Apple Keyboard

Some keyboard models that use the Apple keyboard driver may have swapped keys or missing functionality. This article describes how to change the settings for the keyboard so that it behaves as expected.

Related articles

Numlock is on

You may find that the numlock is on. The symptoms are that only the physical keys 7,8,9,u,i,o,j,k, and surrounding keys work and output numbers. To fix this hit twice. You might need to use a utility like .

Alternatively, set the keycodes manually using xmodmap to avoid use Numlock:

keycode  90 = KP_0 KP_0 KP_0 KP_0 KP_0 KP_0
keycode  87 = KP_1 KP_1 KP_1 KP_1 KP_1 KP_1
keycode  88 = KP_2 KP_2 KP_2 KP_2 KP_2 KP_2
keycode  89 = KP_3 KP_3 KP_3 KP_3 KP_3 KP_3
keycode  83 = KP_4 KP_4 KP_4 KP_4 KP_4 KP_4
keycode  84 = KP_5 KP_5 KP_5 KP_5 KP_5 KP_5
keycode  85 = KP_6 KP_6 KP_6 KP_6 KP_6 KP_6
keycode  79 = KP_7 KP_7 KP_7 KP_7 KP_7 KP_7
keycode  80 = KP_8 KP_8 KP_8 KP_8 KP_8 KP_8
keycode  81 = KP_9 KP_9 KP_9 KP_9 KP_9 KP_9

Repeating keys on a wireless keyboard

Unpair the keyboard and then re-pair it. The trick is to hold down the power button throughout the entire pairing process.

hid_apple module options
  • fnmode - Mode of top-row keys
   0 = disabled
   1 = normally media keys, switchable to function keys by holding Fn key (Default)
   2 = normally function keys, switchable to media keys by holding Fn key
  • swap_opt_cmd - Swap the Option ("Alt") and Command ("Flag") keys
   0 = as silkscreened, Mac layout (Default)
   1 = swapped, PC layout
  • iso_layout - Enable/Disable hardcoded ISO-layout of the keyboard. Possibly relevant for international keyboard layouts
   0 = disabled,
   1 = enabled (Default)
  • swap_fn_leftctrl - Swap the Fn and left Control keys
   0 = as silkscreened, Mac layout (Default)
   1 = swapped, PC layout

Function keys do not work

If your keys do not work, this is probably because the kernel driver for the keyboard has defaulted to using the media keys and requiring you to use the Fn key to get to the keys. To change the behavior temporarily, append 2 to .

# echo 2 >> /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode

To make the change permanent, set the option to 2:

To apply the change to your initial ramdisk, in your mkinitcpio configuration (usually ), make sure you either have included in the variable or in the variable. You would then need to regenerate the initramfs.

Switching Cmd and Alt/AltGr

This will switch the left Alt and Cmd key as well as the right Alt/ and Cmd key.

Temporary and immediate solution:

# echo "1" > /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/swap_opt_cmd

Permanent change, taking place at next reboot:

You then need to regenerate the initramfs.

Swap the Fn and left Control keys

This will switch the Fn and left keys.

Temporary and immediate solution:

# echo "1" > /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/swap_fn_leftctrl

Permanent change, taking place at next reboot:

You then need to regenerate the initramfs.

< and > have changed place with ^ and ° (or @ and #, or ` and ~)

With German layout, / symbol and / are exchanged. With French layout, / are exchanged. With the US layout, `/ and / are exchanged.

To change the behavior temporarily:

# echo "0" > /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/iso_layout

To make the change permanent, set the option to 0:

You then need to regenerate the initramfs.

PrintScreen and SysRq

Apple Keyboards have an key instead of a /SysRq key. This means that Alt+SysRq sequences do not work, and application actions associated with (such as taking screenshots in many games that work under Wine) do not work. To fix this, you can add to your . This will map /SysRq to , as well as Scroll lock to and to .

Alternatively, follow the Map scancodes to keycodes article to map the scancode to the /SysRq keycode, where 458856 (0x070068) is the scancode of , and is the keycode of /SysRq.

