- Universal Control on Apple allows one mouse and keyboard to control devices like iPad and Mac, enabling sharing files through drag and drop.
- Ensuring compatibility with compatible devices like Mac Studio, iPad Pro, and updating to iPadOS 15.0 and MacOS 12.3 are crucial for fixing Universal Control issues.
- Enabling Universal Control on both devices, using the same Apple ID, turning on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and keeping devices close are key steps to troubleshoot Universal Control not working.
Universal Control on Apple allows you to control your Apple devices through one mouse and keyboard. For instance, you can connect your iPad and Mac and use Universal Control; once you do so, you will also be able to use your Mac’s mouse and keyboard on your iPad. It allows you to control devices through the mouse and keyboard and share files by easy drag and drop. This is a new feature that Apple introduced in 2021.
This is a useful feature for many as it allows seamless connectivity between your Apple Devices. However, many users have reported issues with Universal Control, stating that this feature is not working between their iPad and Mac. There are various reasons behind this issue, such as incompatible devices, outdated OS, devices not having Apple ID, and others.
Fix Universal Control Not Working Between Mac and iPad
This article will discuss how you can fix Universal Control not working between Mac and iPad.
Ensure You Have Compatible Devices
Your device must be compatible with the Universal control. This feature is not available with all Mac devices and iPads. Given below is a list of all the Mac that supports Universal Control-
- Mac Studio
- iMac Pro- All the models
- Mac Mini- Model, released in 2018 or later
- iMac- Released in 2017 or the later model
- MacBook- Released in 2016 or later
- MacBook Pro- Released in 2016 or later
- MacBook Air- Model, released in 2018 or later.
Given below is a list of all the iPads that support Universal Control-
- iPad- 6th Gen or higher
- iPad Air- 3rd Gen or higher
- iPad Pro- All the models
- iPad Mini- 5th Gen or later
Update Your Devices
You need to have iPadOS 15.0 and MacOS 12.3 to use Universal Control. You will have to update your device if you are running on the lower version below that.
Update iPadOS
To update your iPadOS to the latest version, follow the steps given below-
- Open the Settings app on your iPad.
- Here, tap on General and then on Software Update.
- If updates are available, tap on Download and Install to install the update.
Update macOS
To update your macOS to the latest version, follow the steps given below-
- Open Apple Menu and then click on System Preferences.
- Here, click on the Software Update option.
- If the software update is available, click on Update Now or Upgrade Now to update your system to the latest version.
Enable Universal Control
Default Universal is enabled on your devices, but if you have turned it off, this feature will not work. No worries, you can easily enable Universal Control on your Mac as well as on your iPad.
On Mac
To enable Universal Control on Mac, follow the steps given below-
- Open the Apple Menu and then click on System Preferences.
- Here, click on Display and then on Universal Control.
- Now, check the checkbox for Allow your cursor and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad.
- Now, click on Done.
- This will enable Universal Control on Mac.
On iPad
To enable Universal Control on iPad, follow the steps given below-
- Open the Settings app on your iPad.
- Here, tap on General and then on Airplay & Handoff.
- Now, turn on the toggle for Handoff and Cursor & Keyboard.
Once done, check if the Universal Control is working or not.
Restart Your Devices
If you are facing issues with Universal Control even if your devices support it and the feature is enabled, then it may be a bug causing the issue. You can try restarting your iPad and Mac if Universal Control is not working. After restarting your device, try using universal control; you should no longer face issues with it.
Login With The Same ID On iPad And Mac
To use Universal Control, you must be signed in with the same ID on your iPad and Mac. You must ensure you are using the same ID on both devices else this feature will not work properly. However, if you have the same ID on both devices, you can move to the next step in this article.
Turn On Bluetooth And Wi-Fi On Both Devices
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi should be enabled on both devices to use Universal Control. You must ensure that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled on your iPad and Mac. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are needed for Universal Control to work. If they are turned off, this feature will not work; you must turn them on to use Universal Control.
Keep iPad And Mac Close To Each Other
For Universal Control to work, your Mac and iPad must be close. If you have kept your devices far away, this feature will not work. If you have them together, but Universal Control is still not working, move to the next troubleshooting step to fix this issue.
Force Close Universal Control On Mac
If Universal Control is not working, we suggest you force close the Universal Control on Mac and then use it again. You can do so by following the steps given below-
- Open Spotlight Search on your PC and search for Activity Monitor. From here, open Activity Monitor on your Mac.
- Now, click on the CPU tab.
- Here, search for Universal Control, and click on it.
- Now, click on the Quit or Force Quit button.
- Once done, try using Universal Control again.
Final Words
If Universal Control is not working on Mac and iPad, this article will help you fix it. We have discussed various troubleshooting steps to help fix issues with Universal Control on your Apple devices. If you still face the same issue after trying all the above fixes, then let us know in the comments section.
RELATED GUIDES:
