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How to use the Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 on older Macs?

the8thark

the8thark

macrumors 601
Original poster
Apr 18, 2011
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I am aware the new Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 require Bluetooth 4.0. Many of us have 2011 or earlier Macs that can use OSX 10.11 but don't have Bluetooth 4.0. We only have Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. SO I have two questions about this.

1. Can we buy a Bluetooth 4.0 adapter or similar for these new devices? And will this method only work for one device at once or can we use multiple of the new devices at once? If so what's the best way to go about this?

2. Can you use them wired though the lightning to USB cables that come with the devices? I thought I read somewhere that the data would be sent through the cable to the mac as well. I am sure someone out there would be able to let us know if this works.

My iMac is a 2011 one. The lastest model with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR unfortunately. I am sure others are in the same boat. Is there a way we can effectively use the new devices or is it just not worth the hassle to do so?
 
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It says the requirement is a "Bluetooth enabled Mac"and mentions nothing of specific versions. My guess is it can connect to any Bluetooth you have already. If you have 4.0 you'll get the benefit of low power mode and it'll last longer. If you have 2.1 you will probably just need to charge more often.
 
The requirements says Bluetooth 4.0-enabled Mac computer with OS X v10.11 or later. Op, u just have wait until it gets tested and reviewed.

 
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rgarjr said:
The requirements says Bluetooth 4.0-enabled Mac computer with OS X v10.11 or later. Op, u just have wait until it gets tested and reviewed.
Click to expand...

That seems to be the case for the Magic Trackpad 2 but the keyboard and mouse both just say "Bluetooth enabled Mac" (with OS X 10.11).
 
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rgarjr said:
The requirements says Bluetooth 4.0-enabled Mac computer with OS X v10.11 or later.
Click to expand...
Are you aware that previous Apple software and other things have been used on hardware lower than the Apple specified specs? Work arounds do exist sometimes. I was asking if suck a work around can be done for the new peripherals Apple has just recently released.
 
Is it definitely the case that the lightning cable is only for charging? Can it relay the needed data stream for the device, bypassing any BT connection?

(I have a mid-2011 iMac, the last iMac family made before BT4.0 was added in.)


bp
 
blakespot said:
Is it definitely the case that the lightning cable is only for charging? Can it relay the needed data stream for the device, bypassing any BT connection?

(I have a mid-2011 iMac, the last iMac family made before BT4.0 was added in.)


bp
Click to expand...
From what I have read yes is the answer to this. People have turned off bluetooth and used the devices purely wired only. The data is travelling through the cable. The question is . . . has apple limited this wired mode to the macs with bluetooth 4.0 only or can this work on the earlier Macs (that can still use OS X 10.11) as well?

I have the same 2011 iMas as you. And this question is the one you and I alike want to know the answer to. Can we use the new devices in wired mode?

The Magic Mouse 2 only says: Bluetooth-enabled Mac computer with OS X v10.11 or later - So we should be good. You really can't use that mouse wired anyway because of the bad placement of the port on the mouse.
The Magic Keyboard also says Bluetooth-enabled Mac computer with OS X v10.11 or later - so we should be good.

The Magic Trackpad on the other hand says - Bluetooth 4.0-enabled Mac computer with OS X v10.11 or later. Can we use this in wired mode? That's the question we (and many others) would like to know.
 
blakespot said:
Jason Snell confirmed that the cable can be used for data if no BT4.0 is present (only on El Cap):

https://twitter.com/jsnell/status/654298208957370369

"@blakespot @settern @flargh it worked on the one model (mid 2009 iMac) I tried. Only with El Cap installed."


bp
Click to expand...
That's excellent news. Amazing news if you ask me. I'm not a fan of keeping a device with a pattery always plugged in but if that's how we can get it to work then woohoo. Seriously this is great news indeed. Thanks for sharing this.
 
When I plugged it mine it paired within a second and it used the cable exclusively; I didn't see it was connected in the bluetooth settings. When I disconnected the cable it switched to bluetooth and it did so rather quickly. I think I read about being able to use the trackpad via the cable on Arstechnica and indeed it works.
 
