Macworld
Whether you’re a Mac desktop or MacBook owner, there’s nothing quite like finding that keyboard that fits perfectly within your setup.
A keyboard, just as with picking the best mice for Mac, is a very personal choice. After all, you’re likely to be pressing its various keys and twirling its dials for hours each day, and that makes getting the investment right all that much more important.
Best Mac Keyboards fully testedWe have all sorts of Mac keyboards in this round-up, including Apple’s default Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and the cheaper, and still-on-sale Magic Keyboard. We have some keyboards with customizable keys and dedicated apps, and wired keyboards (for those fed up with searching for new batteries every few weeks) as well as ergonomic solutions to help you avoid RSI, and some pretty stylish offerings that give Apple a run for its money.
We also look at Hall Effect options that use magnetic sensors to detect key presses, full-size offerings and compact board. Here are our favorite keyboards for Mac users, many of which cost a lot less than Apple’s. Read on to find the Mac compatible keyboard that’s best for you.
You can also use Bluetooth keyboards with iPads, so expect to see some good options here if you are an iPad user, or take a look at our Best iPad Keyboards roundup.
1. Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID – Best Mac keyboard with Touch IDPros
- Touch ID key
- Nice design
Cons
- Expensive
- No backlight
- Black version costs more
Apple sells four models of its Magic Keyboard, and some are more magical than others despite looking similar. There are two sizes (one with numeric keypad and navigation keys, and a smaller, more portable model without these extra keys). If your desk space is limited or you often travel with your keyboard, the 11-inch version makes more sense than the 16.5-inch keyboard.
- Keyboard type: Slim
- Size options: Compact, Full
- Colors: White, Black (full-size only)
Aside from size, the two different models are differentiated by the inclusion of a Touch ID key, which works only with Macs that have an M-series Apple Silicon processor (post 2020). If your Mac is old enough to still be running an Intel chip, go for the non-Touch ID model. Only the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad is available with black keys; the others are all-white affairs. rather cheekily, Apple charges an extra 20 buck for the black version. Each is available in nearly 20 different language versions. English speakers can choose between US or British English.
The basic design of the two keyboards hasn’t actually changed that much, with the same slimline design and month-long battery life as their predecessors. At $149, the smaller Magic Keyboard With Touch ID is priced at quite a premium for the Touch ID sensor. And, like the standard Magic Keyboard, it feels rather cramped, with a small Space bar and cursor keys. The lack of ‘travel’ (the up and down movement of the keys as you press them) also makes the keyboard feel a bit lifeless for people who type a lot and need a bit more tactile feedback when they’re typing up a storm—they should consider one of the mechanical keyboards reviewed below. Then again, you might feel that your fingers have to do less ‘work’ compressing the key.
The key feature of these keyboards, though, is the Touch ID sensor, which sits by the F12 button on the top row of Function keys. This works just like the Touch ID sensors on the MacBook. You’ll see a Touch ID panel appear in System Preferences when you first connect the keyboard. This allows you to store up to three fingerprints, which you can use to unlock your Mac, or to make secure payments on the Apple Store, or other online stores that support Apple Pay.
There are a few other new features as well, including an Emoji command on the Fn key in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard, which displays the Emoji viewer panel so that you can quickly add emojis to any document or message that you’re typing. There are new Function commands too, for activating Spotlight, Dictation and Do Not Disturb.
As always, the larger version of the keyboard is even more expensive ($179 white, $199 black) but the numeric keypad will be useful for people who do a lot of number crunching at work. There’s more room to provide a larger Space bar too, and larger navigation keys. Even so, the thin keyboard panel means that the keys still feel a bit lifeless, so business users and budding novelists may prefer to look at one of the larger and more solidly built keyboards available from other manufacturers reviewed here.
Save money by checking Amazon for: Smaller Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (U.S. and U.K.); Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad (U.S. and U.K.). For the cheaper Apple Magic Keyboard without Touch ID: Small (U.S. and U.K.); with Numeric Keypad (U.S. and U.K.). To further complicate your choice, Amazon still sells versions with a Lightning rather than USB-C charging port. We have linked here to just those that charge with USB-C.
