Written for Synergy 3 (v3.7.2) and Synergy 1 (v1.21.4), checked 3 October 2026.
Are Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 cross-compatible?
Choose one of them and install it on all of your computers: Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 are not cross-compatible at the moment.
The reason why these versions are not compatible is due to the auto-discovery and configuration feature in Synergy 3, which does not exist in Synergy 1. We plan to add a feature to allow Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 compatibility at a later date.
Can I copy and paste files between computers?
You can copy and paste text and images between computers with Synergy 1 and Synergy 3, but not files.
An example of an image that can be stored on the clipboard is copying an image that is displayed on a website/document or a screenshot.
Do I need a license for each computer in my setup?
You don't buy a license per computer: enter your serial key on every computer in your setup, and only the computer that shares its keyboard and mouse (the server in Synergy 1, the primary computer in Synergy 3) uses an activation. For how activations and their limit work, see: How license activation works in Synergy 1 and Synergy 3
For how many computers each edition connects, see: What are the differences between the business and personal editions?
Can I use Synergy 1 or Synergy 3 with Android and iOS/iPadOS devices?
Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 run on Windows, macOS and Linux, and don't run on iOS, iPadOS, Android or ChromeOS. Why, and what it would take to support them: Do Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 work with iOS, Android, or ChromeOS?
For the full list of operating systems we support, see: Operating system and hardware requirements
Can I use Synergy 1 or Synergy 3 to duplicate mouse/keyboard input between my computers?
Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 send mouse and keyboard input to one computer at a time, so they can't send the same mouse movements, clicks or key presses to several computers at once.
Can I share the keyboard from one computer and the mouse from a different computer?
Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 share the keyboard and mouse of the same computer, so you can't share only the keyboard from one computer and the mouse from another, or use both computers' keyboards and mice at the same time. We have this down as a feature request and it may be added in a future update.
Can I use Synergy 1 or Synergy 3 with multiple computers connected to one monitor?
You can, but you will need to switch the monitor input manually when switching the mouse cursor/keyboard between the computers, since Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 don't switch monitor inputs.
With one monitor, we recommend setting up a keyboard shortcut to switch computers, which is easier than moving the mouse cursor off the edge of the screen when you can't see the cursor on the other computer until you change the monitor's input. For the steps, see: Create hotkeys in Synergy 1 or Synergy 3: switch computers, restart the connection and send keys