You can control two Windows computers with one keyboard and mouse by sharing the mouse and keyboard. Here is how to do it for free.
It is not for everyone, but workflows require using two or more computers. In that case, moving between the keyboard and mouse of each computer to control it is a hassle. The good thing is, you can control two computers with one keyboard and mouse. i.e., you can use the same keyboard and mouse on two computers.
For example, I have two Windows 11 laptops. One is my main production machine, and the other is a test machine to try new software, insider builds, and settings. As you can guess, when I want to use both computers at once, it is a hassle to move between them. However, since I share the mouse and keyboard between two Windows computers, I don’t have to move between computers physically. I simply move the mouse to another computer and start using it as if the keyboard and mouse belong to that computer.
So, if you are wondering how to do it, this easy Windows how-to guide will take you through the steps in detail. Follow the guide, and you will get what you want.
Note: The steps below will work in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Important Note: Both computers should be connected to the same local network. If they are not on the same network, you cannot share the input devices. In that case, I recommend you use remote desktop software.
Share the mouse and keyboard between two computers
To use the same mouse and keyboard between two computers, we must use a simple and free software called Share Mouse. Once you install the software in both systems, you can use one mouse and keyboard on two Windows computers.
- Make sure both computers are connected to the same network.
- Get the Share Mouse software.
- Install Share Mouse on both computers.
- Open Share Mouse application on both computers.
- After that, move the mouse cursor over the left, right, up, or down edges of the screen.
- You should see the mouse cursor on the second screen.
- Once you have the cursor on that screen, you can use both mouse and keyboard
- With that, you can now use one mouse and keyboard with two computers.
Same steps with a bit more detail:
First, we need to make sure that both computers are connected to the same local network. Once you confirm that, follow through with the next steps.
Next, we need to download and install the Share Mouse application. So, head over to the official website, download the software and install it as you would any Windows software. Do this on both machines.
After installing the application, open it on both computers from the Start menu.
As soon as you open the application on both computers, the software will detect itself and connects automatically.
Move the mouse cursor over the main screen’s left, right, up, or down edge. The mouse cursor will move to another computer. When the mouse cursor is in another computer, you can start using your keyboard too.
If you were wondering, the software will automatically detect another computer and place it in one of the four directions. When needed, you can manually change where the second computer is located. For example, if your second computer is on the right side, you can change the display configuration in Share Mouse accordingly. That way, moving the mouse cursor over the right edge of the main screen will take you to the second computer.
To change the display configuration in Share Mouse, right-click on the Share Mouse icon on the taskbar and choose “Display Manager.”
Next, drag the display of your choice to the required direction. Once done, click the “Ok” button. With that, you have changed the display position in Share Mouse.
Apart from sharing a mouse and keyboard between two computers, Share Mouse also has a host of other useful features like allow and deny lists, drag and drop support, remote clipboard, password-protect Share Mouse client connections, etc. Do play with the software a bit, and you will love it.
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As you can see, it is pretty easy to use a single mouse and keyboard with two Windows computers.
I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need some help, comment below, and I will try to help as much as possible.