Yesterday, I saw that macOS pushed the update 12.3. I remember that there was a “universal control” function that was predicted before, so I need to upgrade and try it out. The effect is amazing to me.

First, I would like to explain my isolated work situation at home. I mainly use two MacBook Pros, one is a 2017 old machine (Intel) and the other is a 2021 new machine (M1 Pro), and a 34-inch DELL monitor.

The layout is as follows:

Let’s start with some inconvenient points at the moment:

Keyboard switch

DD now uses the Logitech MX Keys and MX Master suite at home and office. Since it supports bluetooth connection to multiple devices, it can be switched in the following way:

It’s a bit of a hassle if you have to switch a lot, you have to keep pushing. I have used logitech Flow function before, which can automatically switch bluetooth connection when the mouse moves to different devices.

But I didn’t feel very stable after using it for a while, so I stopped using it.

The file transfer

Sometimes, work done on one machine will be transferred to another. This can be done in many ways:

  1. Communication software transmission
  2. U disk copy
  3. Shared folder
  4. The NAS synchronization

DD now uses the syncing feature of CDH NAS, which automatically syncs multiple devices, including the two MacBook Pros here and the iMac in the office, by setting up the folders to sync on all the machines.

The problem of file transfer has been solved, but there are other costs associated with the presence of intermediate devices, so it varies from person to person.

After using “General control”

Here’s how to use the generic controls, and how to improve the above pain points after using them.

Before using universal controls, you need to confirm the following:

  1. Whether the system has been upgraded to the latest version:

If you’re using an iPad, upgrade to iPadOS 15.4

  1. Log in using the same iCloud account

Now I’m going to go to System Preferences

Click “Display” and you’ll see the “General Controls” button

Click the “General controls” button to check the function

Then you can see other nearby Apple devices under “Add Monitor.

Once added, you can find the device you are currently linked to in the following place. Drag to adjust their position

Click on display Settings to do other things

Keyboard switch

After turning on universal controls and adding a monitor, you simply move the mouse from the edge of one device’s monitor to the other, depending on the layout you have configured, and the keyboard automatically switches to the other device.

The whole process is also very smooth, from now on the device switch button!

The file transfer

To transfer files, you can drag them to the screen of another device as shown below.

Of course, you can also copy and paste it. No need to rely on external devices to help with transmission. And the process is very smooth.

This wave of updates is very powerful, absolute productivity enhancement features! Anyone with multiple Apple devices should upgrade!

Oh, and if you’re not an Apple user and want to do this efficiently, you can do it. Logitech’s Flow scheme mentioned above in DD can also be tried. I am not sure whether IT is my problem or not so smooth. If you are fluent, you can also leave a message.

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