


Can’t Use Universal Control? Share Keyboard & Mouse Across Macs, PCs with Barrier
Jun 26, 2025 am 10:55 AMDesire to Control Multiple Devices? Want to operate multiple Macs, or even PCs, with a single keyboard and mouse? Barrier makes this possible, offering a free virtual KVM switch that enables you to share a keyboard and mouse between computers just by dragging your mouse cursor across screens. Additionally, it includes a shared clipboard, enabling cross-platform copy and paste between Mac, Windows, or Linux.
Barrier performs exceptionally well, so if you've been waiting for Universal Control on macOS Monterey and frustrated by its delay, this is essentially the same functionality provided through an open source initiative.
While Universal Control allows sharing a keyboard and mouse across multiple Macs and iPads, requiring macOS 12.3 and iPadOS 15.3 or newer, you don’t need those system versions or exclusively Apple devices to start sharing a single keyboard and mouse between Macs and PCs. Barrier provides this capability immediately, working not only between multiple Macs but also supporting Windows and Linux systems, including a shared clipboard. Unlike Universal Control, it doesn't support iPad usage, but if you're using both Mac and PC, you'll appreciate the cross-platform flexibility offered.
Barrier is somewhat technical but straightforward to configure if you follow instructions, particularly on the Mac thanks to Bonjour. As open-source software, Barrier isn't verified by Apple's Gatekeeper, so if you’re uncomfortable with that, you might want to avoid running Barrier altogether.
How to Share Keyboard & Mouse Across Macs / PCs with Barrier
Ensure all the computers you wish to share a mouse and keyboard with are connected to the same network, as you’ll be switching back and forth between different Macs during setup.
Download the latest version of Barrier here (DMG for Mac, exe for Windows) – install this on every computer you want to use the keyboard and mouse with
Transfer Barrier from the DMG (or install via the exe on Windows) to your /Applications folder on each Mac intended for use, then right-click on Barrier.app and select “Open” to bypass Gatekeeper on every Mac
On all Macs, click “Open System Preferences” and authenticate to allow Barrier to control the Macs *
On the Mac with the keyboard and mouse you intend to share (the “Server Mac”), choose “Server” in the Setup Barrier screen and then Done
On the Mac or PC connecting to the Server Mac to utilize its mouse/keyboard (the ‘Client Mac’), choose “Client” and then Done
On the Server Mac, wait briefly while Barrier detects the connecting Mac via Bonjour, then simply click the orientation for where you’d like the client Mac(s) to appear
The Server Mac should now be configured and ready, displaying something similar to this:
Confirm on the Client Mac that you wish to connect to the Mac / trust the sha fingerprint to link to the Server Mac
Repeat this procedure for all additional Macs you wish to connect to the Server Mac to share the keyboard and mouse
For Windows clients, everything remains the same except for the automatic Bonjour connection; instead, manually specify the Server Mac IP address to connect
Everything should now function properly, allowing you to move your mouse and keyboard seamlessly across the Macs (or PCs) simply by moving the cursor to the positions specified during setup.
You can use the clipboard to copy text or images and paste them between computers.
Troubleshooting if Barrier fails, fix “barrier ERROR: ssl certificate doesn’t exist” error
If issues arise, on the Server Mac pull down the Barrier menu item and select “Show Log” to view error messages indicating what’s going wrong, which should help identify the problem.
If you encounter an error message such as: openERROR: ssl certificate doesn't exist: /home/user/.var/app/com.github.debauchee.barrier/data/barrier/SSL/Barrier.pem
You must generate a private security key for Barrier manually by executing these commands in Terminal.app:
First change your directory to the Barrier SSL folder: cd ~/Library/Application\ Support/barrier/SSL
Now create a security key: openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -subj /CN=Barrier -newkey rsa:4096 -keyout Barrier.pem -out Barrier.pem
Back in the Barrier app on the Server Mac, click Stop, then Start Barrier server to load the new private key.
The Client Mac(s) or PC(s) will now ask a security question showing the generated fingerprint, asking "Do you trust this fingerprint?" Assuming it matches, select "Yes" to connect to the Barrier Server Mac.
You can also attempt manual connection by directly entering the IP address of the Server Mac. If unsure about the IP address, you can find it on the Mac serving as the Barrier server through Network preferences.
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Barrier operates smoothly across various operating systems; in the setup described here, I am using Barrier across multiple Macs with macOS Big Sur and macOS Monterey without issues, but it can also be set up with Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux, and practically anything else that runs Barrier.
* If you’re not comfortable permitting unverified third-party open-source software to control your Macs, you won’t be able to use Barrier. Use at your own risk and make informed decisions regarding security and privacy based on your needs.
No longer wait for Universal Control—use Barrier to share a keyboard and mouse across multiple Macs (or even PCs) today. Although you won't be able to run it on an iPad, you can still use Sidecar on the iPad to transform it into another Mac display if you'd like to incorporate your iPad into the mix.
For those curious, Barrier originated from and is based on the Synergy open-source project code before Synergy transitioned into a paid product. Longtime readers of OSXDaily may recall our coverage of Synergy back in 2012 (or a similar application called Teleport even earlier). This means if you prefer the idea of Barrier but seek official support, consider purchasing Synergy, which offers cross-platform compatibility too. If you're solely a Windows user, there’s also Mouse Without Borders, although it won't work with a Mac or Linux machine. Finally, ShareMouse is another commercial solution offering similar KVM features, worth checking out as well.
Have you successfully set up Barrier to share your keyboard and mouse across multiple Macs and possibly Windows PCs or Linux machines? Are you planning to use this instead of Universal Control, or until Universal Control becomes available? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
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