Does the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

Hardware
1

That’s basically my question: Does the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID unlock the iPad with Face ID if you use it as an external keyboard?

I’m looking to make an iPad only setup, but I’m not sure, I want to spend the extra money on the Touch ID keyboard if it doesn’t work with the iPad.

Is there any way to make the Apple Watch unlock it, like the phone?

Face ID is not very convenient while using an external monitor.

2

Just to clarify: Do you mean pairing the Magic Keyboard with iPad, then use the Touch ID on the Magic Keyboard to unlock the iPad? If so, I’m afraid the answer is no - the Touch ID feature only works with Apple Silicon Macs.

I’m afraid the answer is again no.

3

Thanks. That’s exactly what I mean. I hoped it would be possible because the iPad Pro also has Apple Silicon. But I hadn’t seen any news on it, so I hadn’t gotten my hopes up too high.

Same goes for the Apple Watch. But that’s a shame, though. It works fine on the iPhone, and on the Mac, so that should be possible to turn that on on the iPad too.

4

I agree that it is indeed inconvenient, especially for the Apple Watch unlock feature. I’m guessing the reason Touch ID does not work with M1 iPads is due to limitations on Secure Enclave - ways which Touch ID and Face ID sensors connect to it. Hopefully that will change in the future - especially if Face ID were to be introduced in Macs.

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