2. Logitech MX Keys S For Mac – Best Mac keyboard for power usersPros
- Competitive price
- Function keys and numeric keypad
- Super sturdy
- Backlight
Cons
- Backlight drains battery
- Keyboard type: Slim
- Size options: Compact, Full
- Colors: Space Gray & Pale Gray (full-size); Graphite, Pale Gray, Black, Rose (compact)
It’s hard to keep up with Logitech’s ever-growing MX range of keyboards, but the Logitech MX Keys S For Mac ($129.99 / £109.99) is its top-of-the-range wireless keyboard, priced at $109.99/£109.99. Its slimline, low-profile design is very smart and attractive, and available in either Space Gray or Pale Gray. It’s the most solidly built Mac keyboard we have tested, and is capable of surviving some heavy-handed typing when it needs to.
The MX Keys S For Mac is significantly cheaper than Apple’s Magic Keyboard (from $179/£179), but also a lot more versatile, as it includes a dedicated set of buttons that allow you to pair it with three separate devices, including Macs, iPads, Windows PCs, and even Linux and Chrome devices. It does, like all non-Apple keyboards, lack the Magic Keyboard’s Touch ID key.
Look for the “For Mac” model as it offers a Mac dedicated layout. The Command Key is the giveaway when you want to ensure you have the regular Mac keyboard layout. There are different models for U.S. and U.K. layouts, too—which you don’t get with the Satechi keyboards.
The original MX Keys was launched a few years ago, so this updated MX Keys S includes a number of new features, such as Function keys that can be used to activate dictation on your Mac, open the emoji menu, or mute/unmute your microphone for video-calls. The backlighting has been improved too, automatically reacting as you first move your hands onto the keyboard, and adjusting to suit the ambient light in the room around you. The backlight does drain the battery though—the keyboard can last for up to five months if you’re not using the backlight, but this drops to around 10 days if you have the backlight on all the time.
You can use the MX Keys S with any Mac, and it will work like a standard keyboard with a row of Function keys that control settings such as brightness and volume, or activating Exposé. However, Logitech also provides an app, called Options+, which requires macOS 12 or later. This allows you to reprogram the various Function keys to perform different tasks. It can also be configured to work with specific apps such as Photoshop or Premiere, which makes it a particularly good option for professional users who want to speed up work in their key apps. The app has also been updated for the MX Keys S, adding a new Smart Actions feature that works a bit like Apple’s Shortcuts, by allowing you to record a series of actions that can be triggered using a single key.
The compact Logitech MX Keys Mini for Mac ($99.99 / £84.99) drops the numeric keypad.
3. Logitech POP Icon Keyboard – Best budget keyboard for Mac usersPros
- Great looks
- Nice key feel and quiet keystroke
- Smart functions for AI and multitasking
- Three Bluetooth channels
- Long battery life
Cons
- Slightly cramped layout
- Mouse is not very ergonomic
- No backlight
- Keyboard type: Slim
- Size options: Compact
- Colors: Lilac, Rose, Orange, Green, Graphite
Logitech’s POP Icon keyboard has a matching POP mouse that are available as a combo set or individually. (Read our Logitech POP Icon Combo review.)
As always with Logitech’s Pop series, the attractive design of the keyboard immediately catches the eye. It come in Graphite & Green, Graphite & White, Lilac & Off-White, Off-White & Orange and Rose & Off-White. Logitech can certainly do great colors.
We like the contoured, flat keys of the POP Icon keyboard. They feel comfortable when typing and are quiet, which is, of course, less of an attraction for fans of mechanical keyboards—if you prefer the clickety-clack, look to Logitech’s $99 Pop Keys mechanical models.
Thanks to its slim design, the Pop Icon keyboard is also easy to position and has all the keys you need. However, the layout is also a little cramped as some important keys are close together. The Pop Icon keyboard also offers all the usual shortcut key combinations, such as for muting, an emoji menu or taking a screenshot. The four action keys can be customized using the Logi Options application, which is available to download free of charge.
The Logitech Pop Icon Keys is compatible with multiple operating systems and devices and can be connected to up to three devices simultaneously. This means you can switch between different laptops with a single click.
