Use magic keyboard without bluetooth

[zaranoff]

For some reason I prefer the pre-butterfly apple keyboards more than the mechanical counterparts. The problem is that they discontinued the wired keyboard, is it possible to use the magic keyboard without bluetooth turned on if the cable is plugged in? So in essence transforming it into a wired one.

 

[chabig]

Yes. It works as a wired USB keyboard when it's plugged in.

 

[zaranoff]

Cool! Thanks!

 

[richpjr]

For some reason I prefer the pre-butterfly apple keyboards more than the mechanical counterparts. The problem is that they discontinued the wired keyboard, is it possible to use the magic keyboard without bluetooth turned on if the cable is plugged in? So in essence transforming it into a wired one.

Just out of curiosity, what do you gain by plugging in the cable instead of just using it via bluetooth?

 

[dwig]

Just out of curiosity, what do you gain by plugging in the cable instead of just using it via bluetooth?

The ability to use it when BT fails and the ability to use it when the charge runs down.

Over the last month, I've had to instances where this was extremely useful. One where the BT on our new iMac running Mojave "freaked" and simply turning the keyboard off and on didn't reestablish a connection even though the charge level on the keyboard was around 85%. Connecting the cable healed the issue.

The second instance was a case where some SFB office person turned off BT, presumably via the menubar icon (now disabled, BTW) and they seem to have either forced a shutdown or left it up overnight. While I had to borrow a wired mouse from another machine in the gallery, it was convienient to simply connect the keyboard with a cable and not have to rearrange the whole workstation to connect another keyboard.

 

[richpjr]

The ability to use it when BT fails and the ability to use it when the charge runs down.

Over the last month, I've had to instances where this was extremely useful. One where the BT on our new iMac running Mojave "freaked" and simply turning the keyboard off and on didn't reestablish a connection even though the charge level on the keyboard was around 85%. Connecting the cable healed the issue.

The second instance was a case where some SFB office person turned off BT, presumably via the menubar icon (now disabled, BTW) and they seem to have either forced a shutdown or left it up overnight. While I had to borrow a wired mouse from another machine in the gallery, it was convienient to simply connect the keyboard with a cable and not have to rearrange the whole workstation to connect another keyboard.

I couldn't tell if you were wanting to run it all the time with the cable or just as needed like the cases you mentioned above.

 

[zaranoff]

Just out of curiosity, what do you gain by plugging in the cable instead of just using it via bluetooth?

My past bluetooth experiences have shown that the connection can be unstable at times, so I always prefer wired. Same for headsets, mice etc. But I might be wrong on this one, the keyboard might have a solid connection at all times.

 

[richpjr]

My past bluetooth experiences have shown that the connection can be unstable at times, so I always prefer wired. Same for headsets, mice etc. But I might be wrong on this one, the keyboard might have a solid connection at all times.

If you read the Mac Mini forum, there are still a lot of BT issues with it if external devices are plugged into the USB ports so it is still an issue for some things!

 

[ThomasJL]

I know there is a way to turn Bluetooth off on my Mac. But is there a way to turn Bluetooth off on an Apple wireless keyboard so that when it is not plugged in, the keyboard will not work and will not be sending any Bluetooth signals?

 

[Boyd01]

There's a little power switch on the back of the keyboard. I am not sure whether the keyboard will work via USB with that switch turned off however.

 

[AZhappyjack]

There's a little power switch on the back of the keyboard. I am not sure whether the keyboard will work via USB with that switch turned off however.

It does not... that switch kills all power to the keyboard, regardless of source (USB or battery).