The New Magic Mouse And Magic Keyboard Do Not Work Properly With Older Versions Of macOS

While the week has been about Mac announcements and all the updates and exciting features added to the devices, some issues have taken the attention away by causing a hiccup for users. Apple’s latest USB-C peripherals for the Mac rely on software updates and newly developed drivers introduced in the macOS Sequoia 15.1 to work correctly, and as a result, they are not compatible with earlier macOS versions.

The new Magic Mouse and Magic keyboard seem to not work with versions of macOS before macOS Sequoia 15.1

The new USB-C Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse have been marketed as being compatible with Macs since 2018, which implies that compatibility extends broadly to older versions. Apple should have clarified that for peripherals to work properly, MacOS Sequoia 15.1 or later versions are required. This lack of clarity could lead to users believing their devices would work right when they are taken out of the box, even if an older version is being used.

When users with macOS Sequoia 15 or earlier try to use the new Magic Keyboard, they experience partial functionality as the Touch ID and other function keys do not seem to work, causing a hindrance in the experience of the keyboard. Similarly, the Magic Mouse lacks one of its main input features, and that is its ability to scroll, which has been compromised. There are no reports of issues with the Magic Trackpad, but some of the features might be limited on the device as well.

The good news is that the list of compatible Macs is compatible with macOS Sequoia, but there is a catch. They include intel-based models such as the 2019 iMac and 2018 Mac mini, which are partially supported on Sequoia and may experience some limitations when compared to Apple Silicon Macs. According to MacRumors, the issue seems to extend to macOS Sequoia 15.2 developer beta as well, but that could be addressed before it is fully rolled out to the public.

The major change in the new Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard is the transition from the Lightning port to the USB-C port. While there are no apparent changes to Bluetooth technology, users are reporting issues with the wireless connection on older macOS versions.

The compatibility devices list also includes iPads as old as iPad Air 2, and so far, no issues have surfaced when using the peripherals with them, suggesting that iPadOS is not experiencing similar issues and handling the USB-C connections more smoothly.