If you spend hours typing each day, it’s important to find the keyboard that suits your needs – whether that’s a mechanical keyboard that provides satisfying tactile feedback or a keyboard packed with media controls and macOS shortcuts. There are plenty of options to choose from, and here we look at some of the best keyboards for Mac to help you decide.
We have all sorts of Mac keyboards in this round-up, including Apple’s 2021 Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and the cheaper, and still-on-sale, Magic Keyboard. We have some wired keyboards (for those fed up with searching for new batteries every few weeks) as well as ergonomic solutions to help you avoid RSI, the best gaming keyboards for Mac, and some pretty stylish offerings that give Apple a run for its money.
And, talking of money, there are quality Mac-ready keyboards out there that cost a lot less than Apple’s – and do more too.
You might also be interested in discovering the best mice for Mac if you want to fully upgrade your workstation.
Updated May 2024: We’ve added the Logitech K950, Logitech MX Keys S, Satechi SM1 and SteelSeries Apex Pro.
1. Logitech MX Keys S – Best for Power Users
Pros
Competitive price.
Function keys and numeric keypad.
Bluetooth or USB wireless adaptor.
Cons
Backlight drains battery.
Can’t adjust tilt.
It’s hard to keep up with Logitech’s ever-growing MX range of keyboards, but the MX Keys S is its latest top-of-the-range wireless keyboard, priced at $109.99/£109.99. Its slimline, low-profile design is very smart and attractive, and available in either black, pale gray or a Mac-like graphite. It’s solidly built, though, and capable of surviving some heavy-handed typing when it needs to.
The MX Keys S is cheaper than Apple’s Magic Keyboard, but also a lot more versatile, as it includes a dedicated set of buttons that allow you to pair it with three separate devices, including Macs, iPads, Windows PCs, and even Linux and Chrome devices. You also have two options for connecting it to your Mac, as it can use ordinary Bluetooth or a separate USB wireless adaptor that provides greater range and reliability than Bluetooth (although it’s odd that this adaptor and the charging cable both have USB-A interfaces, so you may need to provide an adaptor if your Mac only has USB-C).
The original MX Keys was launched a few years ago, so this updated MX Keys S includes a number of new features, such as Function keys that can be used to activate dictation on your Mac, open the emoji menu, or mute/unmute your microphone for video-calls. The backlighting has been improved too, automatically reacting as you first move your hands onto the keyboard, and adjusting to suit the ambient light in the room around you. The backlight does drain the battery though – the keyboard can last for up to five months if you’re not using the backlight, but this drops to around 10 days if you have the backlight on all the time.
You can use the MX Keys S with any Mac, and it will work like a standard keyboard with a row of Function keys that control settings such as brightness and volume, or activating Exposé. However, Logitech also provides an app, called Options+, which requires macOS 12 or later. This allows you to reprogram the various Function keys to perform different tasks. It can also be configured to work with specific apps such as Photoshop or Premiere, which makes it a particularly good option for professional users who want to speed up work in their key apps. The app has also been updated for the MX Keys S, adding a new Smart Actions feature that works a bit like Apple’s Shortcuts, by allowing you to record a series of actions that can be triggered using a single key.
2. Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (2021) – Best for M-series Macs
Pros
Touch ID.
Nice design.
Cons
Touch ID won’t work with Intel-powered Macs.
Slimline so keys don’t ‘travel’ much.
Smaller version is cramped.
At first glance, the two Magic Keyboard models launched by Apple in mid-2021 look very similar to the original models – which are still available and reviewed here as well. However, these newer models bring a number of new features that aren’t available on the older Magic keyboards. For starters, these new models are officially referred to by Apple as (1) the Magic Keyboard With Touch ID For Mac Models With Apple Silicon ($149/£149), and (2) the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad for Mac Models with Apple Silicon ($179/£179). Note there are Space Gray versions that cost more ($199/£199) so make sure you select the white models if you want to save money.
That’s a bit of a mouthful, but Apple is making it abundantly clear that the new keyboards are specifically designed for the latest Mac models that have Apple’s home-grown M1 processors. You can use these new keyboards with older Macs that have Intel processors, but you’ll really only be able to use them as basic QWERTY keyboards for typing, as most of the new features – including the Touch ID sensor that sits in the top row of Function keys – won’t work on Intel Macs.
