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Wireless keyboards have always been a wonderful tool to own and use. They allow us to have an uncluttered, wire-free desk, and it isn’t restricted by distance. I guess you can call it a puppet without strings.
People who own Apple’s Magic Keyboard enjoy this benefit on their macOS or iOS powered devices. We all know that Apple devices are specifically made to support only other Apple devices.
However, what if you owned more than just Apple computers, tablets, and phones? There are alternative brands out there, and chances are, you have another device that is not made by Apple.
In this article, we tackle the issue of what to do when you have an Apple Magic Keyboard and you want to pair it with an Android device.
The question becomes, can you pair an Apple Magic Keyboard to an Android tablet or phone?
The answer is yes. You can actually connect the Apple Magic Keyboard to any Android device. The reason for this is that Apple’s keyboard uses the Broadcom BCM20733 EDR 3.0 Single-Chip Solution which is dated, but still a wireless technology standard for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices. In essence, pairing the Apple keyboard and an Android device shouldn’t have any issues.
Before you can begin using your Magic keyboard on any non-Apple device, you’ll first have to activate pairing mode. This will force your keyboard to start looking for potential electronics to connect and work with.
How to switch an Apple Magic Keyboard to discoverable mode
- Turn off the keyboard.
- On the currently paired device, go to its Bluetooth list and delete its memory of the Magic keyboard.
- Alternatively, you can turn off the paired device, but turning it back on will automatically connect the keyboard to it again.
- Now, you can turn the keyboard back on.
- If there’s nothing for the keyboard to connect to it will automatically activate discoverable mode.
How to pair an Apple Magic Keyboard to Android
- Put your keyboard into discoverable mode (steps in the previous topic).
- On your Android device, go to Settings > Connected devices > Pair new device.
- Choose the Magic keyboard.
- You will receive a time-sensitive passcode, which you must type on the Magic keyboard. (You won’t see any output displayed as you type in the passcode).
- After punching in the passcode exactly, press Enter/Return on the keyboard.
What is the Apple Magic Keyboard compatible with?
The Apple Magic Keyboard should be able to connect to all major computing devices including those running Android OS, and Windows OS, and even Chrome OS.
In general, all keyboards easily connect to any device that uses a keyboard. However, there might be discrepancies in the key mapping for special keys.
Fortunately enough, most users rarely end up using special keys. But if they do, the key does exist, and finding the special key needed oftentimes comes with a little bit of trial and error.
I recommend that once you’ve found the key you’re looking for, create a small label sticker and place it right over the key of the keyboard.
What’s the difference between an Apple Magic Keyboard and a regular wireless keyboard?
There are actually not that many differences. The only real difference is the mapping of the keys. All the operating systems mentioned have different special keys that provide extra functionality.
If you were to connect the Magic keyboard to an Android device, you might find the control key or the alt key to perform differently. Also, the function keys at the very top of the keyboard would be completely changed.
The good news is that all the fundamental keys are always the same. The letters of the alphabet, numbers, enter, caps lock, etc. are all still the same.