Apple’s Macs and iPads offer two distinct capabilities dubbed Sidecar and Universal Control, which allow the devices to be used together but in different ways.
We’ll go over everything you need to know about Universal Control and how it varies from the Sidecar function, which has been available since 2019. Also Apple has released watchOS 8.4.1, which includes bug fixes for the Apple Watch Series 4 and later
What is Universal Control?
Apple has included support for Universal Control, a long-awaited feature that allows numerous Macs and iPads to be operated with a single mouse and keyboard, to iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3, both of which are now in beta.
You can use the same cursor and keyboard on any nearby Mac or iPad that’s logged into your iCloud account with Universal Control, and it works between multiple Macs and multiple Macs and iPads that are within 10 metres (30 feet) of each other.
How is Universal Control Different from Sidecar?
If you have a Mac and an iPad next to one other, or even many Macs and iPads, you can utilise the keyboard and cursor on one device across all of them using Universal Control. So, if you have a MacBook Pro and an iPad on your desk, you can utilise the MacBook Pro’s trackpad on the iPad by swiping over, and the Mac’s keyboard will become the iPad’s input device. The same is true if you have a keyboard linked to your iPad.
Sidecar operates in a unique manner. Sidecar, which was announced in 2019 as part of macOS Catalina, allows you to utilise an iPad as a secondary display for your Mac. In macOS, you may utilise up to one iPad to either mirror the content on your Mac’s display or transform it into a secondary display for extra screen real estate. Because Universal Control does not extend your Mac’s display to the iPad, you must use Sidecar to view your Mac’s content on the iPad.
While Universal Control allows you to manage your iPad using your Mac’s keyboard and trackpad, it does so across two operating systems – macOS and iPadOS – so certain peculiarities are to be anticipated. For example, if you drag a photo from Mac to iPad, you first need to open the Photos app in iOS to transfer it across – it can’t be placed on the Home screen.
Sidecar, on the other hand, is built as a secondary Mac display, thus it functions similarly to any other secondary display you would use with your Mac to increase desktop screen space in macOS. You can use Sidecar to drag windows from your Mac to your iPad and vice versa, and interact with both using your Mac’s trackpad.
Notable Features and Limitations
Sidecar, on the other hand, is built as a secondary Mac display, thus it functions similarly to any other secondary display you would use with your Mac to increase desktop screen space in macOS. You can use Sidecar to drag windows from your Mac to your iPad and vice versa, and interact with both using your Mac’s trackpad.
Aside from the at-least-one-Mac restriction, there doesn’t appear to be a limit to the number of devices you can operate with a single keyboard and trackpad/mouse. Universal Control only supports a mouse/trackpad and a keyboard. You can’t use an Apple Pencil, for example, with Universal Control.
Sidecar allows you to utilise an Apple Pencil (first or second generation, depending on your iPad) as a mouse replacement for clicking, selecting, and other on-screen macOS control activities. When used with Sidecar, consider the Apple Pencil to be a mouse or trackpad.
Sidecar:
- Acts as secondary Mac display
- Can mirror content from Mac
- Extends macOS desktop real estate
- Supports Apple Pencil as input device
- Offers optional Touch Bar controls
- Requires manual setup
- Connects wired or wirelessly
- Is limited to one connected iPad
Universal Control:
- Controls multiple Macs and iPads
- Works across macOS and iPadOS
- Has some drag-and-drop limitations
- Doesn’t support Apple Pencil
- Requires at least one Mac
- Doesn’t support macOS trackpad gestures on iPad
- Works automatically
- Connects wirelessly only
The Apple Pencil can do considerably more in programmes like Photoshop and Illustrator. You may sketch directly in Photoshop or other comparable Mac software, converting the iPad into a graphics tablet for your Mac, akin to a Wacom graphics tablet.
Sidecar also adds a Touch Bar to the bottom of the iPad, which is identical to the Touch Bar on Touch Bar MacBook Pro models. Even if your Mac lacks a Touch Bar by default, these Touch Bar controls may be displayed on the iPad screen.
Should I Use Sidecar or Universal Control?
On your Macs and iPads, should you use Sidecar or Universal Control? The answer is actually dependent on your specific use case.
If you want to expand your macOS desktop area to your iPad’s screen but don’t want to utilise iPadOS, the easy solution is to use Sidecar. Sidecar is the software to use if you want to utilise your iPad and Apple Pencil to sketch or illustrate anything you’re working on in a Mac programme.
If you wish to operate several Macs and iPads using the same input devices and are willing to accept some interoperability limits between macOS and iPadOS (drag-and-drop, for example), Universal Control is the appropriate answer.
Can I Use Universal Control and Sidecar at the Same Time?
If you have enough iPads and Macs, you can utilise Sidecar and Universal Control simultaneously to get the best of both worlds.
For example, you might connect your Mac to one iPad through Sidecar for some more macOS screen space, then operate a second iPad or Mac on the other side of your Mac using the Mac’s keyboard and touchpad.
How to Use Sidecar and Universal Control
For full instructions on how to set up and use Sidecar and Universal Control, including device compatibility information for the two features, be sure to check out our dedicated guides by following the above hyperlinks.