Can Any Wireless Keyboard Work With Mac



Apple Wireless Keyboard, Magic Keyboard, and many Bluetooth keyboards that use the Apple keyboard layout work with these iOS devices:

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  2. Your Mac is capable of using almost any USB or Bluetooth input device. If it’s a keyboard or mouse, your Mac can start using it straight away - just connect it. This means that pretty much any keyboard or mouse on the market can be used. Prefer using a gaming keyboard or mouse?

The Magic Keyboard is a wireless, rechargeable keyboard that comes included with most Mac computers. However, those of us who are on old Macs or want a new keyboard, the small Magic keyboard might.

With
  • iPad (all models)
  • iPhone 3GS or later
  • iPod touch (3rd generation or later)

The following Apple keyboards work with iOS:

Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad

  • Numeric keypad
  • Lightning connector, built-in battery
  • Works with iOS devices with iOS 10.3 or later

Magic Keyboard

  • Lightning connector, built-in battery
  • Works with iOS devices with iOS 9.1 or later

Apple Wireless Keyboard 2011

  • Uses two AA batteries
  • Exposé and Launchpad function keys:
  • When using Apple Wireless Keyboard (2011) with iOS 4.3 or earlier, the function keys are limited to the Eject key. Update to iOS 5 or later to enable additional function keys.

Apple Wireless Keyboard 2009

  • Uses two AA batteries
  • Exposé and Dashboard function keys:
With

Apple Wireless Keyboard 2007

  • No number pad, uses three AA batteries
With

The original Apple Wireless Keyboard (introduced in 2003, white case, number pad, uses four AA batteries) doesn't work with iOS.

Notes

Can Any Wireless Keyboard Work With Mac

  • Not all function keys that work on the Mac work on iOS devices.
  • In addition to Apple keyboards, many third-party Bluetooth keyboards that use the Apple keyboard layout work with iOS devices. Check with the keyboard manufacturer for additional information.

Learn more

  • Learn about Magic Keyboard for iPad.

It can be quite a frustrating ordeal to buy your new mac mini with wireless keyboard only to find out that it cannot communicate with the keyboard. I spent the first 10 minutes trying to figure out how to connect my new mac mini to my wireless keyboard.

Fortunately a comment in MacRumors pointed me to the right direction and in the process saving me from venting my Anger to Apple ‘Genius’ with the fact that my $89 keyboard is pretty useless!

Setup New Mac Mini with Wireless Keyboard

Obviously the easiest way is to have your old USB keyboard do the ‘dirty work’ of installation for you up to the moment you actually start your new mac mini. Open the System Preferences, click the Keyboard option and choose the ‘Set Up Bluetooth Keyboard’ option.

Make sure your new wireless keyboard is in discovery mode (by pressing the power button until the green flashing light appears) and you will see in the setup screen that they found 1 keyboard. Follow the prompt to enter a sequence of six digits and press ‘return’ in the end.

Simple!

Setup New Mac Mini with Wireless Keyboard, but you don’t have USB keyboard

Wireless keyboard for mac mini

Connect Mac Wireless Keyboard

However, if you don’t happen to have an old USB keyboard like me (I dumped it a few months before I purchased this new Mac Mini), the situation is a bit trickier.

Fortunately, I have my faithful (read: ugly as) USB mouse and my other two mice can bow down to its superiority (albeit only for a few minutes)!

As soon as you turn on your mac mini, you are greeted by language selection. Choose your preferred language, then choose your keyboard input method. You will then be asked to select wireless connection (if available) and at this time you won’t be able to enter the password yet (your wireless keyboard is nowhere to be found!). Don’t panic, just go ahead clicking the continue button and agree to the terms and conditions on the next screen.

The next screen is filled with five empty boxes that you are supposed to enter your name/password/etc. At this stage, you must think that Apple is nuts because you were supposed to fill in all these details with a lousy mouse.

Logitech Wireless Keyboard For Mac

The solution is a little bit strange but actually quite simple:

1. Right click on one of the boxes and highlight the ‘Substitutions’ option and choose the ‘Show Substitutions’ link.

2. On the next screen, choose the ‘Text Preferences’ option.

3. You will be taken to System Preferences menu for text. Click the ‘Keyboard’ option and choose ‘Set Up Bluetooth Keyboard’. After that, you have to turn on your new wireless keyboard (By pressing the power button until it’s in discovery mode – flashing green light), follow the prompt and enter six digits shown on the screen (with your new keyboard).