Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad

You can use the keyboard and mouse (or trackpad) of your Mac to control your iPad with the Universal Control feature. 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.
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 doesn’t 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 👁 the Control Center menu
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 and Trackpad 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, go to the System Settings app 👁 Image
.
Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
Click Displays 👁 Image
in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
Drag the iPad image to the new position.

Disconnect Universal Control between your Mac and iPad

You can disconnect your Mac and iPad to temporarily stop 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 👁 the Control Center menu
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, go to the System Settings app 👁 Image
.
Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
Click Displays 👁 Image
in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
On the right, click Advanced, then turn off “Automatically reconnect to any nearby Mac or iPad.”

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, go to the System Settings app 👁 Image
.
Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
Click Displays 👁 Image
in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
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 👁 Image
> General > AirPlay & Continuity, then turn off Cursor and Keyboard.

If Universal Control isn’t working

Make sure you’re signed in to 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.
For additional troubleshooting steps, see “If you need help” at the bottom of the Apple Support article Universal Control.

URL: https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/keyboard-mouse-control-mac-ipad-ipad3924226c/ipados