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can I use an old wired keyboard on a new iMac 24

Is an older wired apple keyboard compatible on a new iMac 24? I can't get it to work.

iMac 24″, macOS 13.4

Posted on Jun 7, 2023 7:28 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 7, 2023 7:57 PM

Look closely at the USB connector on the keyboard. Some of those old Apple USB keyboards have a little ridge in the plug and came with an extension cable that has a corresponding notch. If you have one of those keyboards, then you need to use the supplied extension cable.

9 replies

Jun 8, 2023 4:54 AM in response to daicemanblue

Some ancient Mac keyboards sold between 1984 and 1999 used "phone cord" connectors or Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) connectors (which look like S-Video connectors, but are incompatible with them).


Those won't work with modern Macs – but the connectors are different enough from USB-A or USB-C ones that you're not likely to mistake them for USB keyboards.


can I use an old wired keyboard on a new iMac 24

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