Is it safe to leave Magic Keyboard plugged in 24/7?

[orbitalpunk]

Hello,

Is it safe to leave a Magic Keyboard plugged into a Mac 24/7 and use it as a wired keyboard or will this cause damage to the internal battery and possibly make it swell since the battery never cycles? I am not sure if overcharging is an issue as I would think its smart enough to stop charging when 100%. But I wonder if not cycling is a problem. The reason why I wish to use it this way is because I use both a Mac and PC and I switch my mouse and keyboard with a USB switchable hub and it makes it very easy to switch between both computer when the keyboard is in wired mode, rather than having to reconnect Bluetooth each time.

 

[Nermal]

I've kept mine plugged in since getting it in 2020 and haven't noticed any problems (on the contrary, it's more reliable than using it wirelessly). I imagine that most desktop users do the same.

 

[xraydoc]

Hello,

Is it safe to leave a Magic Keyboard plugged into a Mac 24/7 and use it as a wired keyboard or will this cause damage to the internal battery and possibly make it swell since the battery never cycles? I am not sure if overcharging is an issue as I would think its smart enough to stop charging when 100%. But I wonder if not cycling is a problem. The reason why I wish to use it this way is because I use both a Mac and PC and I switch my mouse and keyboard with a USB switchable hub and it makes it very easy to switch between both computer when the keyboard is in wired mode, rather than having to reconnect Bluetooth each time.

Theoretically, leaving a LiIon battery plugged in at all times can cause problems. In practice however, it likely won't be an issue as Apple is pretty good about (1) using quality batteries and (2) they have pretty good battery management systems. I would just use it the way you need to use it and not worry about it. It may shorten the battery life if used wirelessly, but since you're not using it wirelessly, it doesn't really matter.

 

[orbitalpunk]

I've kept mine plugged in since getting it in 2020 and haven't noticed any problems (on the contrary, it's more reliable than using it wirelessly). I imagine that most desktop users do the same.

And do you switch it off at night when not in use or leave it on?

 

[Nermal]

I only switch it off when I'm cleaning it.

 

[MikeDr206]

I wouldn’t worry about it. Only our first two homes have burned down due to fire traced to my keyboard, and to be honest we wanted to move anyway.

Just make sure you have good insurance, and keep your pets nearby when you’re asleep.

 

[weckart]

My sister did this. Luckily, I noticed the battery bulging and removed it before it burst. If you don't want to use the wireless function, take the battery out then you have to use it wired. Remember to leave it switched on, though, as that power switch also controls power via USB to the keyboard when not in BT mode.

Hers was the first edition and it took several years for the battery to inflate. YMMV as ever.

 

[dumastudetto]

I wouldn’t worry about it. Only our first two homes have burned down due to fire traced to my keyboard, and to be honest we wanted to move anyway.

Just make sure you have good insurance, and keep your pets nearby when you’re asleep.

Are you sure you didn't have a Galaxy Note from Samsung nearby?

 

[Digital Dude]

I keep mine plugged in all the time as well, and I’ve never had any real issues with it. I did dump a glass of water on my previous one, but somehow it still worked. 🙄

 

[Boyd01]

I've kept mine plugged in since getting it in 2020 and haven't noticed any problems

Same here. Got a space grey magic keyboard with keypad in 2020 (the one originally made for the iMac Pro, now discontinued). I didn't really have any "reliability" problems - it's only about six inches away from my Mini. But what I really hated was that it "ate" the first character or two I typed when logging in, causing password errors. Got in the habit it hitting the shift key a few times to wake it up first, but that was annoying. Then there was another time when the battery was almost dead and I didn't realize at first. It caused password errors and I almost reached the limit of failed logins before I realized the problem.

So, I've just left it plugged in ever since. The only downside is it uses an USB port that I sometimes need. When I do, I just pull the keyboard cable and it automatically switches to bluetooth.