How to Put a Magic Keyboard in Pairing Mode

A Magic Keyboard doesn't have a pairing button or a dedicated pairing mode. The fastest way to pair it is to connect it to your Mac with its USB-C or Lightning cable and turn it on — it pairs automatically. To pair it wirelessly instead, forget it on any Mac it was connected to, then click Connect in Bluetooth settings on the new Mac.

The same steps work for Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad. Here's each method in detail, plus what to do when the keyboard won't show up.

Magic Keyboard pairing mode: why there isn't one

Apple's Magic devices don't need a pairing mode. As soon as a Magic Keyboard is on and not connected to another Mac, any Mac nearby can pair with it. So if it doesn't show up, it's almost always still connected somewhere else, and the fix is to forget it there, not to find a hidden button.

Method 1: Pair with a cable (fastest)

This works for every Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad with a USB-C or Lightning port:

1. Connect the device to your Mac with a USB-C or Lightning cable.
2. Turn it on — slide the power switch so green is visible under it.
3. Wait about a minute. The device pairs with your Mac automatically and charges at the same time.
4. Open System Settings → Bluetooth to confirm it's listed and connected.
5. Unplug the cable and use it wirelessly.

Method 2: Pair wirelessly over Bluetooth

No cable handy? You can pair over Bluetooth — but the keyboard won't show up on a new Mac while it's still connected to another one.

1. If it was used with another Mac, forget it there first. On that Mac, open System Settings → Bluetooth, Control-click the keyboard, and choose Forget.
2. On the Mac you want to use it with, open System Settings → Bluetooth, hold the pointer over the keyboard in the list, and click Connect.
3. Not in the list? Turn the keyboard off and back on. Slide the switch on the back edge so no green is visible, then slide it back so green shows again.
4. If you're asked for a code, type it on the keyboard you're pairing, then press Return on that same keyboard.

Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad: same steps

Neither has a pairing button either. Use the same two methods — the only difference is where the power switch is:

• Magic Mouse: the switch is on the bottom of the mouse.
• Magic Trackpad: the switch is on the back edge, like the keyboard.

Older models with replaceable batteries

Earlier Apple Wireless Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad models use AA batteries and have no charging port, so the cable method doesn't apply. On these, turn the device on and its LED blinks to show it's discoverable — then click Connect in Bluetooth settings. Some older keyboards and trackpads have a power button on the right side instead of a switch. To set up an older keyboard, you'll need a mouse or trackpad already connected — or your laptop's built-in trackpad — so you can click Connect.

If the LED turns on briefly but doesn't blink, the device is probably connected to another Mac nearby — forget it there, then turn it off and on again. If the LED doesn't turn on at all, replace the batteries.

Why your Magic Keyboard isn't showing up

• It's still connected to another Mac. Forget it on that Mac first; if it still doesn't appear, turn the keyboard off and on. A keyboard only works with the last Mac that paired it (here's why).
• Bluetooth is off. Check System Settings → Bluetooth. If it won't turn on, restart your Mac and try again.
• The battery is flat. Connect the cable — that charges it and pairs it in one step.
• Wireless interference. If it pairs but keeps dropping, move it closer to the Mac and away from other wireless devices.

Switching between two Macs? Skip the re-pairing

If you're pairing your keyboard because you use it with two Macs, you'll be doing this over and over: forget it on one Mac, find it in Bluetooth settings on the other, connect it. LinkFlick automates that whole handover — click the keyboard in the menu bar, pick the other Mac, and it moves over in about 10 seconds. No cables, no System Settings, and it works even if the Macs use different Apple IDs.

See the guides for your device: Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad · or read how Bluetooth handover works on Mac.

Frequently asked questions