mac screen until it appears on your other device.
After you establish a connection, you can move the pointer across screens until one of your devices goes to sleep or you disconnect them.
Use your Mac keyboard and mouse or trackpad with your iPad
Many actions and gestures that you can do on your iPad with an external mouse or trackpad also work with your Mac mouse or trackpad. See Mouse actions and gestures for iPad andTrackpad gestures for iPad.
With your Mac keyboard, you can also use many iPad features available with external keyboards. See the keyboard topics in the Accessories chapter, beginning with Switch between keyboards with iPad.
Change the screen arrangement between your Mac and iPad
The direction in which you move the pointer when establishing the Universal Control connection determines which side of the display you use to move the pointer across devices.
You can adjust the arrangement of your devices.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Settings, then click Displays in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) On the right, scroll down, then click Arrange.Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, then click Displays.Drag the iPad image to the desired position.
Disconnect Universal Control between your Mac and iPad
You can disconnect your Mac and iPad to temporarily stop using using Universal Control.
Do one of the following:
On your iPad: Press the top button on your iPad to put it to sleep.
On your Mac: Click
in the menu bar, click Display, then deselect your iPad, below “Link keyboard and mouse to.”
Stop your Mac and iPad from automatically connecting
After you set up Universal Control, your Mac and iPad or another Mac automatically reconnect whenever they’re close to each other and their screens are unlocked. To stop your Mac and iPad or another Mac from automatically connecting, you can turn off this option your Mac.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu
Turn off Universal Control
You can turn off Universal Control to prevent the use of your Mac keyboard and mouse or trackpad across your iPad and other devices.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Settings, click Displays in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down), then click Universal Control.Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, click Displays , then click Universal Control.Click Advanced on the right, then do one of the following:
Turn off all Universal Control connections: Turn off “Allow your pointer and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad.”
Prevent a connection when moving the pointer to the edge of the screen: Turn off “Push through the edge of a display to connect to a nearby Mac or iPad.”
To prevent connecting your iPad keyboard and mouse or trackpad to your Mac, on iPad go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity, then turn off Cursor and Keyboard.
If Universal Control isn’t working
Make sure you’re signed in with the same Apple Account on both devices.
Make sure that both devices have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Handoff, and two-factor authentication turned on and are on the same Wi-Fi network.
Make sure that your devices are within 30 feet (10 meters) of one another,
For more troubleshooting tips, see the Sidecar system requirements in the Apple Support article Universal Control: Use a single keyboard and mouse between Mac and iPad.