Treating Apple keyboards like regular keyboards

Depending on the customisations you want to accomplish, there are two solutions available and some options that are in the kernel. You need to choose one of the other.

Use a patch to hid-apple

While the original module does not have options to further customize the keyboard, like swapping Fn and left keys or having Alt on the left side of Super, there is a patched version adding this functionality to the module. To use it, install the package. This will install the patched and mask out the original one.

The package uses DKMS to automatically recompile the module during kernel upgrades. While the will be pulled in by dependency. You still need to install an appropriate kernel header package manually. See the DKMS page for more info.

In addition to the patched kernel module, a configuration file is also provided by the package at /usr/lib/modprobe.d/hid_apple.conf, which enables PC-like layout by default:

  • Top-row keys are normally function keys, switchable to media keys by holding Fn key, as in #Function keys do not work.
  • Four keys at the lower left corner act as , Fn, Super, Alt, in this order.
  • Two keys at the lower right corner act as Alt, , in this order.
  • If you have an key, it will act as key.

If you wish to change the default options, copy the configuration file to and make desired changes:

# cp {/usr/lib,/etc}/modprobe.d/hid_apple.conf

The file under will completely override the one with the same name under , and the content is NOT merged.

Alternatively, put additional options in a file with a different name if you want to keep default ones,

Please refer to the project README for the exact meaning of each configuration option and tweaking the configuration file to suit your needs. Learn more about at Kernel module#Using files in /etc/modprobe.d/.

After installation, reboot for the change to take effect, or #Change the Behavior Without Reboot.

Troubleshooting configuration not picked up by the module

First, make sure the patched version is loaded, see what parameters are provided by the module:

$ ls /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/

If you do not see new options like swap_fn_leftctrl, , etc., check your DKMS installation.

Then, check if configuration files are correctly included in the initramfs:

$ mkdir /tmp/initramfs
$ cd /tmp/initramfs
# lsinitcpio -x /boot/initramfs-linux.img

Check the presence and content of and any other relevant configuration files in etc/modprobe.d/. If they are not there, you should check your to include those. By default, there should be a hook that automatically include those files, if not, add it to the HOOKS array after .

Alternatively, specify those files in FILES array explicitly:

FILES=(/usr/lib/modprobe.d/hid_apple.conf)

Finally, regenerate the initramfs and reboot.

Use un-apple-keyboard

If you do not need all of these customizations and you do not want to compile a new module manually or using dkms, there is an AUR package which does not rely on a new kernel module, but rather just to mappings. It enables the following features:

  • The keyboard is considered as an ISO keyboard (e.g. and located at the right of the key are working like expected).
  • The function keys are disabled by default. You need to press the Fn key in combination to trigger them. By default, the behavior are thus keys to
  • The Alt and Cmd keys are swapped.
  • is mapped to , to Scroll Lock and to .

The first 3 aforementioned features are brought to you using the default linux kernel module .

The last one is provided by providing a mapping to .

Change the Behavior Without Reboot

To reload the kernel module without reboot, run

Magic Keyboard does not connect

If you have a magic keyboard that will not connect to the system through the built in tools, such as the Gnome 3 bluetooth menu in settings, install and its dependencies and attempt to connect with it. If it still fails to connect, make sure you have bluetoothctl and hcitool installed.

Enable dvorak/dvp

By default xkb loads translation table (actually called ) macintosh_vndr/us for macintosh keyboard:

$ setxkbmap -print -verbose 10 | grep symbols

This translation table located in and do not contains dvorak/dvp layout. You can use default translation table from and add command in your .profile for forced loading layout:

# mv /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/macintosh_vndr/us /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/macintosh_vndr/us.back
# cp /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/us /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/macintosh_vndr/us
$ echo "setxkbmap -v 10 -layout us -variant dvp" >> .xprofile

No input during root disk decryption

You may have to manually add the module to the mkinitcpio configuration:

MODULES="hid_apple"

Or place the keyboard hook before autodetect so that all keyboard drivers are included:

HOOKS="... keyboard autodetect ..."

Regenerate the initramfs after doing either of these.

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See also
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