The basic design of the two keyboards hasn’t actually changed that much, with the same slimline design and month-long battery life as their predecessors. The smaller Magic Keyboard With Touch ID is priced at quite a premium for the Touch ID sensor. And, like the standard Magic Keyboard, it feels rather cramped, with a small Space bar and cursor keys. The lack of ‘travel’ – the up and down movement of the keys as you press them – also makes the keyboard feel a bit lifeless for people who type a lot and need a bit more tactile feedback when they’re typing up a storm. Then again, you might feel that your fingers have to do less ‘work’ compressing the key. Apple also introduced new versions of the Touch ID keyboard with black keys in early 2022.
The key feature of these new keyboards, though, is the Touch ID sensor, which sits by the F12 button on the top row of Function keys. This works just like the Touch ID sensors on the iPhone and iPad, and – on Macs with Apple Silicon – you’ll see a new Touch ID panel appear in System Preferences when you first connect the keyboard. This allows you to store up to three fingerprints, which you can use to unlock your Mac, or to make secure payments on the Apple Store, or other online stores that support Apple Pay.
There are a few other new features as well, including an Emoji command on the Fn key in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard, which displays the Emoji viewer panel so that you can quickly add emojis to any document or message that you’re typing. There are new Function commands too, for activating Spotlight, Dictation and Do Not Disturb.
As always, the larger version of the keyboard is even more expensive but the numeric keypad will be useful for people who do a lot of number crunching at work.
There’s more room to provide a larger Space bar too, and larger navigation keys. Even so, the thin keyboard panel means that the keys still feel a bit lifeless, so business users and budding novelists may prefer to look at one of the larger and more solidly built keyboards available from other manufacturers.
3. Satechi Slim W3 – Best Wired Keyboard
Pros
Good build quality.
Affordable.
Lots of Function keys.
Wired connection (USB-C).
Cons
Only U.S. layout available.
Quite large.
Lies very flat on the desk.
I’ve never understood the need to put batteries and Bluetooth into keyboards. After all, if a keyboard is just going to sit on your desk all the time then it’s both simpler and cheaper to opt for a straightforward USB connection instead. And, as this is a backlit keyboard, you don’t have to worry about the backlight draining the battery either. Satechi is one of the few companies that still makes a good range of wired keyboards, such as the affordable Slim W3, which costs just £62.99/$69.99 Satechi also has a strong background in the Mac market – making some really useful Thunderbolt hubs and docks – which ensures that the W3 provides good Mac support too.
The Slim W3 is aptly named, as it measures just 9.9mm thick, and lies almost completely flat on your desk, although Satechi also includes a couple of small risers that you can stick onto the base of the keyboard if you want to increase the tilt a little. It’s sturdily built too, with a tough aluminum panel that weighs 440g, and the keys travel well given the slimline, low-profile design of the W3.
The keyboard is quite large, measuring 420mm wide and 115mm deep, but it includes a numeric keypad, arrow keys, a set of navigation keys, and even manages to squeeze in no less than 19 Function keys as well, just like Apple’s more expensive Magic keyboards. Alternatively, if you want something a little more compact, then Satechi also makes a smaller wired model called the W1, costing £53.99/$59.99 that omits the numeric keypad and navigation keys, as well as a number of mechanical keyboards that are more suited to gaming or high-speed typing.
The only disappointment is that Satechi is a very US-centric company, so its keyboards only offer US layouts. That’s not too much of a problem for UK users, though, as you can still use standard commands such as ‘Shift+3’ to print the ‘£’ symbol, even though the US layout means that the ‘3’ key is labeled with the ‘#’ symbol. But, if you need non-English layouts then you’ll need to look elsewhere.
4. Logitech MX Keys Mini – Best For Home Users
Pros
Five month battery life (if backlight turned off).
Function keys mimic those on Mac keyboards.
Cons
Keyboard backlight can drain the battery quickly.
Logitech’s Craft and Ergo K860 keyboards are both designed for specific types of users, but if you’re just looking for a good general-purpose keyboard then its MX Keys range is hard to beat.
