Are you a Mac user obsessed with mechanical keyboards (like me?).
It’s not always easy to make these keyboards work with Apple products–so does KBD67 work on mac? Or how about the KBD75?
Yes, the KBD67 mechanical keyboard is compatible with Mac. However, you will need to tweak 1-2 settings first, especially the keyboard modifiers. You can do this through the macOS System Preferences–or use software like Via (which the KBD67 supports) to change key binds, macros, etc.
In fact, the KBD67 Lite R3 is actually the MAIN keyboard I use on my Mac!
Below I’ll be breaking down some other Mac tips & tricks for your KBD67.
Read on ⌨️
Do KBDfans Mechanical Keyboards Work With a Mac?
Yes, they do! I’ll walk you through the settings just below.
- KBD67 Lite R3
- KBD75
- Etc
All of these work on Mac.
However, it’s worth noting that KBDfans keyboards (and most mechanical keyboards, for that matter) are technically Windows keyboards by default.
Here’s the main difference between Mac and Windows computers:
- The Modifier keys: These are your Control, Option, Windows, and Command keys. On a Windows keyboard, the modifier keys are in a different order than they are on a Mac.
- The Keycaps: This won’t affect functionality, but KBD67 keyboards come with keycaps showing the Windows logo (and generally don’t come with a “Command” logo keycap
- Various Functions: On some Apple keyboards, you might have access to the Launchpad, Mission Control, or Siri features. These don’t come on KBD67 keyboards
PRO TIP: On the KBD67 Lite R3 (and most other KBDfans keyboards) the Function key is located 2 keys over from the spacebar to the right. Space bar, Command/Control, then the Function key.
All that said, there are a few simple tweaks that can make your KBD67 keyboard 99% functionality on any MacOS device.
Let’s get into it.
How to Connect KBD67 to a Mac Computer
More Tips: Can a mechanical keyboard work on a Mac? Full Setup Guide
Here are the steps:
- Plug your keyboard into your Mac
- Open System Preferences → Keyboard
- Under the “Modifier Keys…” dropdown, switch the Option and Command keys. This will put your modifier keys in the correct order for a Mac
That’s it! You should now have a fully functioning KBD67 keyboard on your Mac.
Troubleshooting tips if you experience any problems connecting or using KBD67
If you’re having trouble connecting your KBD67 to a Mac, or if some keys aren’t working correctly, here are a few troubleshooting tips:
Reset your external keyboard for your Mac
When you first connect your KBD67 to your machine, you should see a popup assistant asking you to press a few keys to determine the layout, etc.
But you can also delete your keyboard preferences file to start from scratch.
Here’s what you do:
- Disconnect the keyboard
- Head to Finder and click the hard drive icon (under Devices)
- Head to the Library folder, and then the Preferences folder
- Click on the file named com.apple.keyboardtype.plist and drag that into the trash!
- Empty your trash
- Reconnect the keyboard via USB
You should see the setup assistant again! Follow the instructions and you should be good to go.
Reach out to KBD67 support or post on Reddit
If you’re still having issues connecting the KBD67 to your Mac, you might either…
- Head to KBDfans website and contact their support team. They’re a decent sized company at this point and should respond promptly
- Post on the r/mk subreddit with your issue (be detailed)
Mechanical Keyboard Tips for Mac Users
There are a few other tips and tricks to making the most out of your mechanical keyboard on a Mac:
- Via (only for Via-supported keyboards)
- Keyboard Maestro: A SLICK hotkey & macro tool that’s cheap and flexible!
The great news is, all of the KBD67 keyboards support Via and QMK!
To get started, you can…
- Download and install the Via software (it’s free)
- Connect your KBD67 keyboard
- The software SHOULD automatically detect your keyboard, and you can start making changes immediately.
If that doesn’t work for any reason, you might head to your keyboard product page and download the specific JSON file (and then install it in Via).
You can not create and assign macros, edit key assignments, create function layers, and more!
But even if you use via, we also want to toss on Keyboard Maestro as an additional tool.
We recommend grabbing Keyboard Maestro!
Keyboard Maestro is a GAME-CHANGER for any Mac user, really, but especially if you’re constantly switching mechanical keyboards, etc.
It does cost about $30-40 (one time, not a subscription), but it’s totally worth it.
You can use Keyboard Maestro to…
- Set up custom keybinds for ANY key on your keyboard
- Create custom macros
- Change modifier keys
- SO much more
It’s an insanely powerful tool. We highly recommend it (then check out some tutorial videos on YouTube).
Other Mac-friendly keyboards
Though we love everything that KBD67 puts out, there are several other keyboards that work great for Macs too!
- All Keychron keyboards (can’t go wrong with the 75% K2, or the low-profile K7)
- Anne Pro 2
- GMMK and GMMK Pro
- Budget Pick: RK84 (this has a Fn keybind to switch between macOS and Windows)
Want to see our full list? Read this post: The 7 Best Mechanical Keyboards for Mac.
If you’re still shopping for your mech, you can also gauge more of our setup guides here:
- Does the GMMK Pro work with Mac?
- Does Redragon work with Mac?
- Can Mechanical Keyboards Be Used on Mac?
Happy clacking, Mac friends!
Mac Keyboards F.A.Q.s
Can a gaming keyboard work with Mac?
Absolutely! Just about any keyboard (mechanical or membrane) will work on a Mac, but you might have to tweak a few settings first (including the modifier keys). This process will be different depending on your specific keyboard, but you can start by changing the modifier keys (Command & Option, specifically) in the macOS System Preferences. With that done, your gaming keyboard should be compatible with most Mac activities.
Is KBD67 Lite Mac compatible?
Yes, the KBD67 Lite keyboards will work with Mac computers. However, you’ll need to change the modifier key settings under System Preferences first (to switch the Command & Option keybinds). You can also use software like Via to adjust keybinds, macros, etc, to your preferences.