What is Apple Universal Control?
Apple Universal Control is a feature introduced in macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15 that enables users to seamlessly control multiple Apple devices with a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard. It uses a wireless technology to connect a Mac and iPad, allowing the user to drag and drop content between devices or even use an iPad as a second Mac display.
Some key highlights of Apple Universal Control:
- Works across Macs and iPads for a unified cross-device experience. For example, an artist can use an iPad for sketching with Apple Pencil while their Mac is connected to a graphics tablet.
- Allows switching between devices and controlling them fluidly with the same mouse/trackpad/keyboard. This enables efficient multitasking and task handoff between devices.
- Makes cross-device drag-and-drop extremely simple to transfer files, images, text, and more from one device screen to another.
- Supports using an iPad as a secondary display to extend Mac desktop space. This gives added screen real estate for tasks like video editing, coding, and more.
- Leverages secure wireless technology for the connectivity. Devices need to signed into the same iCloud account with Two-Factor Authentication enabled.
With its emphasis on simplifying cross-device coordination, Apple Universal Control offers valuable productivity and efficiency benefits to Apple users who work across multiple devices regularly.