Magic Keyboard now has Touch ID—Apple Silicon only :(

[mikehalloran]

One of the features I really like on our M1 MBAir is that the keyboard has Touch ID. It works for most things except for Adobe (really?????). Unfortunately, it's Apple Silicon only or I'd be ordering one right now for use with my iMac Pro.

It took me a few seconds to love this feature after I realized that my ring finger works best. You can program multiple fingers, same as iOS.

The new black & silver USA version is $199, a $50 increase over the old version and appears to be available only from Apple at the moment.
https://www.apple.com/us-edu/shop/produ ... black-keys

A white and silver version is available on Amazon for $172 as are other language versions of the one above for the same $199.
https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=apple+magi ... nb_sb_noss

Since a keyboard is an add-on with the Studio, you can save $17 if not insistent on black/silver.

I wish they'd backlight these things—so what if I had to charge biweekly instead of monthly? I ordered this one 7 months ago but the backlight was weirdly inconsistent and it's returned. One will love or hate the feel of the keys—I'm not a fan.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08 ... UTF8&psc=1

I missed the return window on this but the touch was too sloppy so I still have it but it never gets used. The multi-color backlight is nice but that's all.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08 ... UTF8&psc=1

[dix]

Yeah, these look super cool. A bit of a luxury, since the only real advantage is TouchID, but I have an eBay alert set for for if/when they get cheaper.

[mikehalloran]

…A bit of a luxury, since the only real advantage is TouchID,

Only a luxury until you've used one. The M1 Macbooks have Touch ID already which is how I got hooked. Touching a button for a fraction of a second instead of entering my Admin code every time the OS wants to do anything is nice. As I mentioned, that Adobe doesn't support this becomes annoying quickly.

The instructions always show index finger but I've found the middle and ring fingers of my right hand the ones I use.I think you can store five or six fingerprints; I use three including my wife's.

[Rick Cornish]

Yep… saw this. I love Touch ID on my MB Pro and would like it on my Mac Pro, too… but not enough to buy a Mac Studio when my 2013-vintage Mac Pro still serves my needs just fine.

[dix]

I'm not finding the Magic Keyboard ideal for use with a 2021 MBP. There's couple things I can't find workarounds for:

I'm wanting to use my MBP in clamshell mode, but the MK doesn't connect to bluetooth until after login, so I still need to login with the MBP's keyboard. Also, the MK doesn't allow a keyboard command for shutdown (!) - it's mouse only, or again, the MBP's keyboard. Plus, I think I miss having the spare USB port on my desktop that the wired keyboard afforded.

I'll probably keep the MK around, but have switched back to the USB Mac keyboard. Inputting my short password to unlock things is built into muscle memory anyway. The internet seems to think the clamshell mode limitation might be addressed in a future OS update.

[James Steele]

I'm wanting to use my MBP in clamshell mode, but the MK doesn't connect to bluetooth until after login, so I still need to login with the MBP's keyboard.

Can you set up your Mac to boot and login without requiring a password? Would that work or are you in an environment where you must password protect your Mac?

[mikehalloran]

I'm wanting to use my MBP in clamshell mode, but the MK doesn't connect to bluetooth until after login, so I still need to login with the MBP's keyboard.

Can you set up your Mac to boot and login without requiring a password? Would that work or are you in an environment where you must password protect your Mac?

I wondered about that, too. Disabling/Enabling Automatic Login is a preference in Security.

Desktop Macs connect to the MK via BT before login.

[dix]

I'm wanting to use my MBP in clamshell mode, but the MK doesn't connect to bluetooth until after login, so I still need to login with the MBP's keyboard.

Can you set up your Mac to boot and login without requiring a password? Would that work or are you in an environment where you must password protect your Mac?

You can set it up to login without a password, but that disables TouchID….defeating the the whole point obviously.

Connecting to BT before login, as Mike says the MK does with desktops, would fix it.

I guess I could setup Keyboard Maestro to Shutdown with a key command, but that seems a little ridiculous.

[James Steele]

I'm wanting to use my MBP in clamshell mode, but the MK doesn't connect to bluetooth until after login, so I still need to login with the MBP's keyboard.

Can you set up your Mac to boot and login without requiring a password? Would that work or are you in an environment where you must password protect your Mac?

