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Level 1

15 points

Apple Wireless Keyboard won't pair

My Apple wireless keyboard won't pair with my MacBook Pro running Leopard 10.5.1. Until a few hours ago, it's been working fine. It's an older keyboard (white). It also won't pair any longer with an iBook G4 running Leopard 10.5.1. I've tried most of the suggestions on the various discussion threads without success.

One unique finding I hope that will help someone find a solution: If I use Bluetooth asst and select keyboard, it will not find it. If however, I use 'any device' the keyboard is seen and named 'Apple Wireless Keyboard' but the type is listed as 'unknown'. This tells me that the keyboard is sending and the Mac is receiving, but something is missing in the identification. I've tried continuing with the Any Device option but the pairing is never successful. (I've tried all the various passkey options.)

Hopefully Apple will fix this soon!

MacBook Pro 2.4 Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Dec 11, 2007 7:13 PM

Best reply

DaddyPaycheck

Level 6

16,037 points

Posted on Dec 12, 2007 2:47 AM

Hi ProfT-

Which suggestions have you tried?

Have you tried fresh, name-brand alkaline batteries?

Luck-

-DaddyPaycheck

View in context

75 replies

Feb 24, 2008 3:18 PM in response to ProfT

I, too, just experienced this problem today, after changing the batteries in my wireless keyboard. I'm running 10.4.11 on a G5 -- and Leopard on a MacBook (which also failed to recognize the keyboard).

Then I unplugged my USB hub, rebooted, and-- voila! -- the G5 now discovered the keyboard. I'm assuming that, upon reboot, with the USB Hub powered on, I might have the same difficulty (according to the posts I've read), but maybe Apple will have figured out a solution in the meantime.

ProfT Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 26, 2008 11:27 AM in response to SargassoC

I was hoping that the latest update would resolve this, but it did not. Unlike some of the others who've posted, my problem does not involve a hub or any other USB device. I can consistently discover the keyboard under any device, but even after the updates, the type is still unknown and it will not pair.

hhghost

Level 1

0 points

Feb 27, 2008 8:37 AM in response to ProfT

i.just.bought.a.wireless.keyboard.on.ebay.and.after.it.worked.for.about.a.day.i. ran.into.the.same.exact.problem.as.you.described.here.and.nothing.works.

so.now.i.have.to.use.my.broken.keyboard.and.insert.p.k.and.i.with.the.character. palette.and.use.periods.as.the.spacebar.thanks.apple!

has.anyone.contacted.apple.about.this

cheers
alex

KinkoEx

Level 1

0 points

Feb 27, 2008 8:34 PM in response to ProfT

I find it weird that I can sync my Razr phone but can't pair my Mighty Mouse or Wireless Keyboard.

Leopard might be a good OS but it has a long way to go before it's on par with Tiger

LucasHD

Level 1

0 points

Feb 29, 2008 12:52 PM in response to ProfT

Ive been having a problem similar to this. My Mac Pro running 10.5.2 wouldnt recognize my New Gen apple wireless keyboard on startup. So through some troubleshooting, after i unplugged my external hd (it is my time machine drive) my box had no problems recognizing the keyboard.

I can only assume its some sort of USB power problem that causes the bluetooth device inside of my Mac Pro to turn off. Ive never had that problem before i upgraded to leopard. Please Apple fix this.

ProfT Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 29, 2008 1:21 PM in response to LucasHD

I'm pretty confident that there are at least two issues reflected in this topic thread. For myself, the issue has never been Bluetooth not being available. I can sync with a variety of devices, just not my keyboard. Even with the keyboard, the issue is not that bluetooth doesn't work, but rather that the keyboard is not properly recognized as a keyboard. It is consistently only recognized as an unknown device type which will not properly pair.

Others (those with USB related fixes) seem to be having more widespread issues of bluetooth unavailability. It seems that there are a variety of issues we need Apple to address.

