Since macOS 10.15 (Catalina) native support for PIV (Personal Identity Verification) smartcards, together with USB CCID class-compliant readers, has been included. The CCID (Chip Card Interface Device) USB protocol allows a smartcard to be connected to a computer via a card reader using a standard USB interface. Smartcards with physical chip contacts are commonly used for security and authentication applications. Best Smartcard readers for MacBook – Contact Card Readers If it doesn’t have an installer, drag the file to the applications folder. If it has an installer, run the installer. If it is a disk image, open the disk image. Download the software to your hard drive. Installing drivers is the same as installing any other software on OS X. If your MacBook doesn’t recognise a smartcard reader when it’s plugged in, drivers must be downloaded from the reader manufacture and installed. OS X and various different applications handle data from smartcards for specific purposes, so it’s the individual application that defines what kind of information the card needs to provide, the card technology used, and consequently the required reader compatibility. Note – it’s important to understand that smartcard readers conforming to common industry standards (such as PC/SC 1 & CCID 2) will not make the information read from a smartcard visible natively in macOS (or any other OS). If you need a smartcard reader for a USB-A port, see our related post on the Best Smartcard Readers for Mac / iMac with USB-A ports.

The readers below are ideally suited for use with MacBooks. Apple’s more recent MacBooks include Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4 or USB-C ports – which are all compatible with USB-C connectors.

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