TechComputers & PCsiPad and Mac users are getting this brilliant free upgrade at lastUniversal Control is finally coming out of beta and feels a little bit like Apple magicWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechComputers & PCsiPad and Mac users are getting this brilliant free upgrade at lastUniversal Control is finally coming out of beta and feels a little bit like Apple magicWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Universal Control is finally coming out of beta and feels a little bit like Apple magic
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Apple)
(Image credit: Apple)
There’s good news inside iPadOS 15.5 and macOS Monterey 12.4, whichAppleis getting ready to release: when you get the free updates on youriPadandMacBook,iMacorMac mini, the really clever Universal Control feature will finally come out of beta – which means Apple reckons it’s solid enough for everybody to use rather than just brave beta testers. I’ve used it with myM1 MacBook Proand myiPad Air, and it’s one of those technologies that feels a little bit like magic.
As MacRumorsreports, the beta label on Universal Control has been removed in the release candidates of the two OS updates. Release candidates are the near-final versions that Apple uses to find any last-minute bugs or glitches after it’s worked its way through the bigger stuff, so the updates should be arriving very soon.
What is Universal Control and why should you care?
Universal Control is a new feature that enables you to use a single keyboard and mouse/trackpad with multiple Apple devices, so for example I’m typing this on a magic keyboard in front of my Mac; with Universal Control I could use that keyboard and my mouse with myiPadtoo. The devices remain independent, so my Mac is still a Mac and my iPad is still my iPad, but I can switch between them as easily as I can switch between open apps.
It’s a bit like the seamless switching between devices that Apple’sAirPods,AirPods ProandAirPods Maxdo, but for your eyes instead of your ears.
It’s a great feature but unfortunately it’s only available to users of relatively recent hardware: if your Mac can’t run or you don’t want it to run Monterey or you’ve got an old iPad that can’t runiOS15 then you’re out of luck. You can still use Sidecar to extend or display your Mac desktop to your iPad, though: that supports Macs running macOS Catalina and most iPads running iPadOS 13 or later.
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