This compatibility means that, from a technical standpoint, there is nothing stopping Apple from selling the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID on a standalone basis. As we previously reported, the new Magic Keyboard is fully compatible with all M1 Macs, but Apple is currently only offering the keyboard with the new iMac unveiled last month. A new proof of concept shows that it’s actually possible to pull the Touch ID parts out of the standalone Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, giving you what some have referred to as the “Magic Button.” The updated guide also reveals that the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID can be securely paired with only one Mac at a time, but a Mac can maintain secure pairings with up to five

His image shows a rudimentary setup, plugged into a hub via a USB-C to USB-C cord, but he reported that the rig works well. It’s certainly not an easy task, and the best solution would be for Apple to release some sort of standalone “Magic Button” accessory. Regardless, it’s an incredibly cool proof of concept. There is a large group of people who want to use Touch ID with their desktop Mac but don’t want to use a Magic Keyboard. To access and use all Apple Card features and products available only to Apple Card users, you must add Apple Card to Wallet on an iPhone or iPad that supports and has the latest version of iOS or iPadOS. Apple Card is subject to credit approval, available only for qualifying applicants in the United States, and issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch.Touch ID was first introduced to MacBook Pro in 2016, while the first stand-alone Magic Keyboard with Touch ID came out last year alongside the 24-inch iMac. Use function keys. The function keys on the top row provide shortcuts for these common system functions: The Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and built-in Touch ID sensors are compatible. If a finger that was enrolled on a built-in Mac Touch ID sensor is presented on a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, the Secure Enclave in the Mac successfully processes the match—and vice versa. Ironically, Khaos Tian’s project comes just days after The Basic Apple Guy created an April Fools’ Day concept imagining a world in which Apple sold the “Magic Button” for those users. Mission Control (F3): Press to view what’s running on your Mac, including all your spaces and open windows.

Relay FM’s Myke Hurley, and likely many others, have even gone as far as to mount the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID on the underside of their desk. This allows them to use whatever keyboard they’d like but still have access to Touch ID for authentication.

Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and built-in Touch ID sensors are compatible. If a finger that was enrolled on a built-in Mac Touch ID sensor is presented on a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, the Secure Enclave in the Mac successfully processes the match—and vice versa. A2450 Apple Magic Keyboard Cover Letter Cover Letter for BCGA2449v1.1 Apple". FCC ID. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021 . Retrieved 2021-08-04. Still, the Magic Keyboard can continue to get away with its less-than-ideal tactile performance in part because a majority of the creative types that use Macs—like video editors and graphic designers—are probably not typing for long periods of time and likely value a light and compact keyboard that’s easy on the eyes. If that’s not you, however, you’ll find a number of Mac-compatible mechanical keyboards that offer a far superior typing experience. The updated guide reveals a few interesting tidbits about the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, including that it is compatible with the built-in Touch ID sensor on recent MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models:

It had a sealed non-replaceable rechargeable Lithium-ion battery which is charged via a Lightning port on the rear of the keyboard. [3] The rechargeable battery lasted one month between charges. It used an ST Microelectronics STM32F103VB 72MHz 32-bit RISC ARM Cortex-M3 processor and included the Broadcom BCM20733 Enhanced Data Rate Bluetooth 3.0 Single-Chip Solution. Make sure that your fingers and the Touch ID sensor are clean and dry.* Use a clean, lint-free cloth to wipe off any dirt or debris on the Touch ID sensor. Do Not Disturb (F6): Press to turn Do Not Disturb on or off. When Do Not Disturb is on, you won’t see or hear notifications on iMac, but you can view them in Notification Center. After bringing Touch ID to the Mac several years ago with the introduction of the new MacBook Pro in 2016, Apple last year finally launched a standalone version of the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. While this has proven to be a popular choice among Mac users who like the Magic Keyboard design, that’s not everyone. It was compatible with Macs running OS X El Capitan and later, iPhones and iPads running iOS 9 or later, and TVs running Apple TV Software 7.0 or tvOS 10 or later.

How to use your Magic Keyboard

A2520 Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad Cover Letter Cover Letter for BCGA2520v1.1 Apple ". FCC ID. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021 . Retrieved 2021-08-04. On June 5, 2017, Apple released the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad (A1843) to replace the wired Apple Keyboard which was discontinued that day. It was longer, and had an extended key layout with a numeric keypad and a different arrow key arrangement. At the same time, the Magic Keyboard without the numeric keypad (A1644) received a minor visual update with new Control and Option key symbols. A2449 Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID Cover Letter Cover Letter for BCGA2449v1.1 Apple". FCC ID. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021 . Retrieved 2021-08-04. Khaos Tian’s project comes not long after The Basic Apple Guy shared his April Fools’ Day joke of a “Magic Button,” of a similar concept. For Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, turn your keyboard off and on, then connect your keyboard to your Mac with the USB to Lightning cable. After you turn Magic Keyboard off then on, Touch ID may be unavailable for up to 10 seconds.