I’ve a MacBook Professional that I exploit for many issues, and a desktop Home windows PC I principally use casually to play video games. I just like the Apple Magic Keyboard sufficient that I’ve found out a method to make use of it with each of my computer systems directly. It’s a little bit of a foolish hack — nevertheless it requires no further equipment and simply works — right here’s how.

In contrast to most trendy wi-fi keyboard and mice, the Magic Keyboard doesn’t have a built-in function to allow you to pair to a number of machines. See for example the Logitech MX Keys, which may join over Bluetooth to as much as 3 units concurrently and permits you to change between them with a keystroke.

However I just like the format and tactility of the Apple keyboard sufficient that I wished to maintain utilizing it. The built-in Contact ID sensor for unlock can be a comfort I didn’t wish to quit, if I may assist it. Fortunately, I discovered a dumb hack to let me do exactly that.

So right here’s what I do: I join the MacBook to the keyboard wirelessly over Bluetooth … and I’ve the wired Lightning to USB connection completely plugged into the Home windows PC.

When the Home windows PC is switched off, as it’s more often than not, the keyboard defaults to Bluetooth and seamlessly pairs itself to the MacBook. After I boot up the Home windows PC, the wired connection takes precedence and all keyboard enter is then directed on the PC.

If I wish to toggle typing again to the Mac, I flick the ability change on the keyboard itself and it reverts to wirelessly speaking to the Mac. The Contact ID sensor additionally works to unlock the Mac so long as the wi-fi connection is energetic.

It’s not precisely what I’d name elegant, nevertheless it does work so I’ve rolled with it for a pair years now. A fancier resolution to this downside would doubtless contain plugging the keyboard right into a KVM change of some kind. However generally, the easy resolution is sufficient.

I additionally proceed to await the next-generation Apple Magic Keyboard, which is able to undoubtedly add a USB-C port and presumably new multi-device pairing options to convey it as much as function parity with each different wi-fi keyboard out in the marketplace at the moment.