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Magnetic keyboard switches use a moving magnet and the keyboard’s sensors to detect key movement through changes in a magnetic field. The keyboard’s firmware interprets those readings and determines when a press registers. Adjustable actuation therefore depends on the supported keyboard system, including its sensors, switches, and software. Source: Akko
If you own a magnetic keyboard or are choosing replacement switches, start with your exact keyboard model and revision. A magnetic label alone does not establish that a replacement will fit or have the right firmware support.
Before you buy:
- Record the keyboard model, circuit board revision, installed switches, and firmware version.
- Check physical fit, magnet orientation, and exact switch-profile support separately.
- Treat Hall Effect and TMR as different magnetic sensing technologies.
- Choose the exact switch variant and pack only after confirming the pairing.
This guide explains those checks using manufacturer documentation. It is a research-based buying guide, with no hands-on testing or measured performance comparisons.
Jump to: Identify your keyboard · How sensing works · Hall Effect and TMR · Buying worksheet · Wooting example · Firmware checks · FAQs
Identify your keyboard before shopping
Create a short record of what you already have. Copy the full keyboard name, its printed circuit board (PCB) revision if available, its sensor type, and the exact installed switch variant. Also record the firmware version and configuration software version separately.
Use the manufacturer’s product documentation and configuration utility where available. Preserve suffixes such as “v2,” “Medium,” or “Air” when searching for support information. For example, Wooting’s 60HE v2 specifications identify Lekker Tikken Medium, while its switch page gives specifications specifically for that Medium variant. Sources: Wooting keyboard specifications, Tikken Medium specifications
Then decide what you want to change. If your goal is a different actuation setting, check your keyboard’s existing software options first. If your goal is a different switch force or travel distance, begin a replacement compatibility check. Keeping those goals separate helps you ask the manufacturer a precise question.
What are magnetic keyboard switches doing when you press a key?
The useful distinction is between movement, sensing, and input behavior. Pressing the switch moves its magnet; a sensor detects the changing magnetic field; the keyboard interprets that reading. Akko describes both Hall Effect and TMR keyboards as magnetic sensing systems. Source: Akko’s sensing explanation
Actuation is the point at which the keyboard registers a press. With adjustable actuation, the keyboard lets you choose that point through its configuration system. The available settings belong to the keyboard implementation; a replacement switch does not independently supply the complete feature. Source: Akko
Wooting provides a concrete software example. Its April 13, 2026, Wootility 5.3.0 release describes a Switch Selector for ARM devices that uses the installed switch type to optimize calibration and analog interpretation. The accompanying firmware notes describe switch-specific analog models. That is why checking software support belongs in the same buying decision as checking the switch itself. Source: Wootility 5.3.0 release notes
Hall Effect and TMR are different sensor technologies
Hall Effect, often shortened to HE, and Tunnel Magnetoresistance, or TMR, are distinct ways to sense magnetic movement. Akko’s July 30, 2026, explanation discusses both technologies and shows why the sensor label alone does not settle switch compatibility. Source: Akko’s Hall Effect and TMR explanation
Akko attributes the 5075 V5 TMR’s support for magnetic switches and five-pin MX mechanical switches to its PCB layout. In that implementation, sensor placement leaves room for a conventional mechanical hot-swap socket. The support is a documented feature of that model. Source: Akko
The same article describes the FUNBOX Hall Effect leverless arcade controller as supporting mechanical switches through an implementation without per-key lighting. That example matters because it prevents a simple but incorrect shopping rule: hybrid mechanical support cannot be assigned exclusively to every TMR product or ruled out for every Hall Effect product. Source: Akko
If mechanical-switch support matters to you, look for an explicit statement for the exact device. Keep that confirmation separate from approval for a particular magnetic replacement.
Use this before-buying worksheet
Copy this worksheet into your shopping notes. For each candidate switch, record the answer and the manufacturer document that supports it. An unanswered compatibility field is a reason to ask support before ordering.
| Check | What to record | What completes the check |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard identity | Full model and PCB revision, where available | Documentation matching your exact board |
| Sensor type | Hall Effect or TMR | The board maker’s stated technology |
| Installed switch | Full name and variant | A documented starting configuration |
| Replacement identity | Full switch name and revision | An exact product match, including suffixes |
| Physical fit | Housing and plate fit; travel and clearance | Exact-board confirmation or applicable maker documentation |
| Magnetic match | Required magnet orientation and approved switch pairing | Board and switch documentation that agree |
| Firmware profile | Exact supported switch name and applicable board | Current maker guidance or support confirmation |
| Replacement procedure | Applicable installation and calibration instructions | Current instructions for your exact model |
| Selected offer | Quantity, condition, seller, delivery, and returns | Terms for the specific pack you will order |
The worksheet combines separate checks illustrated by the official sources: Akko documents model-specific PCB support, Gateron specifies magnet orientation, and Wooting documents switch-specific calibration profiles. It is a buying aid rather than a universal compatibility list. Sources: Akko, Gateron Jade Air, Wootility release notes
Why matching polarity is only one completed field
Gateron specifies that the Magnetic Jade Air HE switch has its N-pole facing down toward the PCB. Its product page also makes a broad compatibility statement based on that orientation. That tells you the stated magnetic orientation, but it does not independently establish clearance or a named firmware profile for your exact keyboard. Source: Gateron Jade Air product page
For a practical example, suppose you are considering Jade Air for a Wooting keyboard. You can enter its N-down orientation in your notes. Leave exact-board fit and current profile approval unresolved until you obtain the relevant confirmation; the orientation statement alone does not complete those rows.
