Wireless keyboard won't turn on after changing battery

Thanks, daStevo, for the easy solution! Same happened with my keyboard a few secs ago.

Mine is a couple of years old and has gone through several battery changes with no problems until now. I balled up a 1/2-inch square of foil into a small pea and dropped it to the end of the tube, but that didn't work. Then balled up an inch-square into a loose large pea, dropped it in, had to work to get the top screwed on -- and presto. So, if this solution doesn't work the first time, try again.

Love these forums, as calling Apple for any solutions typically is a nightmarish maze of circles and dead ends, often concluding with them announcing that you must pay to go further. This I won't do, as when I've called it's been over an issue of flaw in design. Well done, daStevo!

rebhen - Same experience as you.

Had to try a couple of times. Finally worked when I took a larger piece of foil and shaped it into a small "coin" about the same diameter of a battery and about 1mm thick.

Thanks, everyone for the details.

Your lucky! I tried 3 sets of non-rechargeables and none of them work. I tested the batteries and they are good!

I'm thankful I have a wired keyboard as well, but refer the wireless. I'll take it in and see if anything can be done

without spending the cost of a new one! If it can't be repaired, I will NOT replace it.

I had this happen a couple weeks ago - new batteries - keyboard won't power on. So I took out the batteries and rubbed both end points inside the battery slot and the screw button inside surface with a pencil eraser even though they looked clean to my eye. I then reinsurted the batteries , pushed the power button and got the green light all was good in the keyboard world again! Hope this works for someone else - I was just about ready to spend $50 buying a new keyboard.

Ok,

Same story here. Left the KB catching dust for a while, and then it did not turn on again.

Brave as i was, i decided to kickstart the keyboard again.

So, i reversed the batteries and pressed the on/off buttons for a couple of times.

Then i reinserted the batteries correctly again, and zapp!... it works again!

ATT: try at your own risk. It worked for me. Might be for you. If nothing else works..

My keyboard just died in front of my eyes, literally disappearing from Control Panel as I was trying to set it up. Brand new batteries. Tried putting them in again etc but no dice, so I folded up a square of tin foil as suggested and dropped it down the tube and hey presto, keyboard back to life.

I can't believe it. To be honest I thought you guys were crazy suggesting the tinfoil trick. But after having tried everything else, I decided to have a go.

And voila! I have a working keyboard again ;-)

Thank you for this twisted solution !!!

Same Here!

At first I thought no way tin foil?

take half an inch square piece of 'tinfoil' squeeze it into a little ball shape, drop it into the tube, put the batteries back in and at least mine works works like a charm again

🙂 thanks a lot for this tip

I had the same issue with one of the older Model No. A1255 keyboards.

What I did to get it working was:

1. Open up the bluetooth console in system preferences.

2. Look for and delete the paired keyboard.

3. Turn off bluetooth for about 30 secs or more and turn back on.

4. Press the power button on the keyboard, you should see the keyboard pop up in the list and get a pair option out to the right.

5. Hit pair, then type something on the keyboard. (I typed 0000).
6. The pair code should display on the screen, type the code on the keypad.

7. The keyboard should now be paired.

Hope this helps someone.

Found the solution after almost two years of non-working keyboard!!! (Good thing I didn't throw it away). Took a long thin stick, put around slightly wet piece of bounty paper (make sure it is just dump, not too wet) and cleaned the inside metal circle. Let it dry for few minutes and than inserted new batteries (regular durable from BJ's). Unexpectedly, it worked! I did the same procedure with the alcohol few years ago and nothing happened.

I had the same issue as all. Battery low indicator. Replaced with new batteries. No power. I shined my iPhone flashlight down the long narrow battery compartment and observed some very mild corrosion around the contact. Straightened a metal coat hanger and carefully inserted and scraped the contact a few times. Pressed down on the contact and surrounding plastic ring a few times to check the spring action and Viola! The keyboard works again!

I'm a little embarrassed to say this helped me! Thanks! Thanks for your willingness to display embarrassment to state what should be a commonly known resolve. Here I am, nearly 6-1/2 years later, trying to help my husband's 1-1/2 year-old iMac get its keyboard working again. I asked where do you turn it on? He said it didn't have an on-off switch. I looked all over, nothing. We replaced the batteries multiple times, new batteries, tried both directions but thought we had the right direction, restarted computer, etc., but the keyboard wouldn't light up and work! Googled for a solution, came across this thread, and was about ready to fashion a paper clip spring or a little ball of aluminum foil when I saw your post. THANK YOU! Isn't it amazing that 6-1/2 years later they are still making the keyboard the same design? It's very classy and sleek, but honestly, how would you notice that on-off switch? And down inside the battery compartment, there is still the plastic ring showing....don't know if they've changed the design to make it contact better, but it looks exactly like all the descriptions people wrote about on this thread. Thanks again for stating the obvious, which was not so obvious to us. Thank you.

Haven't read through entire thread, but this happened to me (replacing low battery, then keyboard didn't turn on) and it was me not replacing the batteries the right way. Positive first. Obvious "duh" moment, but it seems like they should go in the other way and I didn't think to try that.

i took out the plastic piece and exposed the connection to the battery use toothpick or something to show the terminal that was slightly corroded steel wool or screwdriver clean the edge and let it go back in.

clean terninal and clean power from battery aluminun foil should work but this is the real fix

I just put a very small ball made of aluminium foil without removing the plastic ring and dumb as it seemed it worked immediately thank you everyone for the very creative advise I have my keyboard working again without expending a penny

🙂