Universal Control works in macOS Monterey Beta 5, but you'll have to fiddle around to activate it

By: Yuriy Stanislavskiy | 30.08.2021, 11:28
Universal Control works in macOS Monterey Beta 5, but you'll have to fiddle around to activate it

One of the most highly anticipated features coming to macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15 is Universal Control. Universal Control allows users to use one Mac's input devices on multiple iPads or Macs.

While the feature was previewed at WWDC in June, it has yet to appear in the beta versions of macOS Monterey or iPadOS 15, leading to speculation that the feature may be delayed until a future update of the operating systems. However, in the latest beta version of macOS Monterey, released on August 11, the Universal Control feature can be enabled and used between two Macs. 

To activate the mode, users need to follow the steps outlined in this post on GitHub. This requires downloading a prepared system settings change file and running the commands to enable "Ensemble", Apple's internal code name for Universal Control. 

Editorial gg reminds us that Universal Control is not yet officially included in the latest beta version of macOS, and the steps required to enable it are relatively complex. We recommend that users do not attempt to enable it, as it can cause damage to important system files and the computer.

In the latest beta version, users must first select their companion Mac in System Preferences -> Displays -> Add Display and select the device under "Link Mouse and Keyboard". In addition, Universal Control will allow users to drag and drop files, photos, videos and more between devices, something not yet available in the latest beta. According to testing, while Universal Control works between two Macs, iPadOS does not yet support this feature, even in the latest beta. 

Source: macrumors