This Decapitated MacBook Keyboard is the Bizarre Upgrade Your Vision Pro Needs

As impressive as the Apple Vision Pro is, typing on a virtual keyboard is... Not perfect. So, your alternative is using an external one — but what if you still want that classic MacBook keyboard experience?

If you’re that person, YouTuber Luke Miani has come up with a wild mod for Apple’s spatial computer and it borrows some functionality from a MacBook Air that has its screen removed. Yes, it requires dissecting your expensive MacBook, and yes it seems like an over-the-top way to upgrade your equally expensive Vision Pro.

But it still beats poking away virtually like someone who discovered a keyboard for the first time. People have already been pairing the Vision Pro with external keyboards, but this mod gives you the benefit of a trackpad, as well as running both MacOS and VisionOS at the same time. It’s a ridiculous idea but Miani might be onto something here.

It’s Not Brain Surgery

The process to get your Apple Vision Pro paired up with a decapitated MacBook isn’t easy. We don’t suggest disassembling Apple’s products unless you’re following along with Miani’s own process or iFixit’s screen replacement guide. Once you’ve completed your MacBook surgery, you can simply strap on your Vision Pro and connect as you normally would if your laptop still had its display.

Even Miani admits this experiment is silly and impractical, but it does work. It’s a symbiotic relationship since you don’t have to look at an empty screen when you pair your MacBook with the Vision Pro and you get a more comfortable typing experience when using the headset.

It certainly breathes new life into the trend of headless MacBooks, which have long been repurposed as de-facto Mac Minis. Now with the recent release of the Apple Vision Pro, there may be some renewed momentum behind upcycling HalfBook Airs and Pros again.

Mod At Your Own Risk

It’s worth noting that this mod takes some tinkering know-how and could potentially void your MacBook warranty. Just imagine the conversation with Apple Support if something goes wrong. There’s also a good chance that Apple negates all this DIY fun with a software update that creates a better in-device typing experience.

We can’t forget about the heavy cost associated with this mod. You need to have at least $3,500 for the Vision Pro itself, but at least another $1,000 for the cheapest MacBook Air to get Frankenstein’d. A much more affordable approach would be to buy a modern MacBook with a cracked screen or a mechanical keyboard with Bluetooth. But MacBook purists are going to do what MacBook purists do.