Sidecar and Universal Control are two crucial tools that can serve amend your workflow . Their core premise — the ability to easy connect devices to each other — is similar , but Sidecar and Universal Control supply very different functions .
What is Universal Control?
Universal Controlallows you to use the keyboard and computer mouse or trackpad on one Mac to control another Mac and/or an iPad . The additional gadget are not used as international display for the control Mac . The equipment still operate individually , but with Universal Control , you may jump between them as if they were one gimmick .
With Universal Control between a Mac and iPad , when you move the pointer to the iPad with your mouse , a circular cursor appears on the screen so you’re able to navigate the iPad port as if you were using a Magic Keyboard . you’re able to click to launch and use apps , and expend the Mac ’s keyboard for typing and keyboatf shortcuts .
In this animation of Universal Control , the iPad is sitting to the left wing of a Mac ’s screenland . When setting up , a bar appears on the iPad projection screen when you first move the cursor from the Mac to the iPad . Continue moving towards the center of the iPad to complete the connection . The bar wo n’t appear again .
In this animation of Universal Control, the iPad is sitting to the left of a Mac’s screen. When setting up, a bar appears on the iPad screen when you first move the cursor from the Mac to the iPad. Continue moving towards the center of the iPad to complete the connection. The bar won’t appear again.
IDG
With Universal Control between two Macs , you’re able to control both machines using the same keyboard and mouse . you could even tie in a Macandan iPad to the independent Mac at the same fourth dimension for a total of three machine-accessible platforms , all using the same stimulation gadget .
If you want totransfer files from a Mac to an iPad , you may drag them from one screen and drop them on another . Files can be dropped on the Mac desktop , buton the iPad , files must be dropped on an app icon or the Files appsince file cabinet ca n’t be dropped directly on a Home screen . For example , if you want to share a photo , you could drop back the effigy file from your Mac to the iPad and then drop it on the Photos app .
In this animation of Universal Control, the iPad is sitting to the left of a Mac’s screen. When setting up, a bar appears on the iPad screen when you first move the cursor from the Mac to the iPad. Continue moving towards the center of the iPad to complete the connection. The bar won’t appear again.
Willis Lai / IDG
If you need totransfer files between two Macs or from an iPad to a Mac , you may drag anddrop the file anywhere , including the Desktop .
What devices can use Universal Control?
Universal Control is presently useable iniPadOS 15.4andmacOS 12.3(coming by and by this workweek ) . Here are the Macs and iPads that can run Universal Control .
Universal Control — Macs
Universal Control — iPads
When dragging a file from a Mac to an iPad, the file must be dropped on to an open app.
How do you set up Universal Control?
Universal Control is turn on by nonpayment on Macs running macOS 12.3 . To set up an iPad or another Mac to control , go to System Preferences and selectAdd Displayto find your iPad and connect it to your Mac . If you do n’t see it , verify Bluetooth , Wi - Fi , and Handoff ( options > General > AirPlay & Handoff > Handoff ) are turned on .
Once the iPad is connected , simply bring your iPad close to the Mac to set off Universal Control . Then , when you move your Mac ’s cursor near the bound of the Mac ’s display ( either with a single file or on its own ) , a bar will seem on the iPad ’s screen door boundary . Keep moving the pointer toward the iPad and it ’ll jump to the other filmdom . you’re able to see it in action in the television below .
What is Sidecar?
Sidecarlets you employ an iPad as an external display on a Mac . You do n’t take to utilize any cables , everything is done wirelessly via AirPlay . Unlike Universal Control , Sidecar does not have you get at the connect iPad at all — you ca n’t apply any filing cabinet or apps .
Instead , your Mac ’s desktop will be mirror or extended on your iPad soyou can expend Multi - Touch gestures . you could even employ Apple Pencil , so , for deterrent example , you could be run in Adobe Photoshop on your Mac , apply the iPad as a Photoshop workspace , spread out a file in that workspace , and then use Apple Pencil to redact the file .
