Touch ID on New Magic Keyboard Isn't Compatible With M1 iPad Pro

While the Touch ID sensor on the new Magic Keyboard is compatible with all M1 Macs, including the new iMac and last fall's 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini, MacRumors has confirmed with Apple that the Touch ID sensor will not function with the new iPad Pro, even though it also has an M1 chip.

Touch ID Keyboard Feature
The new Magic Keyboard can still be used with the iPad Pro and other devices, like Intel-based Macs, with the exception of Touch ID.

Apple will be offering three versions of the Magic Keyboard, including a standard version with Touch ID, a standard version without Touch ID, and an extended version with Touch ID and a numeric keypad. However, the new Magic Keyboard will only be available with the new iMac and not sold separately, at least initially, according to Apple.

Higher-end 24-inch iMacs will ship with the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID in the box at no additional charge, but it will be a $50 upgrade option for the base model.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
apple intelligence black

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Tuesday December 30, 2025 9:01 am PST by
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
apple fitness 2026 1

Apple Teases 'Something Big' Coming Soon to Apple Fitness+

Tuesday December 30, 2025 2:11 pm PST by
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+. What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year? Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+ The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here 2026 Plans Still Under ...
Mac Pro Feature Blue

What's Happening With the Mac Pro?

Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro. Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
macbook air march 2020

Apple Says Final Intel MacBook Air and Apple Watch Series 5 Now 'Vintage'

Wednesday December 31, 2025 8:39 am PST by
Apple today added the final 13-inch MacBook Air powered by Intel processors, the Apple Watch Series 5, and additional products to its vintage products list. The iPhone 11 Pro was also added to the list after the iPhone 11 Pro Max was added back in September. The full list of products added to Apple's vintage and obsolete list today: MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) iPhone 8 Plus 128GB ...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...

Top Rated Comments

colticus Avatar
61 months ago

What about the M1 mac mini?
Did you even make it past the headline?
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexandr Avatar
61 months ago
well, it has face id right there for you...
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nt5672 Avatar
61 months ago
Just remembering the good old days when Jobs insisted that everything interoperate, except for very limited product transitions. Now it is such a hodgepodge that you have to be in Mensa to understand what works with what.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
61 months ago
This does create some weird limitations if you want to use the iPad plugged into external displays
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justiny Avatar
61 months ago
Is anyone beating down Tim's front door *for* Touch ID to function on an external keyboard for their iPad Pro?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WiseAJ Avatar
61 months ago

When the new touchId keyboard does become available it is going to be a tough decision. The touchId would be great since I use my M1 MacBook Air docked in clamshell mode most of the time. The problem is that the new keyboard uses the awful up-down arrow key layout. I much prefer the traditional t-shape arrow key layout and I use the arrow keys much more than I do the touchId.

Not sure what I’ll do when they become available.
Get the full expanded keyboard with number pad. That one has the traditional arrow keys.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)