How do I install Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center? How do I connect a wired/wireless Microsoft device to my computer? A wireless mouse can make your desk look more modern and neat by eliminating cords. It can also make using the mouse more comfortable for you. The standard Apple Magic Keyboard will serve you well, but if you’re looking for a change, then there's a whole wide world of Mac-compatible products to explore. The best among them is the Matias Wireless Keyboard. The Matias boasts similar performance quality and design, for a cheaper price.
Tuesday, January 17th, 2017 Author: It may not be the best kept secret, but you don’t have to use Apple-branded keyboards with your Mac. You have a wide range of keyboards to choose from, including most of the keyboards made for use with Windows.
I’ll let you in on a little secret; the last Apple-made keyboard I used routinely was the Apple Keyboard (A1048). This was the last keyboard Apple made that included the Apple logo alongside the cloverleaf image on the Command key. I didn’t give up on Apple keyboards because of the missing logo; it was actually because the next generation of Apple keyboards went to the low-profile key design that is still in use today.
I like a keyboard with a bit more key travel, thus I made the move to Windows-based keyboards; I’m currently using a Microsoft Digital Media Pro model. Related: Of course, there are a lot of other reasons to use a Windows keyboard.
You may be coming to the Mac from a Windows environment and already have a favorite keyboard. Or you may like some of the more advanced Windows keyboards that offer more, specialized keys,. (Windows keyboards, such as the Logitech G105 Gaming Keyboard, can offer unique layouts.) No matter the reason, you can use most Window keyboards with your Mac.
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Making the Change to Windows Keyboards Actually making the switch to Windows-based keyboards is surprisingly easy. Apple has supported USB-based keyboards since it abandoned the ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) interface as the primary means of connecting keyboards and mice. Once, users were free to pick just about any USB-based keyboard and use it with their Macs.
No special drivers or software were required, although some keyboard manufacturers did make special software for assigning keys to specific Mac functions (more on that a bit later). Mac Compatible Keyboards A few Windows keyboard manufacturers started churning out “Mac compatible” versions of their more popular keyboards. Making a USB-based Windows keyboard compatible was a pretty simple process; they already were, at least electrically.
You could plug in the Windows keyboard and it would, for the most part work, fine with your Mac. The only real issues were the names given to special keys, and where they were physically located on the keyboard layout. (Matias makes its Quiet Pro keyboards with either a Mac or a Windows layout; the Mac version is shown here.
Image courtesy of Matias.) Some keyboard makers changed the images on the special keys to match the ones Apple used, while others provided a software-based solution that would remap the special Window modifier keys, such as Start, Alt, and Menu/Applications to their corresponding Mac versions. Some keyboard software became pretty sophisticated, able to remap keys globally as well as on a per application basis, which is very handy for remapping game controller settings on your favorite keyboard.
Wireless Compatible Keyboards Apple offered a Bluetooth-based wireless keyboard in 2003, but it wasn’t until 2008 that every Mac model had Bluetooth built in. With Bluetooth supported across the entire Mac lineup, Bluetooth wireless keyboards worked quite nicely with Macs; no special Bluetooth dongle was needed. But while Bluetooth wireless keyboards worked with a Mac, they had the same keyboard mapping issue; some special keys were named differently or weren’t in the expected locations. Once again this issue was solved either through the manufacturers providing software to remap the keys, or by producing special Mac compatible versions of their keyboards. RF Keyboards We’ve covered USB and Bluetooth keyboards, noting that for the most part any USB or Bluetooth keyboard will work with your Mac.
The same isn’t quite as true with RF-based keyboards. This style of keyboard uses a radio transmitter in the keyboard to talk to a receiver, usually located in a dongle that plugs into a USB port. Some RF keyboards will work with Macs and others will not. The problem is in the RF dongle and whether the manufacturer has built the dongle to emulate a standard USB keyboard connection; if so, it should work fine with the Mac. If the dongle uses special driver software, you’ll need a Mac version of the driver software.
Unless you have a specific need for an RF-based keyboard, I recommend using a standard USB or Bluetooth keyboard. If you must use an RF keyboard, track down the manufacturer and make sure they have a Mac version of the driver software. Special Key Differences Generally, there are at least five special keys on a Windows keyboard that have a different name or location than their Mac counterparts. (Win) Ctrl (Mac) Control (Win) Alt (Mac) Option (Win) Windows (Mac) Command (four-leaf clover) (Win) Backspace (Mac) Delete (Win) Enter (Mac) Return And there are some keys, such as the Windows Menu/Applications key, that have no Mac equivalent, and are usually ignored by the Mac.
Remapping Modifier Keys The Mac OS offers a built-in method for remapping the four most often used modifier keys. This simple remapping lets you correct one of the most common issues associated with using a Windows keyboard with a Mac, and that is the physical location of the Alt and Windows keys. As noted above, the Alt key is the same as the Option key on the Mac, while the Windows key is the same as the Command key. The problem is that on a Windows keyboard, these two keys are swapped in respect to their normal placement on the Mac keyboard.
Since their functions are identical, you could just get used to their locations on the Windows keyboard. But if you’re a long-time Mac user, you may find the location difference constantly trips you up. Luckily, you can swap the locations using the Keyboard preference pane. (You can use the Keyboard preference pane to remap Windows modifier keys to match the Mac’s standard keyboard layout.) Launch System Preferences, and then select the Keyboard preference pane. Make sure the Keyboard tab is selected, and then click the Modifier Keys button.
Remapping the modifier keys is on a keyboard-by-keyboard basis. In other words, if you have a MacBook Pro, with its built-in keyboard, as well as a separate Windows keyboard you use when sitting at your desk, you can choose to only modify the Windows keyboard, while leaving the built-in keyboard untouched.