When using Sidecar , the iPad display a Sidebar to get at changer keys such as Command , Option , and transformation . Sidecar also shows a Touch Bar at the top or bottom of the iPad that displays additional controls just like the strong-arm Touch Bar on older MacBook Pros .
Sidcar can be used to mirror a Mac’s display or to extend the desktop.
Sidcar can be used to mirror a Mac ’s display or to broaden the desktop .
Just like a full - sized monitor , you canset up the show so that the iPad display mirror the firstorset up the iPad as a showing that extends your Mac ’s desktopso you could have more window open and available at a glance . For example , you may have a web browser app open on the iPad ’s filmdom and a Pages document that you ’re writing on the main Mac sieve . The extended background is very handy for pro apps like Photoshop , Final Cut Pro , or Logic .
What devices can use Sidecar?
Sidecar requires a compatible Mac using macOS Catalina or later on and a compatible iPad using iPadOS 13 or afterward . Here are the Macs and iPads that can run Sidecar .
Sidecar — Macs
Sidecar — iPads
How do you set up Sidecar?
Setting up Sidecartakes just two footfall , as long as both devices are signed into iCloud with the same Apple ID using two - factor authentication . On your Mac , select the Display pointer in the computer menu bar or the Screen Mirroring icon in Control Center . In the list , encounter the iPad you want to use as a secondary monitor and take it . That will connect your iPad to your Mac as a subaltern display .
By nonpayment , your iPad will put out the desktop of your Mac . If you ’d rather mirror your Mac ’s desktop , fall to the video display carte and choose the choice to mirror your display . While using the iPad , you’re able to freely use touch motion or the Apple Pencil to control Mac apps . There are also a few setting on the Mac , including Show Sidebar , Show Touch Bar , and Enable double tap on Apple Pencil
Can you use Universal Control and Sidecar at the same time?
If you join two devices at the same sentence , you could really control one with Universal Control , and use the other as a video display via Sidecar . For lesson , in the setup in the instructions below , we have a screen background Mac as the primary reckoner , a laptop computer as a subaltern display via Sidecar , and an iPad Pro being used through Universal Control . you’re able to also do this with two iPads and a Mac . Here ’s how to set it up .
1.Set up Universal Controlbetween your equipment .
2 . Now that Universal Control is set up , you ’ll assign theatrical role to the devices . Open theDisplayssystem preference .
3 . ClickAdd Display . The drop - down menu that appears list the displays usable and their function . TheLink Keyboard and Mousesection are gadget that you desire to use with Universal Control . Select which equipment you want .
5 . ClickAdd Displayagain . In the free fall - down menu , look at the “ Mirror or widen to ” part . This has the gimmick that you desire to apply as an additional display . The iPads and Macs list here will employ Sidecar to acts as an extra display to your Mac . Select which gimmick you require .
6 . come together the Displays organization preference .
Foundry
You should be all set to go . you could retort to the Displays system preference to change the Sidecar and Universal Control assignments or rearrange how the displays are laid out by clicking and dragging their iconic representations at the top of the scope . If you have the iPad coiffure up with Sidecar , you could switch it to Universal Control by going to the nursing home screen and rap the Sidecar app in the iPad ’s Dock .
Should you use Universal Control or Sidecar?
But most people are plump to foot one or the other , and you may probably work out out for yourself which one is right for your needs . If you ’re still diffident , consider these scenarios :
If you match any of those criteria , you ’re going to want to use Universal Control . While still very unexampled , it ’s a tremendous feature of speech that could start to bridge over the crack between the Mac and the iPad while also respecting each twist ’s unity .
However , if you work primarily on a Mac and just want to expand the background or use touch gesture , Sidebar is the way to go . The Mac is commonly the independent production gimmick , and all your software system tools are on it . have an additional showing make it a plenty easier to do your work .
For more help withUniversal Controlread : Universal Control and Sidecar : Do they run on your Mac and iPad?andHow to share a mouse and keyboard between Macs and iPads .
