How to Connect Magic Keyboard to a Mac

Pairing the standalone Magic Keyboard with Touch ID to your Mac

By
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Updated on May 23, 2022
Reviewed by
Jessica Kormos
Jessica Kormos
Reviewed by Jessica Kormos
  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.
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What to Know

  • Connect your Magic Keyboard to your Mac with the USB-C to Lightning cable to first pair it. 
  • Click Apple Logo > System Preferences > Bluetooth to check the devices have paired.
  • The Magic Keyboard with Touch ID works with all Macs, but the Touch ID feature only works with Macs with the M1 chip.

This article teaches you how to connect the latest Magic Keyboard to a Mac including all current models of desktop Macs and MacBooks. It also shows you how to switch the keyboard off and what to do if it won't pair. 

How Do I Connect My Magic Keyboard?

If you have a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, setting it up to work with your Mac or MacBook doesn't take long and is quite straightforward. Here's how to connect your Magic Keyboard.

  1. Connect your Magic Keyboard to your iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro with the included USB-C to Lightning cable.

  2. On the top side of the Magic Keyboard, toggle the device's power switch to the On position so green is displayed underneath the switch.

  3. On your Mac, click the Apple logo. 

    The macOS desktop with the Apple logo highlighted

  4. Click System Preferences. 

  5. Click Bluetooth. 

    macOS System Preferences with Bluetooth icon highlighted

    Alternatively, on the Apple Menu Bar, click Control Center > Bluetooth to check the device has paired.

  6. Wait for the device to finish pairing with your Mac.

    macOS System Preferences Bluetooth menu with Magic Keyboard paired and highlighted

    If the device is displayed but doesn't automatically pair, click Connect to finish the process.

  7. Unplug the cable to continue to use the keyboard wirelessly. 

How Do I Turn on the Magic Keyboard from My MacBook Pro?

Once you have paired your Magic Keyboard with your Mac including MacBook Pro, using it is simple. Here's how to turn it on before you use it.

Due to how the Magic Keyboard uses its battery, there's no need to switch it off manually unless you don't plan to use it for an extended time.

  1. On the top side of the keyboard, toggle the power switch so that you can see a small amount of green underneath the switch.

  2. Start using the keyboard to switch it on. Once paired initially, it will automatically pair with your Mac every time you use it.

    If it doesn't, follow the steps above to re-pair it.

  3. Toggle the power switch the other way to switch it back off if you don't plan on using it for an extended period of time.

Why Won’t My Magic Keyboard Pair With My Mac?

If your Magic Keyboard fails to connect with your Mac, it can be for several reasons.

  • Turn the device off and on. Turn the Magic Keyboard off and back on again. This action will often restore the connection.
  • Connect the keyboard with a cable. Try reconnecting your MacBook and Magic Keyboard physically again before re-pairing them via Bluetooth.
  • Check Bluetooth is enabled. Check that Bluetooth is switched on for your MacBook by clicking Apple logo > System Preferences > Bluetooth. 
FAQ
  • How do I connect a Magic Keyboard to an iPad?

    To pair a keyboard to your iPad, check that you have Bluetooth on from Settings > Bluetooth. If you're connecting your Magic Keyboard for the first time, it will appear under Other Devices. Select your Magic Keyboard to pair it with your iPad.

  • How do I connect a Magic Keyboard to my iPhone?

    Tap Settings > Bluetooth > On > and choose your Magic Keyboard from Other Devices. If you've already paired your keyboard with a different device like an iPad, follow the process for unpairing Bluetooth devices from your iPad; tap the i icon next to the Magic Keyboard > Forget This Device. On a Mac, select the device from the Bluetooth menu > hover over your Magic Keyboard from the list > click the x symbol > and choose Remove.

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