CommandDeskGuide
One keyboard and mouse for a Mac and a PC
A Mac and a Windows or Ubuntu PC on one desk usually means two keyboards and two mice. There are three ways to get down to one. We make CommandDesk, an app for the third way, and we've tried to be fair about all three.
| Way | How it works | Good | But |
|---|---|---|---|
| KVM switch (a box) | Cables from the keyboard and mouse to both computers; press a button to switch | Works with anything, no software | Extra box and cables; you switch by hand; usually no shared copy and paste |
| Multi-device keyboard and mouse | Bluetooth devices that pair with several computers and switch with a key | No software, no box | You switch each device by hand; no shared copy and paste |
| An app (software KVM) | Move the pointer off one screen onto the other, over your network | No switching, shared copy and paste | Both computers on the same network |
1. A KVM switch
A small box that both computers plug into. Your keyboard and mouse connect to the box, and a button (or a key combination) switches them from one computer to the other. It needs no software, so it works with anything.
The catch: more cables on the desk, you switch by hand every time, and copy and paste between the computers usually doesn't work.
2. A multi-device keyboard and mouse
Many Bluetooth keyboards and mice can pair with two or three computers and switch with a key. No box, no software. But you switch the keyboard and the mouse separately, and nothing is shared between the computers, not even copy and paste. It also doesn't help with the trackpad built into a MacBook.
3. An app: move the pointer across
Software KVM apps link the computers over your network. Keep using your Mac's keyboard and trackpad, and when you move the pointer off the edge of the Mac's screen it carries on onto the PC; the keyboard follows. Copy on one, paste on the other. Nothing to switch, nothing to plug in.
CommandDesk is made for exactly a Mac and a PC: your PC appears in a list, you pair with a 6-digit code, the PC's sound plays through your Mac, and you can turn the PC into a second screen for your Mac. $19 once. For three or more computers, Synergy 3 or the free Deskflow are the usual picks; here's how they compare.
One keyboard and mouse for your Mac and PC
Move the pointer across, copy and paste between them, hear the PC on your Mac. No box, no switching. $19 once.
Which should you pick?
- Computers on different networks, or no software allowed: a KVM switch.
- You only switch now and then: a multi-device keyboard and mouse.
- You go back and forth all day, and want copy and paste: an app, like CommandDesk.
Questions
Can I use one keyboard and mouse for a Mac and a PC without a KVM switch?
Yes, with an app like CommandDesk, Synergy or Deskflow. The keyboard and mouse stay connected to your Mac, and the pointer carries on onto the PC when you move it off the edge of the screen.
Does Apple’s Universal Control work with a Windows PC?
No. Universal Control only links Macs and iPads. For a Windows or Linux PC you need an app.
Do both computers need a monitor?
Yes, each computer keeps its own screen; the app moves the pointer between them. With CommandDesk you can also go the other way and use the PC itself as a second screen for your Mac.
Does copy and paste work between the two?
With an app, yes: CommandDesk, Synergy and Deskflow all share the clipboard. With a KVM switch or a multi-device keyboard, usually not.
CommandDesk: one keyboard and mouse for your Mac and PC
Plus a second screen and your PC's sound on your Mac. $19 once, with a refund if it can't connect to your PC.