{
  "licence": {
    "name": "CC BY 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
    "attribution": "DataDesign (https://datadesign.one)"
  },
  "url": "https://datadesign.one/computer-keyboards/apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id/",
  "product": {
    "id": "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
    "name": "Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID",
    "brand": "apple",
    "category": "computer-keyboards",
    "aliases": [
      "Magic Keyboard with Touch ID",
      "Magic Keyboard with Touch ID for Mac models with Apple silicon (USB-C)"
    ],
    "identifiers": {
      "mpn": "MXCK3LL/A",
      "gtin": []
    },
    "lifecycle": {
      "status": "current",
      "announced": {
        "value": "2024-10-28",
        "source": "apple-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id-announcement",
        "note": "Date of the USB-C update, announced with the M4 iMac. The original Touch ID keyboard (Lightning port) debuted with the M1 iMac in April 2021 per MacRumors."
      },
      "predecessor": null,
      "successor": null
    },
    "msrp": [
      {
        "currency": "USD",
        "amount": 149,
        "source": "macworld-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "as_of": "2026-10-25",
        "note": "Macworld's round-up lists $149 for this compact model; PCMag's USB-C review also gives $149. Apple's store page could not be fetched. The full-size model with numeric keypad is $179 (white) or $199 (black) per both."
      }
    ],
    "specs": {
      "weight_g": {
        "value": 243,
        "source": "apple-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id-specs",
        "note": "Apple lists 0.54 lb (0.243 kg) and says weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. The full-size model with numeric keypad is 0.81 lb (369 g) per Apple's separate page."
      },
      "switch_type": {
        "value": "scissor",
        "source": "pcmag-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "note": "PCMag, reviewing the full-size sibling, describes scissor-switch mechanisms with shallow travel. Apple's spec page does not name the mechanism."
      },
      "backlight": {
        "value": false,
        "source": "macworld-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "note": "Macworld lists 'No backlight' as a con; PCMag says the full-size model has no key backlighting either."
      },
      "battery_life_days": {
        "value": 30,
        "source": "apple-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id-specs",
        "note": "Apple says 'about a month or more' between charges, measured by Apple with a paired iMac; 30 is the lower bound of that claim. Chuniversiteit reports more than a month in daily use on the full-size model."
      },
      "connectivity": {
        "value": [
          "Bluetooth"
        ],
        "source": "apple-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id-specs",
        "note": "Apple lists Bluetooth and a USB-C port. The braided USB-C cable is for pairing and charging; Apple's page does not describe wired typing, so USB-C wired is not listed."
      },
      "multi_device_count": {
        "value": 1,
        "source": "cultofmac-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "note": "Cult of Mac says the keyboard uses plain Bluetooth, stays paired to one Mac and has no multi-device pairing. PCMag also criticizes the lack of cycling among Bluetooth connections. Apple's page states no device count."
      },
      "os_support": {
        "value": [
          "macOS",
          "iOS"
        ],
        "source": "apple-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id-specs",
        "note": "Apple's requirement is a Mac with Apple silicon on macOS 15.1 or later; its compatibility list also names iPhone and iPad models (iPadOS is not a listed value here). Wayne Dixon says Touch ID does not work on iPad."
      }
    },
    "evidence": [
      {
        "source": "cultofmac-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "rating": {
          "value": 3,
          "scale": 5,
          "note": "Shown as three filled stars out of five on the page."
        },
        "pros": [],
        "cons": [],
        "notes": [
          "Reviewer is a self-described mechanical-keyboard enthusiast and says it is not their preferred typing experience; they made more typos than on keyboards with more key travel.",
          "Calls it one of the best laptop-style membrane keyboards: stable, no wobble, sensible gaps, a quiet but audible click on each press.",
          "Says the Touch ID key uses a firmer switch than the other keys so it is harder to press by accident, and pressing it locks the Mac instantly.",
          "Calls Touch ID a pretty excellent experience and says the Magic Keyboard is the only way to get it on a Mac, but the price and giving up a clicky mechanical board are the cost.",
          "Compact layout lacks Page Up, Page Down, Home, End and Forward Delete keys, and the left/right arrows match the combined up/down keys in height, so they are hard to tell apart by feel.",
          "Compact Touch ID model comes only in white as a standalone purchase (six colors with an iMac); black is offered only on the full-size Touch ID model, for $20 more.",
          "Says Apple's latest peripherals still use ordinary Bluetooth, so there is no multi-device pairing; Universal Control is a partial workaround.",
          "The page states Apple did not provide a review unit."
