We indicate all instructions on the operation of Universal Control.
Very recently Apple released the public version of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 along with the latest software update. macOS 12.3 for Mac and all iterations are now available for download on the corresponding compatible devices. in these new updates the signature of the bitten apple logo has incorporated news very interesting such as the inclusion of more emojis, the Tap to Pay function, the possibility of using Face ID facial recognition with a mask and the great star: Universal Control.
Universal Control is an extremely useful feature that takes full advantage of compatibility with mouse and trackpad of the iPad, allowing users of Mac control your screen iPad or from another Mac from macOS. It’s very easy to use! But it’s possible that many users don’t know how it works since it’s a very recent novelty in macOS and iPadOS. In fact, at the time of writing this article it is currently in beta.
Therefore, in this guide we will not only explain how to use UniversalControl on your Mac and iPad in great detail, but we will also talk about all the compatible devices and everything you need to know about this productive and useful feature of the Apple ecosystem.
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Guide Contents Index
- Universal Control: what it is and how it works
- Other features of Universal Control
Universal Control: what it is and how it works
Apple devices using Universal Control
Before starting with the Universal Control user guide, let’s clarify the operation of this tool available in the Mac operating system for all those users who do not know what it is about.
Universal Control is a feature in macOS 12.3 that lets you control the iPad screen from your Mac using the keyboard, the mouse and/or of trackpad. It only works in that direction, that is, it does not allow you to control a Mac from the iPad. Although with Universal Control you can control a Mac from another Mac.
There are many features for screen mirroring on iPhone, iPad and Mac devices, but Universal Control is different. Instead of mirroring the screen, it creates a shared system through which hybrid control between macOS and iPadOS runs.
In a certain way, Universal Control is a function very similar to Sidecar since it also offers the possibility of transferring the mouse pointer from one screen to another, but it does not offer the option of turning the iPad into an external macOS screen.
Universal Control Compatible Devices
Universal Control works on virtually all iPad and Mac models, plus you don’t need to download any packages, just download the latest updates.
This is the list of devices compatible with Universal Control:
- MacBook from 2016 or later
- MacBook Pro from 2016 or later
- MacBook Air from 2018 or later
- Mac mini from 2018 or later
- iMac from 2017 or later
- 2017 iMac Pro
- iMac Pro from 2019 or later
- iPadPro
- iPad 6th generation or later
- iPad Air 3rd generation or later
- iPad mini 5th generation or later
Other system requirements: Universal Control works only and exclusively on macOS 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, the latest versions of the Mac and iPad operating systems, respectively.
It is imperative to point out that for the proper functioning of Universal Control, both devices (iPad and Mac) must have the same Apple ID session started through the double authentication factor.
How to activate Universal Control on Mac and iPad
Turning on Universal Control from a Mac is super easy, but first you need to make sure your Mac and iPad are turned on, Wi-Fi on, Bluetooth on, screen unlocked, and in close proximity to each other. other. Universal Control has a range of 10 meters.
Activate the Universal Control feature on your iPad:
1. Open Settings.
two. Go to the General section.
3. Access the AirPlay and Handoff section.
Four. Activate Handoff.
5. Activates the Cursor and keyboard function.
UniversalControl on iPad
Follow these steps to enable Universal Control on macOS 12.3:
1. Activate Control Center from the menu bar.
two. Then click on “Screen mirroring”.
3. The next thing you should do is click on “Screens preferences panel”.
Four. Then click on Universal Control.
Finally enable the functions you want convenient:
- Allow the cursor and keyboard to be used on any nearby Mac or iPad.
- Move your cursor past the edge of a screen to connect to a nearby Mac or iPad.
This is another more accessible method to activate the function from the Control Center:
1. Enable Control Center in the menu bar.
two. Click on the monitor-shaped icon in the “Display” panel.
3. Select your iPad in the “Pair keyboard and mouse with:” section.
macOS 12.3 Control Center
On the other hand, you can also access Displays preferences from the menu bar by clicking on the Apple logo () > System Preferences > Displays.
How to turn off Universal Control on Mac and iPad
When you lock the iPad screen, the Universal Control feature is disabled temporarily but not indefinitely. To completely disconnect Universal Control you must follow these steps:
1. Enable Control Center in the menu bar of your Mac.
two. Then click on the Screen panel.
3. Disable your iPad in the “Pair keyboard and mouse with:” section.
Additionally you can also disconnect all devices with the key combination “control + option + delete”.
How UniversalControl works
The operation of Universal Control is quite simple, it does not have a very complex mechanics of use. Or, at least, it’s not as complex as activating it, which is somewhat convoluted between the screen mirroring features of the macOS Control Center.
Be that as it may, to use Universal Control you simply have to “hover” the mouse pointer from one screen to another, sliding it to the edge until you see how the cursor crosses from one screen to another. It’s as simple as it is fun to use.
Once you’ve connected your Mac and iPad with Universal Control, you’ll be able to choose which side of the screen you can hover your mouse cursor on from macOS to iPadOS, and of course you’ll also be able to use the keyboard to type and navigate with the arrow keys on the screen. the operating system of the iPad (or another Mac). It’s super helpful!
Other features of Universal Control
There are a few little features within the Universal Control feature worth mentioning, such as the ability to automatically connect your keyboard and mouse to any nearby iPad or Mac, and the option to use touch gestures on the trackpad on the Mac to control an iPad or another Mac.
Touch gestures in using Universal Control
One of the nicest surprises with the arrival of Universal Control in iPadOS 15.4 and macOS 12.3 is support for touch gestures. Mac and iPad users will be able to perform touch gestures on the trackpad to control the mechanics of iPadOS.
In this way it is possible swipe three fingers up or down to enable or disable the Control Center, swipe two fingers up and down in Control Center to adjust volume or screen brightness, or close apps by swiping up on the trackpad with two fingers.
How to drag files between Mac and iPad
Another possibility that Universal Control leaves us is transfer files in a very comfortable way from one screen (Mac) to another (iPad). Unfortunately, for obvious incompatibility reasons, not all files can be dragged from macOS to iPadOS, in which case a forbidden symbol will appear on the cursor.
But, for example, Universal Control lets you transfer photos from macOS to the iPad’s Messages app or from the Mac’s Finder app to the iPad’s Files app with drag and drop.
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