Malik05

Level 1

1 points

Feb 29, 2008 5:48 PM in response to ProfT

Add another to the list...Keyboard was working great until the battery died (i used it until the very end) then after replacing the battery, i cannot pair it...It prompts me to enter the numbers and hit return, yet that didnt work. I tried it on my Mac Mini and on my MacBook (which doesnt have anything connected USB) and it still didnt work...*** man...this *****

Malik05

Level 1

1 points

Mar 2, 2008 12:24 AM in response to Malik05

Alright, i figured out an odd solution that worked for me...after entering the numbers and pressing return, nothing happened, so i pressed all the buttons at the same time and all of a sudden it just paired.

ProfT Author

Level 1

15 points

Mar 6, 2008 2:07 PM in response to Malik05

I noticed in a few other threads that deleting the bluetooth plists had helped some keyboard problems. I tried deleting mine, but it did not help the keyboard pair.

CD3

Level 1

40 points

Mar 8, 2008 4:21 AM in response to ProfT

I was unable to pair my BT keyboard also. There is nothing in the instructions about this, but using the same process I do on my  BT headset. I was able to pair.

I think by holding the power key until the LED on the top of the keyboard blinks steadily I was putting the keyboard in "discoverable mode" When I did this it finally took the password and has worked since. It occasionally loses connection, but has worked fine.

Hope this helps.

CD3

feesta

Level 1

5 points

Mar 10, 2008 5:01 AM in response to ProfT

deleting the bluetooth.plist requires a restart for the change to take affect (FYI incase you did not restart).
I don't know if it is the correct solution to your problem though.

ProfT Author

Level 1

15 points

Mar 10, 2008 6:32 AM in response to feesta

Unfortunately, I did restart so the plist does not seem to be a fix for this issue.

dunagan

Level 1

0 points

Mar 13, 2008 8:21 AM in response to ProfT

My Apple Bluetooth Wireless keyboard could not pair with my iMac after a software update yesterday (Leopard 10.5.2). I've had the same keyboard and computer for years without any problems connecting the keyboard until yesterday.

I also have bluetooth mouse which pairs successfully.

When attempting to set up the bluetooth keyboard, the bluetooth Setup Assistant finds "Apple Wireless Keyboard" but then gets stuck. It freezes -- I can click continue and it takes me to the Pairing setup with Passkey, but it freezes without allowing me to enter the passkey before saying "the Pairing attempt was unsuccessful"

Why would the software update break my bluetooth keyboard connection? Clearly I'm not the only one, looking at this thread. I'm in the white iMac, white keyboard camp. I don't have any USB devices hooked up.

Thanks for any help you can provide. What are have you done Apple?

Mar 14, 2008 12:50 PM in response to dunagan

Bump - add me also. iMac G5 10.4.11 OS white wireless keyboard. Batteries been on the blink, changed today, now on start up can see keyboard but will not pair! Also kb will not pair to PowerBook G4. Both computers show same problem, enter number to pair press return and get authentication error!

gpaliot

Level 1

0 points

Mar 18, 2008 4:00 PM in response to ProfT

Same problem here. My Keyboard (Old white, US layout, SN KY707000EUBZA) worked fine, then suddenly lost connection and won't work, reconnect or pair since.
I tried:
- Removing it from the bluetooth preferences and adding it again: didn't pair but shows up as type "unkown" if I try "any device" instead of "keyboard"
- Deleting /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist and rebooting without any USB devices attached: mouse paired fine, keyboard didn't - same symptoms as above
- Tried pairing a different keyboard (Old white, German layout, SN KY70200KCUC0A): This one paired fine and it works, I'm typing this on it.
Since the other keyboard works fine, I think this is definitly a keyboard problem, not an OS problem.
Someone mentioned pushing all keys at once helped him, so I'll go buttonmashing on my keyboard now 🙂

Apple Wireless Keyboard won't pair