Best way to use Apple Magic Keyboard with Windows 10 Machine (best generation of Magic Keyboard to use)

[bluegrass527]

I find Apple's Magic Keyboard to be very comfortable and solid for typing for its size and weight. Ergonomically, I find it much easier to use in different positions and in different areas of my house than some other premium keyboards. I have to use Windows 10 Enterprise for a decent chunk of my work. I had some success using it with my work computer by connecting it with a USB C to lighting cable. However, this suddenly stopped working after using it recently for several days. I think the issue was that I got a little cavalier and tried to use it on the Windows machine in wired mode and my Macbook M1 Pro 14 using Bluetooth.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to reliably use the Apple keyboard with Windows 10? I have the version with Touch ID, and I know that won't work with Windows 10, but it is actually enough if the modifier keys (e.g. Ctrl, Alt, Command) and alpha keys work.

I was thinking that perhaps using an older edition of the Apple keyboard would work. If anyone has any recommendations on which version is the most reliable, please let me know. Finally, while its not essential, it would be great if I could use the function keys (either for their "non-Fn" functionality or as function keys. I have seen discussion of using the Bootcamp drivers (where would I get these)? I would also be open to using any specialty third-party programs.

Thanks.

 

[salamanderjuice]

You can get Bootcamp drivers using Brigadier (https://github.com/timsutton/brigadier). You might also want to take a look at this blog post:

Apple Magic Keyboard Drivers for Windows 10 (Mouse, Trackpad, also?)

tl;dr: Download and extract the Apple Boot Camp drivers I repackaged: BootCamp-061-51481.zip Right-click BootCamp/Drivers/Apple/AppleKeyboardMagic2/Keymagic2.inf (or BootCamp/Drivers/Apple/AppleKeyboard/Keymagic64.inf or appropriate driver) and then "Install". Unplug and re-plugin your keyboard...

blog.yo1.dog

Not sure if it'll work with the latest model but the bootcamp drivers did work well with the A1644 (pre-touch ID magic keyboard) that I used to use.

 

[bluegrass527]

You can get Bootcamp drivers using Brigadier (https://github.com/timsutton/brigadier). You might also want to take a look at this blog post:

Apple Magic Keyboard Drivers for Windows 10 (Mouse, Trackpad, also?)

tl;dr: Download and extract the Apple Boot Camp drivers I repackaged: BootCamp-061-51481.zip Right-click BootCamp/Drivers/Apple/AppleKeyboardMagic2/Keymagic2.inf (or BootCamp/Drivers/Apple/AppleKeyboard/Keymagic64.inf or appropriate driver) and then "Install". Unplug and re-plugin your keyboard...

blog.yo1.dog

Not sure if it'll work with the latest model but the bootcamp drivers did work well with the A1644 (pre-touch ID magic keyboard) that I used to use.

Thanks for the links. Yeah, I managed to get it working again with the Touch ID one, but the function keys don't work and I seem to have managed to send certain keystrokes using the Fn key in combination with other keys that have made text input unreliable (e.g. removing some text and not letting me undo it).

I will try to track down the model you described. It would be nice if I could use a low-level KVM switch to swap off between my Mac and my work computer. I guess I have to experiment with various connection options some more (e.g. USB A, etc.).

 

[ADGrant]

There are so many great choices for PC keyboards, why not explore those options. I have Magic Keyboard that came with my iMac but I never use it, it lives in a drawer. Instead I use a mechanical keyboard I bought six or seven years ago with the keys mapped for MacOS (and some MacOS specific keycaps).

 

[carylee2002]

I use third party mac keyboard that I got from macsales.com. works great and it is hooked up to my UGreen switcher so I can use one keyboard and mouse to control two Mac Mini's. Chose not to use any bluetooth accessories because of latency issues.

 

[Magic Utilities]

Thanks for the links. Yeah, I managed to get it working again with the Touch ID one, but the function keys don't work and I seem to have managed to send certain keystrokes using the Fn key in combination with other keys that have made text input unreliable (e.g. removing some text and not letting me undo it).

I will try to track down the model you described. It would be nice if I could use a low-level KVM switch to swap off between my Mac and my work computer. I guess I have to experiment with various connection options some more (e.g. USB A, etc.).