The 10 Best Mac Keyboards

If your Mac runs on Apple silicon, the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID lets a fingertip unlock the computer, fill in saved passwords and approve purchases, something no other maker can offer. It pairs the moment you plug in its cable, and every key matches what macOS expects. A charge lasts about a month. The low keys move only a little, which feels like a MacBook, and there's no backlight for typing in the dark.

For long days of typing with a number pad close at hand, the Mac version of the Logitech MX Keys S has keys that light up as your hands come near and dim to suit the room. Each key is dished to center your fingertip, and one tap moves it between three Apple devices. The light is the catch. With it on, Logitech rates a charge at about ten days, while it runs for months with the light off.

The Mac version of the Logitech MX Mechanical Mini puts real mechanical switches at a low, laptop-like height, so coming from a MacBook feels natural. Its quiet tactile switches give a soft bump without a loud click, and a metal top plate keeps it from flexing. With the backlight off, Logitech rates it at about ten months per charge. The switches are fixed in place, and a few reviewers heard rattle from the longer keys.

Slim and fairly inexpensive for a mechanical board, the Keychron K3 Version 2 sits nearly as low as a laptop and comes set up with a Mac layout, plus spare keycaps for Windows. A side switch flips it between the two systems. It pairs with three devices or runs over a cable, and free software lets you remap any key. The top is aluminum but the underside is plastic, and its flat keycaps are hard to replace with ordinary sets.

Small desks and laptop stands suit the Logitech MX Keys Mini for Mac, which drops the number pad so your mouse can sit closer. Dedicated keys start dictation, open the emoji picker and mute your microphone, and the backlight wakes as your hands approach. Macworld got about two weeks per charge with the light on. It rests at one fixed angle with no feet to raise it, and the arrow keys are small.

For a classic, full-height mechanical feel, the Keychron K8 drops only the number pad and keeps every other key, including a full function row. Its brown switches give a light bump on each press, and a big battery runs for weeks of normal workdays with the backlight off. A slider on the side switches between Mac and Windows, and both keycap sets come in the box. It stands tall, so most people will want a wrist rest.

Number crunchers who want mechanical keys should look at the Logitech Alto Keys K98M, which fits a number pad into a squared-off layout with a cushioned mount that softens each press. The clicky switches pull out by hand if you want a different feel later, and Logitech rates it at up to a year per charge. It also works with a small USB receiver. It's built for Mac and Windows alike, and one review found some Mac function keys unreliable.

If you never want to think about charging, the Logitech Slim Solar+ K980 refills its battery through a light strip above the keys, and ordinary room lighting is enough. This Mac version has a full layout with a number pad, Mac key labels and flat keys that feel like a laptop's. Logitech says the battery should last up to a decade. There's no backlight, so the keys are hard to read in a dark room.

The Macally Bluetooth Keyboard covers the basics on a budget: a full layout with a number pad, Mac shortcut keys along the top and a rechargeable battery. Three channel keys move it between a Mac, an iPad and a phone, and the dark gray frame suits a space gray setup. It has no backlight, the Command key is a little narrow, and it sometimes needs pairing again after a switch between devices.

Plug in the Macally Ultra Slim Wired and it works, with no pairing, charging or batteries to manage. That makes it a good fit for an iMac or Mac mini that never leaves the desk, or for anyone tired of wireless dropouts. It's thin, silver and white to match Apple's look, with a number pad and Mac shortcut keys. Its plug is the older USB-A type, so many newer Macs need an adapter or a hub.