If you have more than one keyboard connected to your Mac, use the dropdown menu to select the keyboard you wish to have the modifier keys remapped on. If you have a single keyboard connected to your Mac, there will be no dropdown menu for selecting a keyboard.
Any changes will apply to the keyboard that’s currently connected. You’ll see four modifier keys you can remap; the Caps Lock Key, Control Key, Option Key, and Command Key.
You’re remapping the key as named on the specific keyboard to the new function you wish that key to have. We’re going to swap the Option and Command key pairs, so they match up to how a normal Mac keyboard is laid out. Use the dropdown menu next to Option ( ⌥) Key: to select ⌘ Command.
Use the dropdown menu next to Command (⌘) Key: to select ⌥ Option. Click the OK button. Close System Preferences. Alternate Remapping Apps While the Mac’s Keyboard preference pane can handle basic modifier key remapping, some Windows keyboards come with their own keyboard drivers that perform this same function, and usually quite a bit more. Most third-party keyboard re-mappers will let you reassign the usual modifier keys, as well as some specialty keys that may be included in the keyboard, such as multimedia keys and all the function keys. The downside of third-party keyboard drivers is that as, there may come a time when a keyboard driver is no longer supported. If that happens, you can revert to using the Mac’s basic ability to remap modifier keys, but you’ll likely lose any special capabilities you enjoyed with your keyboard.
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Driver Model OS Original Upload Date Last Modification Driver File File Size Compatible Computer Models Availabilty To Instalation Manager Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac 1.13472.1 For Windows 7 32 bit alldrivers-1.13472.1.exe 96kb NEC PC-LL560MG3ER, HP H9-1156eg, HP PS512AA-ABA a815, Lenovo 8927W1L, and more. Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac 232.121.1 For Windows 7 64 bit poccec-232.121.1.exe 213kb Acer TravelMate 8531, Compaq NC760AA-AB4 SR5780AP, HP H9-1156eg, ICP / IEi AFL-W19B-GM45, HP HP 655 Not3book PC, Fujitsu PRIMERGY RX350 S7, Sweetwater Sound CS250, Fujitsu AMILO Li 2732, Lenovo ThinkStation D20, Fujitsu FMVS90MB, HP HP ENVY17 NOTEBOOK, Sony VGN-P45GKW, and more.
Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac A40026 For Windows 7 8/24/2014 ugkpy-a40026.exe 178kb Acer Veriton S480G, Sony VPCF13S8R, LG B75PS.AS5MB1D, IBM 23745U9, NEC PC-VJ22MAUEHTXV, HP NQ852AA-ABH IQ830nl, IBM 815772G, LG RD405-A.CDT5A2, Sony VPCSB3AJ, MSI MS-9818, OEGStone DQ67OW, and more. Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac L40786 For Windows 10 3/4/2015 alldrivers-l40786.exe 124kb HP Pavilion dv8000, HP RA956AA-ABH m7580.nl-a, HP HP ENVY 17 3D Notebook PC, Sony SVZ13116GXX, HP HP Compaq nx6320, Panasonic CF-18KDHNBVA, and more. Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac 20691.1 For Windows 10 64 bit alldrivers-20691.1.exe 171kb Panasonic CF-W2FW1AXS, Lenovo 6075Y74, WIPRO WIV, Lenovo ThinkPad W500, Sony VGN-SZ390P, HP 500-108eo, and more.
Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac 2.187 For Windows 7 32 bit 3/3/2015 alldrivers-2.187.exe 219kb NEC EASYNOTE PB47Q01806, ASUS G750JW, Toshiba Dynabook Satellite L45 240E/HD, IBM IBM System x3400 M3 Server -7379KFG, Lenovo 1S0W2, NEC PC-VY26AEZ78, HP Presario V2000, and more. Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac Q33096 For Windows 7 64 bit 2/9/2015 alldrivers-q33096.exe 149kb IBM IBM System X3100 M4 -2582K9G, HP 20-a218d, HP HP Compaq 8710p, HP HP Pavilion dv5000 ES248EA#ABD, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11, HP HP 2000-150CA Notebook PC, HP 220-1100t, and more. Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac U332.19 For Windows 7 3/7/2015 alldrivers-u332.19.exe 210kb WIPRO WSG68B55W7-0009, IBM 8123W8E, LG R580-UP75K, Packard Bell IMEDIA X5609 BE, and more. Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac 2.12601.1 For Windows 10 8/26/2014 -2.12601.1.exe 209kb Intel DQ965GF, ASUS BM2230, HP P6-2463eo, NEC PC-VY16AEDAMFL2, and more. Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac V63906 For Windows 10 64 bit 2/17/2015 alldrivers-v63906.exe 217kb EMachines EL1331-05, Panasonic CF-C1BEAADR, Dell Inspiron 580, Toshiba SATELLITE C855-1X3, and more.
Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac A70902.1 For Windows 8 2/9/2015 alldrivers-a70902.1.exe 165kb Sony VPCCW18FG, CASPER CASPERPRO, Sony VGN-SR49VTH, Lenovo Lenovo IdeaPad Y485, HP HP Compaq dc7600 CMT, Lenovo ThinkStation S20, NEC VERSAM350 NN942000802, HP Pavilion zx5000, MSI GR620, and more. Please Note: There are particular operating systems known to have problems with Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac:. Windows 7 Enterprise (Microsoft Windows NT). Windows Vista Home Premium. Windows Vista Home Basic.
Windows XP Professional. Windows Vista Home Premium. Windows Vista Ultimate. Windows Vista Enterprise (Microsoft Windows NT 6.0.6000.0). Windows 10 If you encounter problems with the direct download for these operating systems, please consult the driver download manager for the specific Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac model.