In recent years, Apple has released many new features for the iPad which make it easy for us to integrate them into our workflow. Two of these offered features include Sidecar and Universal Control. In this article, let's take a closer look at both Universal Control and Sidecar and find out the actual difference between the two.
What is universal control?
Apple first announced Universal Control at the WWDC 2021 Developer Conference. However, the feature wasn't released to the public until the release of iPadOS 15.4 and macOS 12.3 in Monterey. What Universal Control does is that it allows you to use your Mac and iPad devices very seamlessly. Could you Use the cursor and keyboard of your Mac to control the iPad Without the need to connect physical cables. This feature also works between two Macs, since they are placed within 30 feet of each other.
Universal Control on macOS Monterey allows users to work with a single mouse and keyboard and move between Mac and iPad. If you set your iPad next to your Mac, and while you drag your mouse pointer in the direction of the iPad, you get the option to control your iPad with the same terminal, which means you no longer need additional iPad accessories to get productive work done.
To use Universal Control, you just need to make sure you're signed in to the same iCloud account on both your Mac and iPad and that wireless connectivity features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff are enabled on both devices. Then drag your Mac's pointer towards the iPad, boom, the pointer will start appearing on the iPad. You can now use your Mac's trackpad and keyboard to control your iPad. The setup should work out of the box. However, if you are having difficulties using Universal Control, make sure everything is set up properly using our guide below.
Read: How to set up Universal Control between your Mac and iPad
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3-2Md-Zt3o[/embed]
What is Sidecar?
Apple announced the Sidecar feature again at the WWDC 2019 Developer Conference. To put it simply, what Sidecar does is it allows you to Use the iPad as an external display for your Mac. You can either use Sidecar to mirror your Mac's screen to your iPad, or you can use it in Extended Mode for additional screen space.
When you use the iPad as a secondary display, you can drag and drop windows from your Mac to the iPad and do pretty much everything you would on an external display. Sidecar also lets you enable Touchbar controls, so if your Mac doesn't have a built-in Touchbar, you can try using Sidecar on your iPad. Sidecar supports Apple Pencil too, so you can accurately draw, create, and edit photos on your iPad.
Sidecar supports both telecommunication. To use Sidecar wirelessly, simply select your iPad in the Display section of Control Center. To reduce latency and input lag, you can also use Sidecar in Wired Connection mode by connecting your iPad and Mac using a USB-C to USB-C cable. If you're having difficulties using Sidecar, make sure everything is set up properly using our guide below.
Read: How to use Sidecar with your Mac and iPad
What Mac and iPad models are compatible with Universal Control and Sidecar?
Now that you know how smoothly your iPad and Mac can work with each other, you need to make sure that both your Mac and iPad are compatible. Fortunately, all Sidecar-enabled devices also support Universal Control. Here is a list of iPad and Mac devices that officially support Sidecar and Universal Control features:
- MacBook Pro (2016 and later)
- MacBook (2016 and later)
- MacBook Air (2018 and later)
- iMac (2017 and later)
- iMac (27-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac (2017 and later)
- iMac Pro
- Mac mini (2018 and later)
- Mac Pro (2019)
- Mac studio (2022)
- iPad Pro (2015 and later)
- iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
- iPad (6th generation or later)
- iPad mini (5th generation and later)
How are Universal Control and Sidecar different from each other?
The main difference between Sidecar and Universal Control is that Sidecar turns your iPad into an external display (with touch support) for your Mac, while Universal Control lets you use your Mac's trackpad and keyboard to control your iPad. It does not mirror your Mac's screen. Instead, it enables you to use iPadOS as is, but with the resources of your Mac. Below is a simple table explaining the main differences between Universal Control and Sidecar.
| universal control | Sidecar | |
|---|---|---|
| use case | Use the iPad as with your Mac's mouse/trackpad and keyboard | Makes the iPad a secondary offering to the Mac |
| Mac to Mac compatibility | Can work between two Macs | Doesn't work between two Macs |
| Maximum number of devices | Up to three devices can be connected simultaneously | Limited to only one connected iPad |
| File sharing | Files can be dragged and dropped between Mac and iPad | Can't share files between Mac and iPad |
| Apple Pencil Support | Does not support Apple Pencil | Supports Apple Pencil as input |
| wired support | Wireless only | Connects wired or wireless |
| Set up | Automatically connects once setup | Manual setup required every time |
| Gesture support | Does not support macOS gestures on iPad | All macOS trackpad gestures and keyboard shortcuts can be used |
Which Should I Use: Universal Control or Sidecar?
Finally, it comes down to this question: Which one of Universal Control and Sidecar should you use? Of course, it comes down to your use case.
If you are a content creator who uses the Apple Pencil a lot, then you should use Sidecar. Sidecar enables you to use powerful Mac apps like Photoshop and Illustrator on your iPad using the Apple Pencil. Edit, create, and draw with greater precision with Apple Pencil. Furthermore, if you want to extend your Mac's desktop space to an iPad screen, and your workflow doesn't include iPadOS, the straightforward answer is to use Sidecar.
However, if your workflow involves using multiple Macs or if you want to start using the real power of the iPad and Apple's creativity apps for iPadOS (like Garageband, iMovie, etc.), you should choose Universal Control. This feature allows you to use only one keyboard and mouse for all of your devices, so you don't have to switch manually. It supports wireless file sharing and doesn't require you to set it up over and over manually - it just works out of the box.
Comments
Post a Comment