shareclick / setup guide
How to share a mouse & keyboard between Mac and Windows
You can control both your Mac and your Windows PC with a single keyboard and mouse — for free, no KVM hardware, no cloud. Here's how with ShareClick, an open-source software KVM. It takes about three minutes.
1. install on both machines
Download ShareClick from the releases page: the .dmg on your Mac and the .exe on your Windows PC. Both launch to the menu-bar (macOS) / system tray (Windows). First-launch blocked? See the install help.
2. set one shared passphrase & layout
Open Settings & Monitor Manager on both machines. Enter the same passphrase (it authenticates and encrypts the connection), then say which machine sits on which screen edge — e.g. the PC is to the right of the Mac.
3. grant permissions
- macOS: System Settings → Privacy & Security → enable Accessibility and Input Monitoring for ShareClick.
- Windows: allow ShareClick through the firewall when prompted.
Both machines must be on the same Wi-Fi / LAN.
4. just move your mouse
Slide the cursor into the shared screen edge — your keyboard and mouse now drive the other computer. Push back to return. Copy on one machine and paste on the other; the clipboard syncs automatically, and you can send files too.
what ShareClick shares
| Capability | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Mouse and keyboard | Control crosses when the pointer reaches the configured screen edge |
| Clipboard text | Copy and paste in both directions |
| Clipboard images | Synchronized between macOS and Windows |
| Files | Transferred over the encrypted reliable channel |
| Video/display | Not shared; each computer continues using its own monitor |
If clipboard sharing is your main requirement, see the dedicated guide to sharing a clipboard between Mac and Windows.
common setup problems
the computers cannot find each other
Confirm that both computers are on the same local network. Guest Wi-Fi often blocks devices from reaching each other. On Windows, check that the firewall rule allows ShareClick. Wired Ethernet also works and can make network troubleshooting simpler.
the Mac does not accept remote input
Reopen System Settings, check Accessibility and Input Monitoring, then restart ShareClick. macOS permissions are attached to the installed application, so moving or replacing the app can require approval again.
the cursor crosses on the wrong side
Open the monitor arrangement and place the Mac and Windows display in the same physical order as the desk. The shared edge in the layout determines where the pointer leaves and where it appears.
clipboard or files do not arrive
First confirm that mouse control is connected. Test clipboard sync with a short line of plain text before trying an image or application-specific format. Clipboard changes made while disconnected are not queued for later delivery.
software KVM or hardware KVM?
ShareClick is a software KVM: it shares input over the LAN while every computer keeps its own display. A hardware KVM physically switches a keyboard, mouse and monitor between computers. Use hardware when one monitor must display several machines or when you need BIOS-level control. Use software when both screens stay visible and you want seamless pointer, clipboard and file movement.
That's it. One keyboard, one mouse, one clipboard across your Mac and Windows PC — encrypted, low-latency, and free.