Five Ways to Share a Mouse and Keyboard Across Multiple Computers
If you have the budget and need more than one computer at your desk, it might be worth using the same mouse and keyboard for both. This is more convenient when switching between systems, and you can find a favorite keyboard and mouse combination and use it consistently.
This is especially useful if you work on both a laptop and a desktop computer. Even the best laptops tend to have uncomfortable keyboards due to the limitations of their form factor, and for some tasks (such as detailed image or video editing), a mouse is often preferable to a trackpad.
Using a mouse and keyboard simultaneously on multiple computers has become easier than you think, and certainly much easier than it was just a few years ago. Depending on the platform you’re using, there are different options available, and here are the tools I recommend for this purpose right now.
If you are on Windows, use Mouse Without Borders.
Mouse Without Borders is an official Microsoft program, but one of those that feels more like a third-party project. It lets you control up to four computers using a single mouse and keyboard, as long as they’re all running Windows.
You don’t need complicated cable installation or software setup: simply install the app on all the Windows computers you want to connect, and connect a mouse and keyboard to one of them. On the first computer you install the tool on, you can generate a code that can be used to connect other computers.
The main configuration screen allows you to customize the keyboard layout for different Windows computers. This is important: to switch between systems, simply drag the mouse cursor from the edge of one screen to the other. The mouse and keyboard will interact with the computer where the mouse cursor is currently active.
Mouse Without Borders also allows you to create a universal clipboard for all computers installed on it, simplifying the transfer of files, text, and images. Note that Mouse Without Borders is also included in Microsoft PowerToys , a set of utilities that provides numerous additional features and settings for the Microsoft operating system.
If you are using macOS, use Universal Control.
If you use two or more Macs simultaneously, Universal Control is the perfect solution for sharing keyboard and mouse. This feature is built directly into macOS (and iPadOS) and works virtually seamlessly. Furthermore, it includes much more than just sharing input devices.
All you need is the latest version of macOS installed on all your computers, the same Apple account linked to all computers, and the mouse and keyboard you want to use as primary controllers. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be enabled on all devices, and the computers must be located close enough to each other (e.g., in the same room).
The relevant settings for this part of the universal control can be found by opening the Apple menu (in the upper left corner) and selecting System Preferences > Displays > Advanced . For best results, ensure all these options are enabled. Afterwards, on each Mac, simply hover your mouse cursor over the left or right edge of the current Mac’s screen to switch control to the other, depending on their location.
If needed, you can change this arrangement in System Settings > Displays > Arrange . Universal Control goes beyond sharing peripherals—you can drag files over the edge of the screen to transfer them between computers. You’ll also find a shared clipboard accessible to all connected devices, so you can copy data on one computer and paste it on another.
If you have both Windows and macOS, use Synergy
For those brave enough to regularly use both Windows and macOS, Synergy is the most powerful mouse and keyboard sharing program I’ve ever encountered. Install it on all connected computers, and you’ll be able to share your mouse and keyboard across them all.
Once you install and launch the desktop client, you’ll see a simple interface that lets you manage all the various options the program offers: for example, you can configure the relative positions of your computers and configure how the shared clipboard works across systems.
The Synergy application should automatically add other computers with Synergy installed to your network, but you can do this manually. In the “Screen Layout” tab, you can configure the screen layout and specify the primary computer (the one with the keyboard and mouse connected). After that, switching between systems is as simple as moving the mouse cursor across the screens.
Using Synergy will cost you a pretty penny (though a free trial is available): $29 for the standard version, which supports up to three computers. You can also pay $49 for the Ultimate Synergy version, which runs on up to 15 different computers and provides other bonuses, such as customizable hotkeys.
If you prefer, use a keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) switch
Another option is to use a traditional keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) switch. This is a device that connects a keyboard and mouse, and then both computers. As the name suggests, it allows you to use a single monitor for both systems, if needed.
These days, this is sometimes called a “hub,” which is a more modern term. These hubs are often built into high-end monitors: you connect a keyboard and mouse to the monitor, which then connects to various computers via multiple display ports, and on-monitor controls allow you to switch between systems as needed.
More advanced KVM switches or hubs support multiple monitors and other accessories and peripherals, but the more features you need, the more money you’ll have to spend. A basic two-computer setup will cost around $30 , while a more advanced four-computer setup with its own remote control will cost around $105 .
Bluetooth keyboard and mouse set
The $35 Logitech K480 is compatible with virtually all Bluetooth-enabled devices, including computers, smartphones, and tablets. Switching between devices is as easy as turning the dial on the side of the keyboard.