The latest model in the range is the new MX Keys Mini ($99.99/£99.99) and has a compact, low-profile design that clearly pitches it as an alternative to Apple’s own Magic Keyboard. And, to be honest, Logitech’s years of experience with mice and keyboards really give it the edge.
The basic design of the MX Keys Mini is impressive. Available in a variety of colors, it’s heavier and sturdier than the Magic Keyboard, with firmer keys that feel more responsive when typing. The keyboard has a backlight too, with a sensor that automatically activates the backlight as your hands approach the keyboard, and then turn it off after a few seconds when you move away.
The backlight does drain the keyboard’s rechargeable battery, lasting only 10 days if you have the backlight on full brightness the whole time. However, turning the backlight off extends that time to a full five months – far longer than the single month provided by Apple’s Magic Keyboard.
The top row of Function keys works automatically with the Mac, allowing you to adjust the backlight, volume and other controls. Logitech’s Options app also allows you to program the Function keys to perform different tasks, such as opening Mail or Safari.
There’s also a larger version, simply called the MX Keys, which has a separate numeric keypad as well – and this has recently been on sale at the same price as the MX Keys Mini, although it’s not clear if that price cut will turn out to be permanent.
5. Apple Magic Keyboard – Best for Intel Macs
Pros
2021 model includes a USB-C-to-Lightning cable
Cons
No Touch ID
Slimline so keys don’t ‘travel’ much
Navigation keys are a bit fiddly to use
Apple’s keyboards are a bit confusing at the moment, with two generations of keyboards available, and each generation offering two different keyboards, with or without a numeric keypad.
The older generation of Magic Keyboards is still available, and is now intended primarily for use with older Macs that have Intel processors. These older keyboards lack the Touch ID sensor that is available with the two new keyboards that Apple launched in the summer of 2021.
However, Touch ID and some of the other features of the new keyboards don’t work with Intel-based Macs, so if your Mac has an Intel processor then these older keyboards are the best options available from Apple – although, of course, there are plenty of other keyboards available from other manufacturers, which we review here as well.
The smaller Magic Keyboard can be expensive at $99/£99, but its elegant slimline design started a trend for ‘low-profile’ keyboards that many other manufacturers now follow too.
The aluminium body does feel quite sturdy, but the slimline design means that the keys don’t ‘travel’ very well, so speedy typists might prefer a larger keyboard that is actually designed to do some proper work rather than just looking pretty.
The Space Bar and the little set of navigation keys in the lower-right corner of the keyboard are also rather small and fiddly. To be fair, though, the compact little keyboard does squeeze in quite a few useful features, with the top row of Function keys providing controls for brightness, volume and playing music.
The Magic Keyboard works as a standard Bluetooth keyboard, and Apple says that its rechargeable battery will last for about a month at a time. Like all Apple keyboards it has a Lightning port for charging, but the latest version of the Magic Keyboard – also updated in Summer 2021 – now includes a USB-C-to-Lightning cable, so make sure you don’t buy an older model from other online stores, which might still have a USB-A cable instead (unless, of course, you’ve got an old Mac that only has USB-A connectors).
And, of course, there’s the larger version, called the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad ($129/£129). This is also quite expensive but adds a numeric keypad for people who need to do a bit of serious number crunching every now and then. This keyboard also has a larger set of navigation keys, which is very useful for scrolling through long documents or web pages, and an additional set of navigation keys that allow you to quickly jump to the top or bottom of a document.
The larger keyboard layout also means that there’s room for some additional Function keys too, going right up to F19 (rather than F12 for the smaller Magic Keyboard). It’s a shame, though, that the options in the macOS for programming your own keyboard shortcuts are fairly limited, so power users might prefer to use a third-party utility such as USB OverDrive or HotKey App, to make full use of these extra Function keys. This larger keyboard has the same month-long battery life as the smaller Magic Keyboard, although it’s showing its age a little as (surprisingly) its charging cable still has a USB-A connector.
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Read our full
Apple Magic Keyboard review
6. Satechi SM1
Pros
Versatile connectivity features.
Good Mac support.
Can pair with four devices.
Cons
Layout is US only.
Backlight drains the battery quickly.
