Magic Keyboard Touch ID not working consistently

Well folks, I thought I had updated to this post a few weeks ago, but apparently that was somewhere else. I am now on Ventura 13.4.1 Sometime during the last updates from 13.3.1 (a) to 13.4.1 I decided to unplug the power cable and reset the keyboard and try TouchID again. It has been working flawlessly. Go figure. It is the only reason I bought this keyboard. I use TouchID for every connection that requires a password.

Mini size is failing for me.

I’ve heard someone else on another site say they replaced the mini with the full size and it worked fine. I’m tempted to try the full size now.

It could very well be the mini boards only being affected.

so I unplugged mine last night. Still worked this morning. I’ll report back tomorrow. I’m on the second Sonoma dev release … it never worked right for me in Ventura and needed to be plugged in all the time.

For newer folks here I have a mini Touch ID kb which was replaced twice, Amazon inventory, mbp m2max, docked primarily successfully using Microsoft tb4 dock that recently came out so to its 2.5g nic, dual 4k’s usbc everything.

How much of an issue does this have to be before Apple take note?

You can follow their guide to get it working again and for a short time it does fix the issue, but within a few hours it's back to functioning like any other keyboard.

behnam_omran wrote:

hi.

i'm using the full size (numeric) version and have the same problem.

.

Mac Mini M2 Pro

Mac Os Ventura 13.4

MagicKeyboard 2 Numeric (Full size)

keyboard firmware 1.4.8

There goes my mini vs full size theory :/

Different computers, different keyboards, apparently the only thing we all have in common is that we're using macOS Ventura.

so I unplugged mine last night. Still worked this morning. I’ll report back tomorrow.

Let's see what Swervb reports in the next few days. Having to wait for the next OS is awful and just incredible, but it's better than nothing.

I picked up a new (full size numeric) keyboard from Apple this morning to test the mini vs full size theory.

Since the problem has now been reported with the full size board, I can at least test if the new board (#3) shows improvement over the original mini (#1) and the mini replacement (#2) to confirm that some boards are bad while others are working normally (So maybe hardware related?). Overnight sleep and a few days of usage should be enough. Will report back in 24-hours.

Context

Same: Computer, Mac OS version, and keyboard firmware as before

New: keyboard hardware (#3) Magic Keyboard w/numeric pad A2520

MBA 2020, m1 in clamshell attached to single 4k monitor via DisplayPort

Mac OS: 13.4.1

Keyboard Firmware: 1.4.8

client_zero wrote:

I've noticed that from time to time, when I'm reading something on my screen, or watching a video, a message with the keyboard icon that says "connected" appears. Does this happen to anyone else?

I have the same behavior: at different moments the message "connected" appears and Touch ID stops working after that. After keyboard reconnecting via Bluetooth or the hard switch - works again.

Somone or a few are looking for an update from me.... it would appear that running macOS Sonoma may fix the issues we're talking about with the overal failiure or touch ID, my case on the mini verison. I noticed I think no change with firmware, it continues to be at 1.4.8. After a whole day yesturday undocked, I returned and plugged in my dock. About an hour after I returned and the touchid did wake up my mbp m2 max and logged me in.... This morning I needed to type my password in to enable touch ID again. But touch ID has been working all morning.... It is possible the mbp rebooted for an update.

I'll continue to report. If this continues to work, perhaps we are collectively circling a better working theory that the issues with wireless touchID (seemingly on both the mini and large version) are issues related to Ventura ?

Interesting,

In my case, I'm still running Ventura 13.4.1 with keyboard firmware 1.4.8, the only thing that has changed for me is replacing the keyboard with a new one that has been working flawlessly for 2 days. So replacing the hardware fixed it for me.

Could be OS, Hardware, who knows?

Oh good.... i know probably several dozen people are holding there fingers crossed for you in this thread! Many have expereinced the same, to only then get ****** once their replacement suddenly started to just behave the same as before. But as we all mentioned there are is a majority who don't and have not had issues from day one.

The mystery continues as to what are the variables. It seems all these keyboards ship with the same firmware... so that can't be it.... mixed reports of Ventura potentially being the culpurate but there a few who have reverted back and had issues... keeping it plugged in seems to be the general consensus of ensuring it always works when it didn't wirelessly.

So far on Sonoma I'm getting a good result. BTW Sonoma seems pretty solid in its early release... I haven't come accross a single issue and use it for my daily use.

Swervb wrote:

it would appear that running macOS Sonoma may fix the issues

need to watch a little longer - my keyboard worked flawlessly for a week, but today it started to turn off Touch ID again up to 15 times a day... Ventura 13.4.1

Thanks everyone for the reports.

Hoping macOS Sonoma will get touch id working as it should, but until then this is a complete mess.

Only thing we're certain of is that it's power related. When the keyboard is powered by cable it works perfectly, even if connected to a power brick and communicating with the computer using bluetooth. So there must be a problem with some power saving configuration that turns off the keyboard when it isn't used for a certain period of time. When it turns on again, touch id stops working.

Why this happens to only a few of us I have no idea.

Apple support tells me I have to reinstall the OS to be sure this isn't software related and only then will they check if this is a hardware problem. Has anyone here tried this? I have no intention of reinstalling macOS when I am 99% sure it won't make any difference.

If anyone is in the warranty period, they might be able to take it to Apple or an authorized retailer for a claim. It's not an ideal solution, but I feel like they should honor that as a manufacturing defect. At least then Apple employees can't act like they haven't heard of this problem.

If the new board doesn't work, rinse and repeat until you get a working one.

a weird thing happend today.

i decided to let my keyboard use all of the battery and guess what?

the touch id is working around 5% battery, even after not using keyboard after long time.

i'm gonna wait for 0% and i'll plug it and will tell you.

-------------------------------------

-magic keyboard 2 numeric (full size) firmware1.4.8

-mac mini m2 pro

-ventura 13.4

I cannot be OS related. I have the same issue on both of my Mac products which are not running from time machine backups of each other. Personally I think it must be just some of the keyboards not jelling with any of the Mac products. Likely a batch fault or something considering how many millions of these keyboards must be in the wild