Apple Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad 2 for Windows

What Pearipherals adds

Magic Keyboard function keys on Windows

F1/F2 adjust display brightness; F3 opens Task View; F4 opens Windows Search. F6 opens the Windows Snipping Tool selection overlay. F7–F9 control media, and F10–F12 control mute and volume. F5 passes through unchanged.

Hold Ctrl, Alt, Shift or Win to send the original F-key, so shortcuts such as Alt+F4 still work. The Mac F-row can be switched off from the tray. Brightness uses available display controls, with gamma dimming as a fallback; behavior depends on the display and connection.

Magic Trackpad 2 three-finger gestures

Choose Swipes (down to minimize, up to restore, left/right for Task View), Drag for three-finger dragging and text selection, or Off. Normal pointer movement and two-finger scrolling stay with the separate driver.

A natural-scrolling toggle is included. Reconnect the trackpad or reboot after changing it, because Windows reads that setting when the device connects. Four-finger gestures are not handled.

Battery levels and low-battery warnings

The tray shows keyboard and trackpad battery values separately. Fresh readings trigger low-battery notifications at 20% or below, with one critical escalation at 5% or below. A fresh reading of 25% or above rearms that device; charging reports suppress warnings.

Warnings are best effort, not a guarantee before a battery dies. The app must be running and receiving fresh data. Sleeping or disconnected devices, Windows notification settings and Do Not Disturb can prevent warnings. Real low-battery transitions and hardware sleep/wake were not explicitly tested for this release.

Full feature documentation and limitations

Installation and first launch

1. Check the Windows and Bluetooth hardware requirements above. For Magic Trackpad 2 pointer movement and two-finger scrolling, follow the separate driver’s installation documentation. Keyboard mappings, battery display and monitor controls do not require that trackpad driver.
2. Read the v1.2.1 unsigned release notes, including the warning, checksum and testing limits. If your security policy blocks the app, do not weaken protections to proceed.
3. Keep the portable EXE in a persistent folder you control, such as C:\Tools\Pearipherals. When updating, back up the old EXE and its adjacent pearipherals.json, then quit the old instance before replacing files. Preserve the original touchpad-settings backup in that configuration.
4. Launch only when ready: first launch enables autostart and applies touchpad settings, then explains those changes in a notification. The configuration and optional error log stay beside the EXE.
5. Open About / status… from the tray to check the version, build identity and observed device state. Choose the function-key and gesture options you want. Keep your previous EXE and matching configuration backup until satisfied with an update.

Complete quick start · Update and rollback instructions

How to remove Pearipherals

1. Select Prepare for removal… in the tray, confirm and inspect every result. It disables custom input features, removes startup entries and restores backed-up Windows touchpad settings. Resolve any reported restoration failure before deleting the settings backup.
2. Select Quit. Preparing for removal does not quit the app or delete files.
3. Delete the EXE and adjacent runtime files you no longer need: pearipherals.json, pearipherals.err.log and pearipherals-diagnostics.json.

The separately installed trackpad driver is not removed by deleting Pearipherals. See the full removal guide for the manual recovery alternative.

Pearipherals and Magic Utilities

Looking for a free, open-source Magic Utilities alternative? Pearipherals may suit the documented Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad 2 Bluetooth setup on Windows 10/11 x64. It provides function-key controls, custom three-finger gestures and battery monitoring under the MIT license.

It is not a driver or a feature-for-feature replacement. Trackpad pointer movement and two-finger scrolling still need the separate mac-precision-touchpad driver. The current Pearipherals beta is unsigned and hardware coverage is still being validated.

Magic Utilities provides its own Windows drivers and documents Bluetooth and wired USB support, including Magic Mouse support. Check its official device and feature documentation if you need that broader scope. Pearipherals does not claim Magic Mouse support or validated wired USB input. Choose based on your exact hardware, features and security requirements; the products are not interchangeable.

Frequently asked questions

Does Apple Magic Trackpad 2 work on Windows 11?