No numeric keypad.
Satechi’s W3 is a full-size wired keyboard with a low-profile design that is primarily designed for use with Macs. In contrast, its SM1 is a more compact wireless keyboard with robust mechanical keys, and the ability to quickly switch between Mac and Windows modes as required.
The SM1 has a 75% layout that consists of a simple QWERTY keyboard with a row of Function keys, but lacks a separate numerical keypad. That keeps the size down to just 308mm wide and 119mm deep, so it doesn’t take up very much desk space at all, and you could easily slip it into a backpack if you wanted to carry it around with you. It’s solidly built, though, and uses brown keys that are smooth enough for fast typing whilst also providing good tactile feedback for gaming (other types of mechanical keyboards can offer red and blue keys as well).
It’s also impressively versatile for such a compact keyboard. You can pair the SM1 with four separate devices and switch between them, and you have the option of connecting via Bluetooth, a USB wireless adaptor that’s included in the box, or simply opting for a wired USB-C connection (although the wireless adaptor has a USB-A interface, so you may need an adaptor for Macs that only have USB-C). There’s a row of 12 Function keys that support standard Mac commands for adjusting brightness and volume, and activating features such as Mission Control or Spotlight. It has the standard Command and Option keys that you’d expect on a Mac keyboard, but you can switch between Mac and Windows modes with a quick shortcut, and Satechi even includes three spare keys for the Windows menu and Alt keys, so that Window users can physically swap keys and feel more at home.
The rechargeable battery lasts for up to two months if you’re not using the backlight, although this drops to a modest 16.5 hours when using the backlight (which includes 14 eyeball-frazzling lighting patterns that can be controlled using a special lighting key). However, the keyboard has a sleep mode to conserve battery power by turning the backlight off if the keyboard hasn’t been used for a while. I was also pleased to find that you can use the SM1 in wired mode as well, using the USB-C cable that is included in the box, whilst also recharging the battery at the same time. Just remember that Satechi only provides keyboards with a U.S. layout, so there’s no option that’s suitable for non-English languages.
7. Logitech Craft – Best for Creatives
Pros
Backlit keys with proximity sensor
Microsoft Dial-esque input dial
Cons
Given the lack of interest in the Touch Bar we aren’t convinced by the dial
The Craft is Logitech’s wireless keyboard designed for creatives across Windows and Mac, and it’s incredible. The keyboard is sleek, gorgeous and features a solid body, providing a sturdy keyboard that will never move when in use.
The Craft features increased key stability that doesn’t only reduce noise when compared to similar keyboards, but the spherical key imprint makes it easier to orient your fingers and type quickly and accurately. The typing experience is near perfection, with both comfort and accuracy in mind.
It features backlit LED keys like many other keyboards, but with a difference. Thanks to a built-in proximity sensor, the keys will only light up when your hands are near the keyboard. Admittedly it’s only a small feature, but it really highlights the attention to detail required to develop this keyboard.
Of course, the key feature of the Logitech Craft is the Microsoft Dial-esque input dial on the top-left of the keyboard. The dial is completely contextual, and the functions will change depending on the app you’re using.
This is done automatically for popular apps like Google Chrome, Photoshop and Illustrator, but it can also be set up manually via the Logitech Options app. Tapping the dial provides access to a range of functions, from volume control to brush size to tab switching. Whatever you need, the dial can provide it.
The Logitech Craft is stunningly gorgeous and impressively practical, and is a must-have for all Mac power users, not just creatives. It costs $179 (currently on sale for $169.99)/£189 from Logitech.
8. Penclic KB3 – Most Comfortable Keyboard
Pros
Comfortable and ergonomic design
Wireless with rechargeable batteries
Works with iOS
Cons
Uses Micro-USB for charging
Penclic is a Swedish accessory company with a specific focus on products that help reduce repetitive strain injury and other desk-related ailments.
That means the KB3 has a firm focus on ergonomics, with a light key travel, comfortable spacing, full-sized keys, and a subtle gradient to the aluminium body.
The KB3 is a similar size and style to Apple’s own Magic Keyboard, but opts for a more colourful design, the black body broken by orange and teal highlights to illustrate the various secondary key functions.
