Multiple Macs, one keyboard and pointer

Universal Control or Sidecar

Both features connect a Mac to another device, but they do different jobs.

With Universal Control, apps keep running on the Mac they belong to. You can drag files between them, but a window can't move from one Mac's screen to another's. If you want an iPad to show more of your Mac's desktop, that's Sidecar: see Apple's Use your iPad as a second display. This guide covers linking Macs.

What you need

From Apple's Universal Control article:

• macOS Monterey 12.4 or later on each Mac, on a model Apple lists (most Macs from 2016 or later).
• The same Apple Account on each, with two-factor authentication.
• Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Handoff turned on, and every Mac on the same Wi-Fi network.
• Within 10 meters (30 feet) of each other.
• No internet sharing: no Mac can be sharing its internet connection.
• A keyboard and pointer on each Mac to start with. A Mac without a built-in keyboard or trackpad, such as a Mac mini or Mac Studio, needs its own connected while you set it up.

Link the Macs

1. On each Mac, open System Settings → Displays and click Advanced.
2. Turn on Allow your pointer and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad. Push through the edge of a display to connect to a nearby Mac or iPad and Automatically reconnect to any nearby Mac or iPad make reconnecting easier.
3. Wake and unlock the Macs.
4. Move the pointer to the edge of the screen nearest the other Mac. When a border appears on the other Mac, keep pushing and the pointer crosses over.
5. Or click Control Center in the menu bar, click Display, and choose the other Mac under Link keyboard and mouse to.

Apple's step-by-step guide is Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad. If the Macs won't link, see Universal Control not working.

Arrange them in System Settings

The pointer crosses wherever the Macs' screens touch in the arrangement. To set it, open System Settings → Displays, click Arrange, and drag the image of the other Mac to where it sits on your desk.

That works well with one display on each Mac. With several displays on each side, or screens of very different sizes, it's easy to leave a gap or a short overlap. Then the pointer only crosses along a small part of the edge, or at a corner.

Optional: arrange your Macs with Universal Display Magnet

You don't need an app for Universal Control. Universal Display Magnet helps when you want every Mac's displays lined up exactly, and it runs on Macs only.

1. Install it on each Mac. One license covers three Macs. Activate it on each one.
2. Allow Local Network access on each Mac when asked. The Macs talk directly over your local network: Wi-Fi, Ethernet or a Thunderbolt cable.
3. Link the Macs with Universal Control once, as above. The app recognizes your Macs through Universal Control, so there's nothing else to pair. If one Mac can't find another, add it by address under Macs & Sync.
4. Open the Universal Control page. It shows every Mac's displays where Universal Control has them. Drag another Mac's displays, or any of yours, and they snap flush across your Macs.
5. Let go. The arrangement applies on every Mac at once. Undo Last Change puts the previous one back.

Your Macs can also keep arrangements and workspaces in sync, and can turn on the other Macs' screens when you wake this one, where your network and hardware allow it. See sync between Macs for what syncs and what stays on each Mac. The Universal Control feature page has more on the canvas.

Limits to know

• Apple's rules still apply. The app doesn't change Apple's requirements, the Apple Account every Mac needs, or how many devices Universal Control links.
• Your own Macs only. The app finds only Macs that Universal Control links to this one.
• A private macOS framework. Universal Control arrangement uses one. The app checks it at launch and hides the page if it's missing or different. It's verified on macOS 14 to 27, on Apple silicon and Intel. See compatibility.