PSA: Apple's New USB-C Accessories Require macOS Sequoia, Don't Work Properly With macOS 15.2 Beta

[MacRumors]

With the launch of new M4 Macs this week, Apple introduced USB-C versions of the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard to continue on with phasing out the Lightning port. Apple users who plan to buy these new accessories should be aware that there are some software limitations currently.

The new USB-C accessories require macOS Sequoia 15.1 to work properly, and as noted on the MacRumors forums, earlier versions of macOS do not work. There are reports from users running macOS Sonoma and Ventura who are having issues with the new devices. With the keyboard, Touch ID and function keys don't work, and with the Magic Mouse, the scrolling doesn't function. In some cases, the accessories are recognized as older devices, inhibiting proper functionality.

This isn't a problem limited to just people running older versions of macOS, because there are also reports from developers who have installed the first macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta. It appears that the macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta was released before Apple could add in support for the new Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad.

macOS Sequoia 15.1 seems to be required to use the accessories as intended at the current time. For those who had an older version of macOS, updating to macOS Sequoia 15.1 did solve the functionality issues, and Apple should be adding support to the macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta in the near future.

Article Link: PSA: Apple's New USB-C Accessories Require macOS Sequoia, Don't Work Properly With macOS 15.2 Beta

 

[omihek]

Not like Apple at all to release products that only work with the current thing

 

[sw1tcher]

For those who had an older version of macOS, updating to macOS Sequoia did solve the functionality issues...

Not like Apple at all to release products that only work with the current thing

Apple's way of forcing Mac users to upgrade to Sequoia to improve their macOS Sequoia adoption numbers 😂

 

[festeleft]

Had this exact problem, then I flipped over the box which has a sticker that says: "Requires Mac with latest version of macOS". I upgraded and it worked perfectly.

 

[markfc]

what on earth is going on in Cupertino?!? USB products that don’t work with previous OS versions. Power buttons on the bottom of MacMini’s 😂😂😂

 

[TMRJIJ]

Hold on….What?

 

[exodiusprime]

Software limitations for something as basic as a mouse and keyboard...?? Is this where "typical Apple" comes to mind? 🙄 Apple Intelligence: "I can't let you do that, Dave....Not without MacOS Sequoia". Takes real "courage" to force users to update an OS to use input devices 😆

 

[JPack]

Serialization of parts and now, peripherals?

 

[EugW]

Wow, that's pretty stupid.

 

[matttarantino]

Welp guess I am returning these since my organization manages our OS updates and we can't get Sequoia yet

 

[Luna Murasaki]

I'm replacing the Apple Magic Keyboard (Space Gray, pre Touch ID) I currently use plugged into a KVM switch with macOS, Windows, and Xbox. I wonder if I will be able to use it on the latter two at all. I certainly didn't expect Touch ID to work but I was really counting on the rest of it to work. It arrives today.

 

[Legalese78]

Ever since I updated to 15.1 my superdrive no longer plays CDs. I know I'm opening myself up to ridicule here, but it's fine.

 

[parameter]

Insanity Incompetence at its finest.
Not really looking forward to Apple updates of any kind these days. They can't seem to get either hardware or software to work very well.

Yes, all similar companies have issues. But Apple was not this bad in the past, there were issues here or there, but not like now. I'm talking over the decades as well, not just a year or two.

Apple's overall quality of just about everything they make these days has gone downhill and seems like it's just getting worse with each release of anything. Not looking forward to Apple in 2025. Which is sad

 

[tomtad]

Not like Apple at all to release products that only work with the current thing

But it's identical to the old product, bar a charging port

 

[greenbreadmmm]

I'm really glad they gave up on making a car

 

[Alameda]

Apple's way of forcing Mac users to upgrade to Sequoia to improve their macOS Sequoia adoption numbers 😂

They aren’t forcing you to buy their new keyboard.

 

[Fuzzball84]

They say it’s all about making sure the customer gets the Apple experience. And they are really delivering on that 😂

My Logitech keyboards work and switch between everything from a raspberry pi 3 to a Mac, to my surface device. 😀

 

[Dr McKay]

What happens if you plug it into a Windows or Linux machine? 🤔

 

[Slix]

It's a USB-C device, and has the exact same functionality as the previous model... Why wouldn't this work on any Mac with USB-C built-in, at least? How weird. I wonder if we'll get a x.x.1 update for older macOS versions when 15.2 comes out and it fixes it for those older OSs.

If I remember right, there was a "Magic Mouse" update for Leopard? Snow Leopard? some Mac OS X years back, that added things like this without a full Mac OS update being required.

 

[Bacalhau]

I’m on 15.2 Beta to have access to Apple Intelligence in UK English and have this exact issue with the new USB C Magic Keyboard. MacOS detects it as a “keyboard” and not as a “Magic Keyboard” when checking “i” in the Bluetooth settings. I was about to return it, I guess I wait. 🫠🫣

 

[apparatchik]

They probably didn't include support earlier to avoid leaks, now that they have been announced, hardware identifiers and drivers will surely be delivered across the current and last few macOS / iOS versions.

 

[Fuzzball84]

They aren’t forcing you to buy their new keyboard.

But the issue is, most of Apples customers might just pop along for a new keyboard and be oblivious to the requirement.

Sorry, we do sell keyboards, but you might have to buy one of our latest Macs to use it. So you say you mostly check email, browse the web and use office productivity software. We have the perfect Mac for you, our latest Mac Studio will be a great choice. (Please mind the (RAM) gap)

 

[klasma]

But it's identical to the old product, bar a charging port

The most charitable interpretation is that they took the opportunity to do away with some technical debt in the implementation, which previously they couldn’t due to having to maintain compatibility.

 

[Fuzzball84]

Does the keyboard need a Mac with 16 GB RAM?

 

[MilaM]

How odd. Could it be, that the new peripherals are using Blueooth LE for communication? The advantage being, that they use less power. Still odd, that they did not think about backporting that functionality to at least the previous OS.

BTW, does the keyboard at least work when it's connected to USB?