A documented example: Wooting 60HE v2 and Tikken Medium
Wooting’s 60HE v2 technical specifications name Lekker Tikken Medium switches. This establishes a documented factory pairing for that keyboard, giving you a firmer starting point than a general “magnetic switch” description. It does not establish approval for arbitrary magnetic replacements. Source: Wooting 60HE v2
Wooting’s separate Tikken Medium page supplies the following specifications:
| Specification | Lekker Tikken Medium |
|---|---|
| Switch action | Linear |
| Factory lubrication | Medium factory lubrication |
| Start force | 42 gf |
| End force | 54 gf |
| Travel distance | 4 mm |
| Spring length | 22 mm |
| Materials | Nonmagnetic steel spring, nylon bottom housing, PC top housing, POM stem |
| Spring-pack compatibility | Wooting Spring Packs |
These are manufacturer specifications for Tikken Medium. Keep the force labels “start” and “end” intact when comparing listings, and do not transfer these values to Tikken Light or other Lekker versions. Source: Lekker Tikken Medium specifications
The keyboard’s package type also deserves a check. Wooting lists three spare Lekker Tikken switches with each aluminum and plastic prebuilt package. The module is described separately as excluding switches, keycaps, and a case. If you are buying a module, build your switch order around the selected module’s documented requirements and contents. Source: Wooting’s package contents
Use this example as a method: establish the exact board-and-switch pairing, then read the matching switch specifications. It is not a ranking of magnetic switches by sound, speed, or typing quality.
Firmware profiles matter as much as the switch name
The April 13, 2026, Wootility 5.3.0 release documents stable ARM Switch Selector support for Lekker v1/v2, Lekker Tikken, and named third-party switches. The accompanying firmware 2.13.0 notes describe revised calibration and analog models for Tikken and other third-party switches. Source: Wooting’s dated release notes
Names must match precisely. That release lists Gateron Jade Gaming, Jade Pro, Jade Ruby, Jade Ultra, Jade Emerald, and Spark. It does not name Jade Air. Its omission from this dated list establishes neither current incompatibility nor current approval; use current exact-model guidance to resolve the question. Sources: Wootility 5.3.0, Gateron Jade Air
Adjustment increments and minimum settings are different
The same release distinguishes an ARM actuation adjustment increment of 0.05 mm from a minimum actuation setting of 0.1 mm. An increment describes the spacing between selectable settings. It does not mean that the smallest setting is 0.05 mm. Source: Wootility actuation notes
These are historical release details, not instructions to install that version. The captured changelog navigation also lists Wootility 5.4.2, dated September 9, 2026. Before changing switches, consult the manufacturer’s current instructions for your exact board, supported profile, and calibration procedure. Source: Wooting changelog
Confirm the selected pack before ordering
Once compatibility is established, compare the actual offers. Verify the full variant name, revision, quantity, condition, seller identity, delivery terms, and return conditions. Record the selected options rather than relying on a listing’s headline.
For an unresolved pairing, send support a focused question: “I have this keyboard model and PCB revision, running this firmware. Does this exact switch variant have physical and magnetic support, a supported profile, and a documented replacement procedure?” Include the full product names from your worksheet.
Use the official pages linked here to check specifications and documentation. Confirm current availability and seller terms separately when you choose an offer.
Frequently asked questions
Are all magnetic keyboard switches interchangeable?
No. Treat compatibility as a match between the exact board, switch variant, magnetic requirements, physical fit, and firmware support. Akko documents support tied to particular PCB implementations, while Wooting documents named switch profiles. A shared magnetic label does not complete those checks. Sources: Akko, Wooting
Will a replacement switch add adjustable actuation or Rapid Trigger?
Check the keyboard’s documented features first. Wooting lists adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger among the 60HE v2’s configurable features, while its release notes separately address switch profiles and calibration. A switch purchase alone does not establish that another keyboard supports those behaviors. Sources: Wooting 60HE v2, Wootility release notes
Can a TMR keyboard accept ordinary mechanical switches?
Some documented implementations can. Akko identifies five-pin MX mechanical support on the 5075 V5 TMR and explains the PCB layout behind it. Confirm that feature for the specific device you are buying; TMR is a sensor technology, not a universal promise of mechanical-switch support. Source: Akko
Which magnetic switches should I choose for my keyboard?
Start with the exact factory pairing or a replacement explicitly supported by the board maker. The 60HE v2 and Tikken Medium provide one documented factory example. For another candidate, finish the worksheet before comparing force or travel preferences, and obtain support confirmation for any unresolved pairing. Sources: Wooting keyboard, switch-profile documentation
Make the choice from your keyboard’s documentation
Magnetic switches work as part of a sensing and firmware system. Choose a replacement by completing the exact-board worksheet, then confirm the selected variant and pack. If a compatibility field remains unanswered, use that specific question to contact the manufacturer before buying.
Source basis: Official manufacturer pages captured October 15, 2026. Historical release dates are identified where relevant.