According to the manufacturer, the keyboard has a battery life of up to 36 months. It uses standard AA batteries rather than being recharged via USB.
The Logitech Logi Options app can be installed and used free of charge. It provides the Smart Actions already described as well as an AI Prompt Builder, which is based on ChatGPT 4. This allows texts to be copied automatically and reworded, shortened or suitable responses formulated using preset commands.
4. Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo – Cheap, customisable keyboard & mousePros
- Affordable keyboard/mouse combo
- Comfortable design
- Versatile app and customisation features
Cons
- No wired/USB connection
- No rechargeable battery
- Mouse is right-handed only
- Keyboard type: Deep-profile (plunger) keys
- Size options: Full-size
- Colors: Graphite or off white
The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo MK880 is an affordable wireless keyboard and mouse bundle aimed at people who spend long hours working at a desk. Costing significantly less than Logitech’s premium MX range, it delivers many of the same productivity benefits while making a few sensible compromises to keep the price down.
The keyboard is designed with comfort in mind, featuring a gently curved layout and an integrated wrist rest that encourages a more natural typing position. Although it lacks the split ergonomic design found on dedicated ergonomic keyboards, it remains comfortable to use over long periods. The keys have a satisfying amount of travel, feel responsive, and are relatively quiet, making the keyboard well suited to office environments.
The accompanying Comfort Plus mouse follows a similar philosophy. It has a lower-profile shape than the MX Master, making it comfortable to hold, while quiet buttons help reduce noise during use. Logitech has added a soft palm cushion, although the reviewer found this feature made little noticeable difference. One major drawback is that the mouse is only available in a right-handed version, leaving left-handed users without an option.
The combo connects via Bluetooth and can pair with up to three devices, making it easy to switch between a Mac, iPad or PC. However, it doesn’t support wired USB connections and the standard package doesn’t include Logitech’s Bolt USB receiver, although a business edition will. Another compromise is the use of replaceable rather than rechargeable batteries, though Logitech estimates both devices will run for up to 24 months on a single set.
Logitech’s Options+ software adds considerable value by allowing users to customise keyboard shortcuts, mouse buttons and app-specific controls for software including Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Photoshop, making the combo especially appealing to productivity-focused users.
Overall, the Signature Comfort Plus Combo MK880 is a comfortable, affordable wireless keyboard and mouse designed for everyday productivity. It’s best suited to budget-conscious professionals and power users who want ergonomic comfort and extensive customisation without paying MX-series prices. It’s less suitable for left-handed users, anyone who prefers wired peripherals or rechargeable batteries, or those wanting an ultra-low-profile keyboard. The biggest compromises are the lack of wired connectivity, rechargeable batteries and a left-handed mouse, but for most office workers these shortcomings are outweighed by its comfort, long battery life and excellent value.
Read our full Logitech Signature Comfort Plus Combo review
5. Lemokey L1 HE – Best Mac keyboard for gamersPros
- Excellent linear switches
- Ear-pleasing typing sound
- Magnetic Hall effect switches
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Substantial weight
- No height adjustment
- Only U.S. layout available.
- Expensive
- Keyboard type: Mechanical
- Size options: Compact
- Colors: White, Black, Silver
The Lemokey L1 HE is one pricey keyboard, but you certainly get a lot for your money–incredible build quality and a raft of high-quality features. If money’s no object and you want a premium gaming keyboard, the L1 HE fits the bill. From a sound point of view, it brings a thocky sound that is deeply satisfying when you’re firing off sentences at a rapid clip.
The L1 HE comes in a 75 percent layout, which essentially chops off the numpad and loses a fistful of bonus keys for good measure. It offers the standard QWERTY keys and a function row, alongside a few extras (Delete, Insert, Page Up, Page Down, Home, but no End). If you think that makes this a more portable keyboard, note that it’s built like a tank, with an all-aluminum chassis and barely a strip of plastic in sight. It tipped the scales at a smidge under 4.5 lbs (over 2kg).
The Lemokey L1 HE is loaded with gamer-pleasing features, including a rapid trigger mode that repeatedly actuates without