My home setup is a Mac Pro with two 24" 4k screens. Sidecar allowed me to emulate this setup when I travel (MBP 15" + iPad Pro 12"), but I feel like Universal Control is less battery draining. Secondary screen is usually Slack, email, calendar - so Universal Control works very well here.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Universal Control Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
still cannot get it to work between iPad Air 4 and MBP 14inch. I can only extend my screen to the iPad.
I have it working between my 2020 MBA and 2013 MBP (see here).
However, as soon as I move the computers more than around 2 metres away from each other, it disconnects. I was thinking to use this instead of screen sharing (VNC) to control my old laptop but it seems it's really designed for controlling two devices placed next to each other.
I suspect it's more for people who have iPads (I don't).
However, as soon as I move the computers more than around 2 metres away from each other, it disconnects. I was thinking to use this instead of screen sharing (VNC) to control my old laptop but it seems it's really designed for controlling two devices placed next to each other.
I suspect it's more for people who have iPads (I don't).
You make some good points. There are many new features tucked away that most never learn about. BTW - the new multitasking feature shows up as three dots at the top of the screen when you open an iPad app. Click them and you can add another app from there. Those dots are always there now when you open an app.
Anyone know why Command and Shift keys on either internal keyboard of M1 Air or external magic keyboard that I use for clamshell mode, randomly stop working on the iPad via Universal Control?
For example, I'm typing in the middle of a text or composing an email, no keyboard commands that require Command or Shift keys stop working. I can't even capitalize a letter via Shift + letter.
Disconnect and reconnect does not work. I need to restart my Mac to stop it, but it just starts again after some time. Killing universal control via Activity Monitor also doesn't work.
Kinda weird. I've reported it to apple, was wondering if anyone else is seeing this?
For example, I'm typing in the middle of a text or composing an email, no keyboard commands that require Command or Shift keys stop working. I can't even capitalize a letter via Shift + letter.
Disconnect and reconnect does not work. I need to restart my Mac to stop it, but it just starts again after some time. Killing universal control via Activity Monitor also doesn't work.
Kinda weird. I've reported it to apple, was wondering if anyone else is seeing this?
Exactly the same problem happens to me. In my case I use a Mac mini M1 with a Logitech mx keys, and an iPad Pro 11 M1.
It's pretty frustrating not being able to use the modifier keys.
I actually posted a workaround, here!
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-and-shift-keys-not-behaving-on-ipad.2335783/
I have an old, 1st gen 12.9 iPad Pro with an M1 MBA & an external display. I had to reset "Location & Privacy", then plug it in to the Mac and "re-trust" the Mac on the iPad. Then everything showed up and worked.
This scenario is not working for me at this point. Desktop mac pro running over hardwired ehternet. Macbook pro on wifi. UC is available to turn on but is currently not working.
Universal Control also fails to work when another user is logged in in the background with Fast User Switching. See
- this is true for the release version as well. I've given feedback to Apple on this - https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html
By the way, if people have trouble reconnecting via Universal Control from one Mac to another when the display goes to sleep on one, a workaround is to keep an external keyboard or mouse attached and press a button.
Another workaround is to use a mouse like the Logitech M720 which supports 3 devices/3 bluetooth profiles and switch to that Mac momentarily with that mouse to wake up the screen.
Or just connect via screen sharing.
Would be great though if Universal Control supported waking up the other Mac.
Another workaround is to use a mouse like the Logitech M720 which supports 3 devices/3 bluetooth profiles and switch to that Mac momentarily with that mouse to wake up the screen.
Or just connect via screen sharing.
Would be great though if Universal Control supported waking up the other Mac.
Last edited:
I also have a desktop Mac with ethernet, but turn on wifi at the same time. This gives your Mac 2 IPs. I'm not sure how the Mac determines which network interface to use for any given situation (I have 2 default routes for example), but Universal Control works fine.
Last edited:
Is it sufficient to be logged in with your Apple-ID or do you have to enable iCloud as well?
The Apple manual only says Apple ID is required but the macrumors article says 'sign in with your iCloud account', whatever that means.
It is currently not working for me and I think everything else should be ok. On the Mac I am logged in with my Apple ID but I haven't activated iCloud and would like to keep it that way.
The Apple manual only says Apple ID is required but the macrumors article says 'sign in with your iCloud account', whatever that means.
It is currently not working for me and I think everything else should be ok. On the Mac I am logged in with my Apple ID but I haven't activated iCloud and would like to keep it that way.
I just signed up to say thank you! I couldn't figure out why it seemingly arbitrarily stopped working for me, logging out of my personal or work user account that's not currently in use fixed it for me.
Just logged in to say that UC doesnt work for me.. Until I read on this thread that multiple accounts will cause a problem. I have two account on my Mac desktop - myself and my wife. I am trying to connect to my iPad.
I logged my wife out of her account, logged myself out, then logged myself back in -- now UC works on my iPad.
Strange bug - - hopefully Apple gets it worked out.
Thanks to
I logged my wife out of her account, logged myself out, then logged myself back in -- now UC works on my iPad.
Strange bug - - hopefully Apple gets it worked out.
Thanks to
eperitus
for sharing!
Thanks for this post, I was struggling to figure out why UC wasn't working for me and this was the cause.
Has anyone experienced an issue with placing their iPad underneath their secondary display? I can position it to the left of right of my setup and underneath the laptop, but not underneath my secondary display (it just automatically pops to the left of it).
Anyone have any tips?
Anyone have any tips?
Followed every troubleshooting step, but still no sign of cursor actually entering iPad's screen....
Uff.. I was looking forward to this so much!
I turned everything on, same network, even turned off private relay - just in case - but still nothing.
Any hint?
Uff.. I was looking forward to this so much!
I turned everything on, same network, even turned off private relay - just in case - but still nothing.
Any hint?
Ehm... having two displays instead of one? Can make tons of things with it, from working, to studying, to do researches, I mean, the list of possibilities is endless.
I'm having a very similar problem. I have my MBP and two LG 5K monitors to the right of it. I can place my iPad to the left or right of the displays, and under any of them, but I cannot put it above any of the displays. Based on my results, I would think you could place your iPad under either of your monitors, but not above any of them. Could you try to see if you can place your iPad above your monitors in the arrangement?
Ended up making it work by aligning the bottom of the laptop and external monitors. After that, the iPad fit underneath the external monitor. Seems like the system doesn't like it when monitors are slightly off axis.
jOlivier - You inspired me to try some more. I added in another of my iPad Pros. With the MBP display, two LG 5K monitors and two M1 iPad Pros, I was able to get one of the iPad Pros on top, almost exactly where I want it. However, it was not easy. It was like playing a video game, or sort of like a Rubik's Cube. I kept moving the iPad Pros around until I got them both on top, and the main one where I wanted it.
This is something that Apple needs to fix. I'm sure they didn't mean to make it so random and imprecise.