The documented setup is Magic Trackpad 2 over Bluetooth on Windows 10/11 x64, with the separately installed mac-precision-touchpad driver for pointer movement and two-finger scrolling. Pearipherals adds custom three-finger gestures, natural-scrolling control and battery display. Not every hardware revision or setup has been validated.

How do I get Apple Magic Keyboard function keys on Windows?

Pearipherals gives supported Bluetooth Magic Keyboards Mac-style brightness, Task View, Search, Snipping Tool, media and volume actions. F5 passes through unchanged. Hold Ctrl, Alt, Shift or Win to send the original F-key. The Fn key is not exposed over this Bluetooth path.

How can I check Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad battery levels on Windows?

Open the Pearipherals tray menu to see separate keyboard and trackpad battery readings when supported devices provide data. Low-battery notifications trigger on fresh readings at 20% or below, with one critical escalation at 5% or below. Warnings are best effort, not a guarantee before a battery dies.

Why is a battery reading missing or a low-battery alert not showing?

Sleeping or disconnected devices may not provide fresh data. Missing or stale readings are not treated as zero. Windows notification settings, Do Not Disturb and Explorer can suppress alerts. Check About / status in the tray; the app must be running and receiving fresh readings.

Is Pearipherals a free, open-source alternative to Magic Utilities?

Pearipherals may suit people looking for free function-key controls, custom three-finger gestures and battery monitoring for the documented Bluetooth setup. It is MIT-licensed, with no paid tier. It is not a feature-for-feature replacement or a trackpad driver: Magic Trackpad 2 still needs the separate mac-precision-touchpad driver. The current Pearipherals beta is unsigned and not every hardware revision has been validated.

Does Pearipherals replace a Windows Magic Trackpad driver?

No. It is a companion utility and does not bundle or replace mac-precision-touchpad. Install that driver separately for Magic Trackpad 2 pointer movement and two-finger scrolling. Keyboard mappings, battery display and monitor controls do not require the trackpad driver.

Are USB-C models, wired USB and Windows on ARM supported?

The documented setup is Bluetooth on Windows 10/11 x64. USB-C hardware revisions, wired USB input and Windows on ARM are not claimed as validated. Do not assume support from the Magic Keyboard or Magic Trackpad product name alone.

Can I use three-finger gestures and change scrolling direction?

Choose Swipes for down to minimize, up to restore and left/right for Task View; choose Drag for three-finger dragging and text selection, or Off. The natural-scrolling toggle requires a trackpad reconnect or reboot. Four-finger gestures are not handled.

Can I control Apple Studio Display brightness on Windows?

Pearipherals tries Apple Studio Display USB HID control, then DDC/CI for compatible monitors, then GPU gamma-ramp dimming. Results depend on the display and connection. A video-only USB-C-to-DisplayPort cable carries no USB control data; gamma dimming is a software fallback, not native backlight control.

Why does Windows show an unknown publisher or block the EXE?

The current v1.2.1 beta is unsigned, so Windows cannot verify its publisher. SmartScreen may warn and Smart App Control may block it without a per-app exception. Do not disable system-wide security protections. Public source and a SHA-256 checksum do not replace a trusted digital signature or guarantee safety.

Does Pearipherals collect data or require an account?

No account is required. The app has no telemetry or automatic uploads. Optional diagnostic reports are saved locally only when requested, for you to review before choosing to share them.

How do I uninstall Pearipherals and undo its changes?

Use Prepare for removal from the tray and inspect every result. Resolve restoration failures before deleting your settings backup, then choose Quit and delete the EXE and adjacent runtime files. First launch enables autostart and applies touchpad settings; removal restores the backed-up settings and removes startup entries. The separate trackpad driver is not removed.

Where can I report a working setup or a problem?

Use the GitHub compatibility report form for working or failing setups, or the bug report form for a problem. Include your Windows version, product model, connection type and what worked or failed. Do not share serial numbers, Bluetooth addresses or raw HID data; review any diagnostics before posting.

Report a working or failing setup · Report a bug