I have a Magic Trackpad 2 connected to a Mid 2011 iMac with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and it's working perfect wirelessly. I'm not quite sure why Apple says it requires BT 4.0 ( could be a battery related thing, I haven't had it long enough to test that yet)
 
Hi Guys

I've got a Mid-2011 21.5 inch 2.5GHz i5 iMac, and I can confirm that it works well. During initial set up, it did not pair via bluetooth, however it was all automatically set up when I plugged the magic trackpad 2 into my iMac using the USB-Lightning cable. I then disconnected the cable and it now works normally via bluetooth.

What an amazing piece of kit, seriously! You can change the firmness of the click electronically (light / medium / firm), and even the subtle audible feedback of the click by selecting "silent clicking" in the trackpad menu in system preferences. The trackpad doesn't click when its switched off, and it doesn't "force click" when the mouse cursor is in an irrelevant area no matter how firmly you press, e.g. the menu bar at the top (as in the one with File, Edit, View, etc.).

I really really want to know how this works! Another exemplary beautiful piece of engineering from Apple.
 
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mox358 said:
I have a Magic Trackpad 2 connected to a Mid 2011 iMac with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and it's working perfect wirelessly. I'm not quite sure why Apple says it requires BT 4.0 ( could be a battery related thing, I haven't had it long enough to test that yet)
Click to expand...
That's pretty interesting. Keep us updated on how it goes! So Force Touch and everything works?

I could live with charging it once a day overnight if it meant I could have a Force Touch enabled peripheral for development.
 
Magic Trackpad 2 absolutely does NOT require BT 4.0 - I brought the trackpad home and hooked it up to my 2009 iMac. Plugged it in and got the "Trackpad is now ready for wireless use" message and tried it. Works perfectly, using BT 2.1, including Force Touch/Click. I'm guessing the BT 4.0 "requirement" is related to Apple's battery claims and using it on a 2.1 + EDR setup will get you less battery, but it works flawlessly.
 
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mox358 said:
Magic Trackpad 2 absolutely does NOT require BT 4.0 - I brought the trackpad home and hooked it up to my 2009 iMac. Plugged it in and got the "Trackpad is now ready for wireless use" message and tried it. Works perfectly, using BT 2.1, including Force Touch/Click. I'm guessing the BT 4.0 "requirement" is related to Apple's battery claims and using it on a 2.1 + EDR setup will get you less battery, but it works flawlessly.
Click to expand...
Yeah I have a 2011 iMac and the Magic Trackpad 2 works fine without an adapter. I bought a BT 4.0 adapter, maybe I'll test the battery life on 2.1 and then test it on 4.0 and see what kind of difference there is.
 
Confirmed the Magic Trackpad 2 works with my 2010 MacBook Pro out of the box, no USB Bluetooth 4.0 adapter or hacking required! :)
 
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Success here as well: Both Late-2009 and mid-2019 iMac 27" work fine for Magic Trackpad 2 and Magic Keyboard, provided you're on the latest MacOS.
 
mox358 said:
Magic Trackpad 2 absolutely does NOT require BT 4.0 - I brought the trackpad home and hooked it up to my 2009 iMac. Plugged it in and got the "Trackpad is now ready for wireless use" message and tried it. Works perfectly, using BT 2.1, including Force Touch/Click. I'm guessing the BT 4.0 "requirement" is related to Apple's battery claims and using it on a 2.1 + EDR setup will get you less battery, but it works flawlessly.
Click to expand...
This looks to be exactly the reason. BT 2.1 + EDR is more power hungry than BT 4.0 as it reauires a constant signal. Expect to charge the trackpad more often on an older Mac (with 10.11 of cause) but it'll work.
 
I have a Mac Mini mid-2011 (which was the first with BT4) and am on the latest version of EC. Whilst the MT2 connects OK it is not available for configuration. That means I cannot setup any of the gestures etc...

Any tips / ideas?
 
mondraymond said:
I have a Mac Mini mid-2011 (which was the first with BT4) and am on the latest version of EC. Whilst the MT2 connects OK it is not available for configuration. That means I cannot setup any of the gestures etc...

Any tips / ideas?
Click to expand...

Have you tried removing the MT2 from the Bluetooth Preference pane in System Preferences and then setting it up again from scratch? Or just plugging it into the lightning cable again to see if your Mac recognizes it?
 
mox358 said:
Have you tried removing the MT2 from the Bluetooth Preference pane in System Preferences and then setting it up again from scratch? Or just plugging it into the lightning cable again to see if your Mac recognizes it?
Click to expand...

Tried both and no joy. Unhappy face.
 
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