Like the Magic Keyboard it’s wireless and rechargeable – though it uses Micro-USB – and is compatible with iOS. It also has the added benefit of working with Windows and Android in case you ever need to break out of the Apple ecosystem. It costs $109.99/£89.99.
9. Logickeyboard Final Cut Pro X Keyboard – Best For Video Editors
Pros
Features FCP editing commands printed on the relevant keys
Keyboards are available for other apps such as Logic Pro X
Cons
Niche market – although it can be used as a standard keyboard
Video-editing programs such as Apple’s Final Cut Pro X often use dozens of keyboard shortcuts to activate various editing tools and commands, and trying to remember all those shortcuts can be a real headache when you’re trying to get your work done in a hurry.
Logickeyboard produces specialised keyboards designed for Final Cut and other creative applications. The basic design of the keyboard is very similar to Apple’s own keyboards, with a slimline design and aluminium casing, and a handy pair of USB ports for plugging in a mouse and other devices.
It has all the same function keys as Apple’s keyboards, so you can control iTunes or adjust the brightness and volume. And, of course, it can be used as an ordinary keyboard for typing in Microsoft Word and other programs, and there’s a numeric keypad for data entry as well.
However, it also has the most important Final Cut editing commands printed on the relevant keys, and the keys themselves are colour-coded for quick access.
LogicKeyboard also makes similar keyboards for other apps, such as Apple’s Logic Pro X and Adobe’s After Effects.
10. SteelSeries Apex Pro
Pros
Impressive build quality.
Smooth, comfortable mechanical keys.
Includes wrist-rest.
Cons
Mac app needs an update.
Expensive.
SteelSeries makes some excellent gaming gear, and I’ve long used its Aerox mouse and Arctis headphones with my office iMac for general office use as well as gaming. Its keyboards are more of a mixed bag, though. The Apex Pro is one of its top-of-the-range mechanical keyboards and is advertised as being Mac-compatible, and – like most keyboards – it works perfectly well as a basic QWERTY keyboard. However, expensive keyboards such as this tend to offer additional features too, and there’s one of those evil asterisks* tucked away at the bottom of the Apex Pro web page that states – “not all software features supported on macOS”. The company’s SteelSeries GG app hasn’t been updated for a while, and its support pages also state that ‘compatibility for Macs with Apple Silicon is limited’.
Even so, the Apex still boasts some attractive features, not least of which is its impressive build quality. It’s a full-size wired keyboard that includes a row of Function keys, navigation keys and numeric keypad. The frame of the keyboard is made out of ‘aircraft grade’ aluminium which is very sturdy, and the mechanical keys have an extremely smooth action when typing. The rather hefty price tag also includes a wrist-rest as well. However, the limited Mac app means that the first few Function keys are unused, and I wasn’t able to get the GG app to assign my normal set of keyboard shortcuts to them (although I had better luck using the third-party HotKey app that is available for free on the Mac App Store).
Other Function keys work normally, though, including F10 and F11 for activating Expose or showing the desktop. You can also use the special SteelSeries key to use additional commands with these keys, such as F11 to control the keyboard backlight as well. There’s also a handy volume dial on the top-right corner of the keyboard that allows you to quickly adjust or mute the volume. Other features remain frustratingly out of reach, though, including the small OLED screen that allows PC users to view additional features that are available within the SteelSeries app for Windows. The Apex Pro is certainly well designed, and SteelSeries does state that updates for the Mac app are on its ‘roadmap’, but at the moment it’s perhaps best suited to serious gamers who are prepared to put in some work to overcome those limitations.
For more advice about accessories and software for your Mac, iPad or iPhone see all our Best Picks.
Author: Cliff Joseph, Contributor
Cliff Joseph is a former editor of MacUser magazine and a freelance editor with 30(ish) years experience of Mac and PC technology.
He first used a Mac working as a magazine sub-editor and found it so much better than using scissors and a pot of glue to make the words fit on the page that he become a convert to the Mac overnight. He has spent the rest of his career following the ups and downs off Apple – and is old enough to remember the time when Apple came close to going bust.
Cliff writes many of MacWorld’s games reviews – and is currently exploring options for getting Diablo IV to run on a Mac…
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