        ],
        "verdict_quote": "a fine option if you want Touch ID and if you like laptop-style membrane keyboards"
      },
      {
        "source": "macworld-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "pros": [
          "Touch ID key",
          "Nice design"
        ],
        "cons": [
          "Expensive",
          "No backlight",
          "Black version costs more"
        ],
        "notes": [
          "Named the best Mac keyboard with Touch ID in a round-up of Mac keyboards; the single entry and its pros/cons list cover both the compact and full-size models.",
          "Says the compact model is priced at quite a premium for the Touch ID sensor at $149 and feels rather cramped, with a small Space bar and cursor keys.",
          "Says the low key travel can feel lifeless to heavy typists who want tactile feedback, while allowing some may like that fingers do less work.",
          "Says the full-size model has a larger Space bar and navigation keys but its thin panel still feels lifeless, and suggests business users and novelists look elsewhere.",
          "Says the Touch ID sensor sits by the F12 key, works like a MacBook's, and stores up to three fingerprints.",
          "Says Touch ID works only with Apple silicon Macs; Intel Mac owners should buy the non-Touch ID model.",
          "Notes Amazon still sells Lightning-port versions alongside the USB-C ones."
        ],
        "verdict_quote": "priced at quite a premium for the Touch ID sensor"
      },
      {
        "source": "pcmag-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "pros": [],
        "cons": [],
        "notes": [
          "The syndicated text shows no score. Reviewed the full-size black model with numeric keypad, not the compact one.",
          "Says the USB-C port is the only change from the Lightning model and calls the design as gorgeous as ever.",
          "Finds the shallow key travel a demerit for heavy-handed typists but a plus for light-touch users, and calls the scissor mechanisms nearly soundless.",
          "Says Touch ID setup took about a minute and the sensor recognized the stored print close to foolproof; up to three fingerprints can be stored.",
          "Touch ID did not work on a 2021 MacBook Pro running macOS Monterey 12.3.1 and began working after updating to macOS Sequoia 15.1.",
          "Faults the lack of key backlighting, adjustable feet and a wrist rest, the inability to cycle among Bluetooth connections, and colors being limited to black or white.",
          "Lists $149 for the compact Touch ID model and $99 without Touch ID."
        ],
        "verdict_quote": "if you've never found the Magic Keyboard to be a pleasant typing experience, nothing here will change your mind"
      },
      {
        "source": "tomsguide-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "pros": [],
        "cons": [],
        "notes": [
          "News item on the 2021 Lightning-era model; the writer used it during the 24-inch iMac 2021 review. No score or pros/cons list.",
          "Says Touch ID needs an M1 or newer Mac; on an Intel Mac it is just a regular keyboard.",
          "Says it may be cumbersome with a MacBook unless the laptop is raised off the desk, and that a Mac mini looks like an ideal fit.",
          "Faults the standalone keyboard being sold only in white, unlike the color-matched iMac keyboards, and lists the price as $149."
        ],
        "verdict_quote": "the Touch ID sensor proved easy, reliable, and quick to use"
      },
      {
        "source": "macrumors-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "pros": [],
        "cons": [],
        "notes": [
          "Written companion to a video; the tested unit was the $179 full-size model with numeric keypad, with a couple of Macs. No score or pros/cons list.",
          "Says the Touch ID button works like a MacBook's, authenticating purchases and replacing a password, and also serves as the sleep/wake button.",
          "Says Touch ID works only with M1 Macs; on an Intel Mac Touch ID is non-functional and some function keys also did not work well.",
          "Says it works perfectly with an M1 Mac and is most useful for the M1 Mac mini, which ships without a keyboard.",
          "Says the standalone versions come only in silver, while the iMac versions come in several colors.",
          "Lists 2021 prices of $99 without Touch ID, $149 with Touch ID and $179 with Touch ID and numeric keypad."
        ]
      },
      {
        "source": "chuniversiteit-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "pros": [],
        "cons": [],
        "notes": [
          "The page shows an overall figure of 4 labeled 'Bad' with no stated scale, so no rating is recorded. The typing section separately says '4/10'.",
          "Reviewed the full-size model with numeric keypad, bought to replace a failing third-party Mac keyboard; a self-described non-expert on keyboards.",
          "Finds typing disappointing: little travel, similar to a MacBook keyboard, a slightly harsher feel and surprisingly noisy, which the reviewer links to its thinness.",
          "Says Touch ID is quite useful for passkeys, but only 'in the rare occasion that it actually works'.",
          "Says the battery lasts more than a month with 50-plus-hour work weeks, and the keyboard can be used while charging.",
          "Calls the build very sturdy but the smooth plastic underside a bit cheap-looking.",
          "Calls the €229 Dutch price staggering and the numeric keypad handy for entering one-time codes."
        ],
        "verdict_quote": "There is not much to like about Apple's Magic Keyboard."
      },
      {
        "source": "waynedixon-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
        "pros": [],
        "cons": [],
        "notes": [
          "Review of the 2021 Lightning-charged model; the author says it applies equally to the numeric-keypad version. No score or pros/cons list.",
          "Describes rounded keyboard edges and corner keys, darker legends and new icons on several keys as the changes from earlier Magic Keyboards.",
          "Says Touch ID works only on M1 or newer Macs, not on Intel Macs or on M1 iPad Pro models.",
          "Says first-time pairing needs a USB cable and a double press of the power button, and that up to three fingerprints can be stored.",
          "Calls the $149 price expensive, $50 over the standard model, and suggests the non-Touch ID version if Touch ID is not needed."
