apple in WWDC 2021 Introduced Universal Control, allowing users to easily switch between Macs and iPads using the same set of keyboards and trackpads, including: drag-and-drop files, photos between the two devices Wait.From June last year until the beginning of this year, this function has finally been officially launched. So how should the universal control be used and what are the situations in which it can be used? This time I will share this new function with otters, and it will also be practical. Let everyone have a look at the operation, and those who are interested will continue to look down.
What is Universal Control?
Let me briefly explain the operation principle and function of Universal Control. It mainly allows multiple Macs and iPads to share keyboards, trackpads, and mice. That is to say, after enabling the universal control, you can directly use the MacBook Air’s keyboard to type on the iPad, or use the MacBook Air’s trackpad to drag and drop files and pictures on the iPad to the laptop. Through the keyboard and trackpad of the notebook, you can control various things on the notebook and iPad, which can save office space and save money on accessories (laughs)
What devices are necessary to experience universal control
Universal Control is mainly used between Mac and iPad, but if you do not have an iPad but have two Macs, you can use this feature between two Macs, but note that you need at least one Mac to use Universal Control Well, this feature cannot be used between two iPads.The hardware and software requirements for general control are also listed below. You can first check to see if the device at hand meets the restrictions and whether the software has been updated.
???? Mac needs to be updated to macOS Monterey 12.4 or above, the applicable models are as follows:
▪️ MacBook (2016 or later)
▪️ MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
▪️ MacBook Air (2018 or later)
▪️ Mac mini (2018 or later)
▪️ iMac (2017 or later), or iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
▪️ iMac Pro
▪️ Mac Pro (2019 or later)
▪️ Mac Studio
???? iPad needs to be updated to iPadOS 15.4 or above, and the applicable models are as follows:
▪️ iPad Pro (all models)
▪️ iPad (6th generation) or later
▪️ iPad Air (3rd generation) or later
▪️ iPad mini (5th generation) or later
Turn on Universal Controls on Mac and iPad
Enter the formal teaching session!Before turning on Universal Control, in addition to confirming that your device is eligible and the software has been updated, you can pay attention to the following four things (1) All devices are logged into the same set of Apple ID accounts (2) Confirm the device’s Bluetooth and “relay” Both are turned on (3) Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi (4) The distance between the two devices must be within 10 meters
The first step is to click Apple in the upper left corner of your Mac and go to “System Preferences” >> “Displays”
Then click on “Universal Controls” and check “Allow pointer and keyboard to move between any neighboring Macs or iPads”, “Move to the edge of the screen to connect with neighboring Macs or iPads”, “Automatically reconnect to any neighboring Macs” or iPad”, and finally select “Done”
After setting up the Mac, open “Settings” >> “General” in the iPad, and click “AirPlay and Relay”
Turn on both “Relay” and “Cursor and Keyboard” options, allowing your mouse and keyboard to work on nearby Macs logged in with the same Apple ID
At this time, go back to the “Displays” page of the System Preferences in the Mac, select “Add Displays” in the lower left corner, and in the “Link Keyboard and Mouse” field, select the iPad you want to control universally. almost done
You can also choose your own location between iPad and Mac
After setting, you can also see the general control icon of the display in the control bar at the upper right, and then you can directly use the Mac’s trackpad to move the cursor between the laptop and the tablet, and you can also use the Mac’s keyboard on the iPad. When typing and taking notes, the interface when the keyboard switches between Chinese and English input methods on the iPad is the same as the operation interface of the Smart Keyboard.
However, the gesture operation of the universal control will still be a little different from the settings of the original device.For example, if you want to use the trackpad to swipe up and close the iPad app, you have to swipe up with three fingers, but it is still very smooth to use (and it’s just a dazzling gun haha
Four-point Q&A on Universal Control
Q: I have updated the system to iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.4. I have confirmed that I have logged in the same Apple ID and connected to the same Wi-Fi, and I have also confirmed that both Bluetooth and relay are turned on. Why can’t I still use Universal Control?
Although Apple’s official software requirements are at least updated to iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.4, but if you still find that you don’t see the option “Connect keyboard and mouse” on the Mac “Display” page after the update, you can choose to restart both devices to see if If it still doesn’t work, then you can upgrade to a newer software version and try! (Reminder to back up before updating)
Q: Can Universal Control work with iPhone?
no.Universal Control is a feature specially designed for Mac and iPad. Currently, there is no way to use the mouse cursor, trackpad and keyboard of Mac or iPad to control iPhone
Q: Can Universal Control work with Apple Pencil?
Universal controls are limited to their connected trackpad, mouse, and keyboard, so they won’t work with Apple Pencil
Q: Can Universal Control be used with a third-party mouse and keyboard?
Can.If you normally use a Mac with a different brand of mouse, then as long as it is connected to one of the devices, it can be used across devices through common controls, as well as other brands of keyboards, but some specific mouse operations Items (like pressing the button to go back to the previous page) may not work on iPad
summary
The above is the key introduction about Apple’s universal control function. When I recalled that when I saw this function at WWDC last year, the whole person had not yet reacted, and the presentation had already directly demonstrated on the spot to move files from the iPad to the iMac instantly. It’s fast and smooth, and you don’t need to go through the waiting time of saving files, transferring files, and transferring files. You can just drag and drop to complete it. You don’t need to search for nearby devices to transfer files like after AirDrop is turned on. If you have both Mac and iPad Apple devices, and usually do some professional work through Mac and iPad, you might as well try to use the universal control to drag photos or files.
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