Universal control keeps disconnecting between my MacBook Air and iPad Pro

UPDATE: FIXED

I figured this out, though my use case is probably more specific than most.

I was using my iPad with a Kuxiu iPad Stand: a magnetic stand that support the Smart Connector to charge the iPad while docked.

I also have an LG ultrawide display.

My MacBook was on the left side of the display. The iPad was mounted on the right.

Whenever I took my iPad off the magnetic stand, Universal Control suddenly started working.

When I docked it again, it would work briefly, then drop.

I decided to test this and move the iPad stand to the left side of the desk above the MacBook.

Universal Control is now working flawlessly.

It seems the magnetic stand is thick enough to degrade the signal to the Mac *just enough* to break the connection between it and the iPad.

I suggest removing your iPad from any docks/Magic Keyboards/cases and holding it near the Mac to see if the problem persists.

Sorry this probably won't be more helpful to others.

I had the same issue after updating to iOS 18.1 and Mac OS 15.1. Universal control would connect for a short period and then drop. I attempted toggling settings and killing processes to no avail, but Logging out of iCloud on my iPad and logging back in corrected the universal control connection on my M1 iPad Pro and M1 MacBook Air.

Thanks for the hint! Universal Control depends on the position and orientation of the 2 Mac devices! Here's a description of what my problem was and how I "fixed" it after reading your hint:

Either Universal Control of WIFI on Sequ… - Apple Community

It's ridiculous that this never came up when I was running Sonoma but only with Sequoia (now at version 15.2).

My suggested solution: Start with the 2 Apple devices right next to each other and see whether Universal Control is reliable. Then slowly move them apart, changing orientations etc. making sure that Universal Control doesn't disconnect until they are close to where you want them on your desk.

Note: the furthest I could get my 2 MacBook Pros for Universal Control to be reliable is only 1.5 ft and only in a particular orientation!

Hopefully, my experience can help others and that Apple fixes this problem in the next upgrade of Sequoia.

cytan

Just got off the phone won’t CS Apple and found that if the IPad and Mac laptop are connected with a USB C cable it breaks Universal Control… unplugging it allows it…

Some sort of Power Issue? IDK but not it works… I guess I will have to charge my IPad separately from the laptop.

Having the same issue here, after the last update Sequioa 15.1. I did all the steps you can do. Toggle on off the universal control, restart Mac and iPad, Shutdown both, turn off and on Bluetooth and wifi, use terminal to kill bluetooth (sudo pkill bluetoothd), and lastly re-install MacOS Sequioa. The same issue kept happening, It will connect for a few seconds and disconnect, when connected is laggy or it doesn't connect it all no matter what you do! Sooooo I talked to apple support, and they told me that apparently this been happening and they have reports of this, so he escalated this issue to engineer to see if they can fix it in the next update.

I read in another thread that signing out of iCloud on each device and then signing back in again will solve this issue. This has worked for me.

Logging out and back in to iCloud on both the iMac and the Macbook did the trick. It's working again and it keeps on working. A little anoying but the issue has been solved!

I'm having the same problem between an M1 and M4 MacBook Pro, both running Sequoia 15.2.

I've found a way for me to make it somewhat bearable. I keep the System settings panel up on both systems, each on the Displays section. So when one of them drops, mouse over to the Display panel and it usually reconnects in a few seconds.

I also have the problem of the main laptop (the M1), the cursor just disappearing - can't move it, it doesn't even show up for roughly 30 seconds. So on the secondary system (M4), I use the trackpad to mouse over to its Display panel, and it reconnects. :shrug:

Highly, highly annoying. :headbang:

In my case, I took my iPad Pro 13' off from the magic keyboard and it worked. Try to keep your devices close enough for them to reconnect.

Same issue for me. Mac Mini M2 running MacOS 15.2 and iPad Pro running iPadOS 16.7.10. Had been working fine until the move to Sequoia 15.1. I have managed to get it working briefly whilst in Settings - Displays on the Mac, but it stops working after a few seconds of moving the mouse around the iPad.

Adding my name to the list of users experiencing this issue.

Seems to work temporarily if I open the Macbook (I usually have it clamshell mode), but eventually drops again.

I can extend my display to the iPad, but I can't simply send the mouse and keyboard between it and the Macbook.

Macbook Pro 14" M1 Max (MacOS Sequoia 15.1) and 11" iPad Pro M1 (iPadOS 18.1)

Same issue for me. I have a MBA M2 and iPad Pro M4 (13 inch). Both running the latest OS. Oddly, wireless mirroring (extended display) works without issue. Rebooting seems to allow the reconnection, but only for a few minutes.

Here is a list of the things I tried to do without any success:

1. fixed IP on the Wi-Fi networks
2. reinstall the OS on the MBA
3. turned off firewall
4. uninstalled VPN
5. turned off mini snitch
6. reset network settings on the ipad
7. removed magnetic cover on the ipad
8. moved the ipad right next to the MBA

Universal control is "universally unreliable" as far as I can tell. MBP M3 and iPad Pro M4, within inches of one another (and positioned in all possible configurations -- no stands involved). Sitting on their own... no other devices near and on same WiFi with strong signal to both. Works... then doesn't... then does... then doesn't. Only works for less than a minute at a time before dropping out.

This situation has been a mess for YEARS. When it works is is a huge productivity booster. Alas: it is too unreliable to get any real work done.

In remarkable contrast: it has no problem reliably using the iPad as an extended display. Always finds it, always rock solid. It is quite strange how that feature can be so reliable, but the other anything but.

I've read and re-read maybe a dozen articles on what to try/check and so on. All to no avail. Come on Apple, get this basic and very valuable feature fixed!

I could care less about AI and live emoticons which use my camera input... just give me a RELIABLE way to use my keyboard and mouse across both MacBook and iPad...

Same issue here between a Macbook (2021 | M1 Max) and an iMac (2020 | 3,6 GHz 10-Core Intel Core i9). I couldn't get it to work again but after rebooting I got it to work for a second. I just rebooted the Macbook again and now it seems to work again. Strange behaviour.

edit: one minute later it stopped working again. argh.

I’ve noticed that every now and then I have to take it off the stand and put it back on before it will charge again. I used to have to unplug the USB cable and plug it back in a lot.

When it works, it’s great, but it’s not without its flaws.

Haven’t seen any change in behavior, but I’m on 18.2.