        ],
        "verdict_quote": "If you know you really need Touch ID for a particular Mac, be prepared to pay for it."
      }
    ],
    "consensus": {
      "score": 75,
      "confidence": "low",
      "n_sources": 1,
      "breakdown": [
        {
          "source": "cultofmac-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
          "normalized": 0.6,
          "weight": 0.4
        }
      ],
      "computed_at": "2026-10-26"
    }
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "apple-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id-specs",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/121954",
      "publisher": "apple",
      "type": "manufacturer",
      "title": "Magic Keyboard with Touch ID for Mac models with Apple silicon (USB–C) - Tech Specs",
      "author": null,
      "published": null,
      "updated": null,
      "accessed": "2026-10-25",
      "products": [
        "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id"
      ],
      "note": "Apple's tech-specs page shows 'Year Introduced: 2024' but no publication date. Apple's own store page could not be fetched (404), so no Apple price is cited."
    },
    {
      "id": "pcmag-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
      "url": "https://tech.yahoo.com/computing/articles/apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id-140000660.html",
      "publisher": "pcmag",
      "type": "expert-review",
      "title": "Apple Magic Keyboard With Touch ID and Numeric Keypad (USB-C)",
      "author": null,
      "published": null,
      "updated": null,
      "accessed": "2026-10-25",
      "products": [
        "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id"
      ],
      "note": "PCMag review as syndicated on Yahoo Tech. No byline or date in the fetched text; it describes the October M4 iMac launch as recent. The tested unit was the full-size model with numeric keypad and black keys."
    },
    {
      "id": "macworld-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
      "url": "https://www.macworld.com/article/668394/the-best-keyboards-for-mac.html",
      "publisher": "macworld",
      "type": "expert-review",
      "title": "Best Keyboards for Mac 2026: Top wireless, mechanical & budget options compared",
      "author": null,
      "published": null,
      "updated": null,
      "accessed": "2026-10-25",
      "products": [
        "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id"
      ],
      "note": "Round-up whose first entry is this keyboard; only that entry is used. No byline or date appears in the fetched text; the title and image paths indicate a 2026 edition."
    },
    {
      "id": "cultofmac-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
      "url": "https://www.cultofmac.com/reviews/apple-magic-keyboard-review",
      "publisher": "cultofmac",
      "type": "expert-review",
      "title": "New Apple Magic Keyboard is still a high price to pay for Touch ID [Review]",
      "author": "D. Griffin Jones",
      "published": null,
      "updated": null,
      "accessed": "2026-10-25",
      "products": [
        "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id"
      ],
      "note": "No publish date appears in the fetched text; image upload paths indicate November 2024. Covers both the compact and full-size USB-C models."
    },
    {
      "id": "tomsguide-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
      "url": "https://www.tomsguide.com/news/apple-just-made-its-best-mac-keyboard-available-to-buy-separately",
      "publisher": "tomsguide",
      "type": "news",
      "title": "Apple just made its best Mac keyboard available to buy separately",
      "author": null,
      "published": null,
      "updated": null,
      "accessed": "2026-10-25",
      "products": [
        "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id"
      ],
      "note": "News item about the 2021 Lightning-era model, with the writer's impressions from using it during the 24-inch iMac 2021 review. No byline or date in the fetched text."
    },
    {
      "id": "macrumors-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
      "url": "https://www.macrumors.com/2021/08/09/touch-id-keyboard-hands-on/",
      "publisher": "macrumors",
      "type": "news",
      "title": "Testing Apple's New Standalone Touch ID Keyboard With an M1 Mac",
      "author": "Juli Clover",
      "published": "2021-08-09",
      "updated": null,
      "accessed": "2026-10-25",
      "products": [
        "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id"
      ],
      "note": "Written companion to a MacRumors video about the 2021 Lightning-era model; the unit tested was the full-size model with numeric keypad."
    },
    {
      "id": "chuniversiteit-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
      "url": "https://chuniversiteit.nl/blog/tech/apple-magic-keyboard",
      "publisher": "chuniversiteit",
      "type": "expert-review",
      "title": "My thoughts on Apple's Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and numeric keypad",
      "author": null,
      "published": "2026-03-18",
      "updated": "2026-08-08",
      "accessed": "2026-10-25",
      "products": [
        "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id"
      ],
      "note": "Personal blog review of the full-size model with numeric keypad. The byline block names no author in the fetched text; the site's series page gives the site owner as Chun Fei Lung."
    },
    {
      "id": "waynedixon-apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id",
      "url": "https://www.waynedixon.com/2021/08/10/apples-magic-keyboard-with-touch-id-a-review/",
      "publisher": "waynedixon",
      "type": "expert-review",
      "title": "Apple's Magic Keyboard With Touch ID: A Review",
      "author": null,
      "published": "2021-08-10",
      "updated": null,
      "accessed": "2026-10-25",
      "products": [
        "apple-magic-keyboard-touch-id"
      ],
      "note": "Review of the 2021 Lightning-charged model. The date comes from the URL path; the fetched text shows no date or byline."
    }
  ]
}