Universal Control Stopped Working? Here's How to Fix It

Universal Control is one of those features that feels almost magical when it works – moving your cursor seamlessly from one Mac to another without any setup. But it’s also one of those features that quietly breaks after a software update, with no obvious reason why.

If you have a MacBook Pro and MacBook Air on the same Apple ID and the same Wi-Fi network, and Universal Control has simply stopped working on macOS 26.3, try these fixes in order. Start at the top – most people find a solution within the first two or three steps.

Universal Control requires Handoff to be running correctly in the background. A single toggle is often all it takes to shake things loose.

1. Toggle Handoff Off and Back On

Try this first. This is the most commonly reported fix and requires no restart. Do this on both Macs.

System Settings → General → AirDrop & Handoff → Handoff: Off → wait 5 seconds → On

According to users on Apple’s support forums, simply toggling Handoff off and back on restored Universal Control without any other changes needed.

2. Cycle Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on Both Macs

Turn off Wi-Fi first, then Bluetooth. Wait about 30 seconds, then re-enable both – Wi-Fi first, then Bluetooth. Do this on each machine. Universal Control relies on both wireless protocols working in tandem, and a clean reconnect often resolves detection issues after an OS update.

3. Toggle Universal Control Itself

On both Macs, go into Display settings and turn Universal Control off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.

System Settings → Displays → Universal Control → uncheck → wait → recheck

4. Restart Both Macs

Simple, but easy to skip after trying a series of toggles. A full restart clears any stale connection state that settings toggles won’t touch.

5. Check the Firewall

This one catches people off guard. A macOS update can reset firewall rules, silently blocking the Universal Control connection.

System Settings → Network → Firewall

Try disabling the firewall temporarily on both Macs, restart both, then re-enable it. Users on Apple’s community forums found that after a reboot, Universal Control reappears in the firewall’s allowed incoming connections list and starts working again. If you’re also using a VPN, try disabling that too – it can interfere with the local network discovery Universal Control depends on.

6. Check the Display Arrangement

Universal Control needs to know which Mac is physically to the left or right of the other. If the arrangement in settings doesn’t match your desk, the cursor won’t cross over correctly.

System Settings → Displays → drag the Mac icons to match their physical positions on your desk

7. Sign Out of Apple ID on Both, Then Sign Back In

Last resort. Sign out of iCloud on both Macs, restart each one, then sign back in – starting with the Mac you want to use as the primary controller. Multiple users across Apple’s support communities and troubleshooting guides have confirmed this resolves the issue when all other steps fail.

System Settings → [Your Name] → Sign Out → Restart → Sign In again

Since Universal Control previously worked on your setup and stopped after an update, this is almost certainly a software state issue rather than a hardware or compatibility problem. The Handoff toggle fix (Step 1) alone resolves it for the majority of users.

Universal Control Stopped Working? Here’s How to Fix It