At the WWDC 2021 event, Apple dazzled everyone with the SharePlay and Universal Control features on the newly-released macOS Monterey beta. Apple showcased how you can use a single keyboard and mouse to control other macOS and iPadOS devices. That said, the technology has been there for a while, and apps like Synergy and Barrier have been doing this for many years. Nevertheless, if you want to learn how to get the macOS Monterey Universal Control feature on Windows, Linux, and older versions of macOS, this guide will help you set it up in a few simple steps. So without further ado, let’s dive right in.

In this tutorial, we are going to use Barrier, an open-source application, which allows you to share your mouse and keyboard between Windows, Linux, and macOS devices. Its functionality is similar to the Universal Control feature on macOS Monterey. The best part is that Barrier is completely free to use and also offers clipboard sharing and keyboard shortcuts. Synergy is also an excellent alternative, but it’s a paid application ($29).

  • Set Up Barrier on macOS
  • Set Up Barrier on Windows
  • Share Mouse and Keyboard Similar to macOS Monterey’s Universal Control Feature
  • Set Up Barrier on Linux

Set Up Barrier on macOS to Use Universal Control Feature

  1. First and foremost, open the GitHub page of Barrier and download the latest DMG file.

  2. Next, open the DMG file, and you will find the Barrier application. Copy it and paste it into the “Applications” directory.

Set Up Barrier on Windows to Use macOS Monterey Universal Control Feature

  1. On Windows, the installation process is pretty straightforward. Open the GitHub page of Barrier and download the latest EXE file.

  2. Well, you are almost done and ready to share one mouse and keyboard between two PCs. You need to configure one last step before you can interact with multiple systems using a single mouse and keyboard. Move back to your Mac and click on “Configure Server”.

  3. Next, drag the monitor icon from the top-right corner to where your PC is actually positioned – in reference to your Mac. It will allow you to seamlessly move your cursor from one screen to another.

Barrier can easily be installed on Ubuntu through its Software Centre. It’s also available through the Snap Store on Ubuntu. For other Debian-based operating systems, you can simply run this command to install the software.

Control Multiple Systems With One Keyboard and Mouse

So that is how you can experience Universal Control not just on your Mac devices but also between computers running different operating systems. And the best part is that you can add as many devices as you want within the Barrier network. Anyway, that is all from us in this alternative guide for macOS Monterey’s Universal Control feature.