How do I set up a Mac mini without a keyboard or mouse?
Setup Assistant needs a keyboard, and a Mac that has never been set up often won’t pair a third-party Bluetooth one. So you need a wired keyboard or an Apple one you can plug in by cable.
If you own a MacBook, RigValet makes it that wired keyboard and mouse. One USB-C cable, no pairing, nothing to buy.
Why a new Mac mini needs a keyboard
A Mac mini ships with no keyboard, no mouse and no display. The first thing it shows is Setup Assistant, and Setup Assistant is driven from a keyboard and a pointer.
Screen Sharing and Remote Login are off until setup is done. So there is no way in over the network either. Until someone finishes setup, the Mac only listens to what is plugged into it.
Your options
| Option | Cost | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow a USB keyboard and mouse | $0 | Someone nearby has to own them. |
| Buy a cheap wired set | Under $20 | A trip or a delivery wait. Then they live in a drawer. |
| Apple Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse | About $178 | You pair them by plugging them in with a cable anyway. |
| Apple Business Manager and an MDM | An organisation and an MDM subscription | Some Setup Assistant screens still appear. |
| RigValet | $29, once | SIP off on the MacBook, and a USB-C cable that carries data. |
The Mac mini with M4 has only USB-C ports. An old USB-A keyboard needs an adapter too.
How RigValet does it
RigValet turns a USB-C port on your MacBook into a real USB keyboard and mouse. The Mac mini sees an ordinary wired keyboard, so it works from the very first screen. There is no pairing and no discovery.
- Install RigValet on the MacBook. It walks you through preparing it, which includes turning off SIP.
- Connect the MacBook to the Mac mini with a USB-C data cable, and power the mini on.
- RigValet runs Setup Assistant offline. It picks the language, creates the account and turns on Screen Sharing and Remote Login. It never asks for your Wi-Fi password.
No RigValet driver or agent is installed on the Mac mini, and no RigValet app stays there. RigValet does change a few settings on it: what changes on the mini. When setup is done you can unplug it and reach it over the network.
What it asks of you
The MacBook needs Apple silicon and SIP turned off. That is a trip into Recovery, a driver you allow in System Settings, and three restarts, and RigValet guides each one. SIP stays off until you turn it back on. The driver goes on the MacBook only; the Mac mini gets no driver, and its SIP is left as it is. Exactly what changes, and how to undo it.
Charge-only USB-C cables look identical to data cables. They are the most common reason nothing happens.
RigValet