You can set it up to login without a password, but that disables TouchID….defeating the the whole point obviously.

Yeah... I didn't notice that that's what you were after... using TouchID. I was skimming, thus I missed the point. It also answers my question that you're not comfortable booting without some sort of log-in. Maybe Apple will fix this. I know there are similar complaints going around now from people that have bought Mac Studios but don't have Apple branded mice or keyboards and have to scrounge a wired keyboard to set it up.

[dix]

Right. I'd prefer not having to log in, but that's no longer on an option with the MK or on the MBP if you want to use TouchID. TouchID is also wrapped up in Apple Pay, so it makes sense to make sure that's secure. But I'm just a single user, and just a single man ( ), so I'd like to be able to not bother with it every time I boot up.

[dix]

I'm not finding the Magic Keyboard ideal for use with a 2021 MBP. There's couple things I can't find workarounds for:

I'm wanting to use my MBP in clamshell mode, but the MK doesn't connect to bluetooth until after login, so I still need to login with the MBP's keyboard. Also, the MK doesn't allow a keyboard command for shutdown (!) - it's mouse only, or again, the MBP's keyboard. Plus, I think I miss having the spare USB port on my desktop that the wired keyboard afforded.

I'll probably keep the MK around, but have switched back to the USB Mac keyboard. Inputting my short password to unlock things is built into muscle memory anyway. The internet seems to think the clamshell mode limitation might be addressed in a future OS update.

Quoting myself to say, I was wrong that the MK doesn't connect to Bluetooth until after login. It does connect, but after a delay of about a minute. It still has inconveniences such as no Shutdown key command capability. Also, I don't think there's a way to access Startup Options on AS Macs without the onboard keyboard (booting into Safe Mode etc. is a different procedure now on AS Macs than it was)....there's a Terminal workaround for this, but it's clunky.

[mikehalloran]

Also, I don't think there's a way to access Startup Options on AS Macs without the onboard keyboard (booting into Safe Mode etc. is a different procedure now on AS Macs than it was)....there's a Terminal workaround for this, but it's clunky.

The TouchID key controls many functions on Apple Silicon MacBooks. First off, it's the Power key. Hold it during startup, click on Options when it comes up to see the old Option-Boot (Drive selection) and Command r (Recovery) modes. It will also force shut down when held like any power switch. Safe Mode is unchanged. Hit the Power switch, hold the Shift key.

Since I do not yet have a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, I've not tested it with my wife's M1 to see how much or little of that functionality remains. Trying to decide if I will stay with black or go back to white and save some $$ by buying it from Amazon. I have a Magic Trackpad 2 in each color.

[James Steele]

I just googled the Apple Magic Keyboard. I really wish Apple would offer versions of keyboards like this that included the numeric keypad since I'm so trained to use that for transport control in DP. Not that it matters to me right now... it's a ways off before I'll have an AS Mac, but one of the things that always irked me about the Apple wireless keyboards is lack of numeric keypad.

[dix]

I just googled the Apple Magic Keyboard. I really wish Apple would offer versions of keyboards like this that included the numeric keypad since I'm so trained to use that for transport control in DP. Not that it matters to me right now... it's a ways off before I'll have an AS Mac, but one of the things that always irked me about the Apple wireless keyboards is lack of numeric keypad.

They do make them with, and without numeric keypads. See the links in Mike's OP.

Safe Mode is unchanged. Hit the Power switch, hold the Shift key.

This no longer works for 2021 MBPs unfortunatly. Now you have to hold the Startup button > select the startup disk > then press the Shift key invoke "Continue in Safe Mode".

[James Steele]

I just googled the Apple Magic Keyboard. I really wish Apple would offer versions of keyboards like this that included the numeric keypad since I'm so trained to use that for transport control in DP. Not that it matters to me right now... it's a ways off before I'll have an AS Mac, but one of the things that always irked me about the Apple wireless keyboards is lack of numeric keypad.

They do make them with, and without numeric keypads. See the links in Mike's OP.

SWEET!! I guess I spoke to soon. I did a quick search and all I saw is the version without. Darn! Seems like with the Mac Studio and wireless keyboards with numeric pads on them, Apple is actually *listening* to us these days?