Wireless keyboard won't turn on after changing battery

So Apple is going to replace it no problem. Anyone with this issue & has a Mac with AppleCare should call & let them know. I told the rep about this post & the tin foil trick. This is one of the reasons AppleCare is well worth the price.

Thanks JasonBChen -

Ok- same prob - batteries went flat, then the KB refused to turn on, tried lots of sets of batteries, no luck.

Read the post about the plastic cap and putting a piece of a paper clip in - looked into the battery barrel with a touch - could see the "ring" but couldn't work out why it would have adversely changed? Decided to give the paper clip idea a go but instead used picture hanging wire. I cut of a little, screwed it into a clump, dropped it in - put the batteries in and IT WORKED!

I can only hypothesis that leaving the batteries in for an extended period of time (after they've run flat) causes them to 'leak' onto the terminal points. The new metal 'bit' scraps this slightly and makes contact with the terminal possible?

I doubted it would work but gave it a go and it did - try it for yourself

RE: NO CONNECTION FROM KEYBOARD TO COMPUTER (after changing the batteries, green light on indicated)

This has been an ongoing issue for most people and unfortunately it happened to me. I made an appt with the apple "genius" and went to the apple store with my aluminum keyboard and tested it. My keyboard worked. So I went back to work and tried what the apple "genius" told me to do but nothing helped. He actually told me to turn the Bluetooth Off but I forgot that it would be completely impossible because my mouse would lose its connection...the genius should have told me in case you have a wireless mouse then there is another option, but the "genius" didn't. Go figure.

Apple self help guides you through all the steps to fix technical problems and usually most work, that is if you are patiently reading through all the steps, or not easily frustrated. I did all the necessary steps but again nothing helped.

I figured the only thing I didn't do was sort of "reboot" the keyboard, by taking out the batteries and start all over again. Sure enough after placing the batteries back in, the computer immediately recognized my keyboard. Again, go figure.


RE: NO CONNECTION FROM KEYBOARD TO COMPUTER --- DURING LOG IN (after changing the batteries, green light on indicated - solid light for a couple of seconds, blinks twice after)

NO SOLUTION. Purchase or use an old keyboard that connects to your computer with a USB to log in and type your password then proceed to the necessary troubleshooting.

Good luck.

Well my issues wasn't remedied with a piece of tin foil as the power light kept flashing after the battery change.

But reading Moraesan's response on page 4 or 5 (I forgot which it is) I resolved to turn off the bluetooth devices in my room, then power off the iMac, then power back on. When prompted with the access number I had to type it in twice but it finally worked. I didn't hit the return/enter key, I was just notified that the keyboard was paired in the bluetooth set up menu.

Sorry but this seems like a common problem that should have been addressed on the trouble shooting section on mac forums every where and the fact that I have been searching so many places threads and found a solution buried on page 4 of a thread where the other solution is to drop a piece of foil to ensure batteries meet the connector is ridiculous. I'd expect this from a PC forum but not Apple. I love Mac so much but this really tarnished my faith in their products. More so than over heating iPhone batteries or video chips in iBook G4s. Don't let my iPad disappoint please!

Another vote for the magic tinfoil. The keyboard isn't actually mine, but when the user took the batteries out to change them a 'small grey plastic washer' fell out, I'm told. The user just put the washer back in the compartment and then the batteries and then.... nothing. I couldn't get it to work, searched these forums and used the tinfoil trick and off we go. Thanks

Paul

Thank you !

My wireless keyboard also would not turn on after a battery change -- I have deployed the little ball of aluminium foil as recommended on this forum and it turned on straight away.

p.s. Apple -- you may want to ship the foil ball with these keyboards...customer service and all that.

nice long thread here.... ridiculous problem. similar story -

"2007" wireless keyboard worked great for 4 months, even after changing batteries. Then all of a sudden out of the blue stopped working. I tried to pair it again and it wouldn't work. It wouldn't find the keyboard initially, then it would see the name after turning it off and on several times. At that point would not pair. Tried another computer... same thing.... over and over.. found the tinfoil trick and that wouldn't work. My keyboard never "blinks" so never seems to go into discoverable mode. Light is only solid or off. Of course I am using fresh batteries.

Isn't it about time for a recall?

"I have an Apple Care plan, so I called and was told to shut down. Then remove the power cord from the back of my iMac, wait one minute, plug it back in. Fire up, and then attempt to set up a new device in BT. It worked on the first try. Then to double check, I shut down and restarted and the mouse stayed connect and paired!"

This worked for me Yeahhhhhhh

Had same problem of no power after battery replacement. Trouble shot issue to positive terminal in battery cylinder deep inside. Only easy work around was to wind tape on three AAA batteries and put a 1/2 inch screw on negative end and lock the battery cap back on. May have shorter life but for whatever reason the AA batteries are not connecting to the + terminal.

If I had read your comments a bit earlier I would also have used the tin foil trick... now I have to wait for the apple service partner to send me a replacement which could take about 2 weeks... 😟

Anyway..thanks for sharing...

BR

Dominik

As like others in this discussion, I changed batteries (4 times, rechargeable & brand name alkaline) in wireless keyboard only to find it inoperable - no green light.

Since my hardware is older, White extended wireless keyboard, the 'foil ball' trick didn't work (battery chamber separated into 2 compartments...2AA on one side 2AA the otherside).

BTW when I got the 'check battery' notice:
• I flipped the keyboard over turned the keyboard 'Off' then 'On' green light went out, then back on [So I know the light did work].

• Went to BT prefpane MOUSE[green bars] the KEYBOARD[red bars] turned off keyboard replace batteries and the problem began.


I opened the keyboard tested the connections it appears the [Switch] may be toast...any suggestions??

Hi all,
some day later I had the same problem.
Today morning I've called Apple, then go to the Premium Reseller where i bought my mac mini + accessories: keyboard changed in 5 minutes with new model (2 batteries). Previously I had aluminium type with 3 batteries.

I feel as though somebody should explain the essence of your frustrations and "Why" the foil ball works (in this particular instance)

Happened to me and this is what i discovered...

The keyboard is shipped with a "design-flawed" plastic cap which sits internally on top of your on/off switch,plastic end facing the battery.
Here it is pictured on top of my MBP.
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/6082/img0104s.jpg
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/9730/img0101nd.jpg
http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/1103/img0102fm.jpg

It is my guess that over time,the height of the metal point diminishes and leaves you with a ridiculous gap
when placing the batteries into place.
The foil ball simply fills the space.
Go figure - i took mine out with a chopstick that had steel wool cello taped to it.
I worked it for 5 or so minutes by inserting and turning and it just fell out.

The keyboard works perfectly without it so i deduce it's a service-curve ball from Apple.
I posted this in case anyone was feeling as inquisitive as me as to why.

Panic this morning. I replaced my batteries and notice a gray/white cap came loose inside. I ignored put in the new batteries. The keyboard wouldn't come on. I was resigned to thinking the keyboard had died and was moments away from spending €70 on a replacement. Then I found this thread and tried the tinfoil trick. It worked!!! wow! Excellent! Thanks for this advice!

That happened to me when I was prompted to change batteries last night. Frustration!!! What has just worked--and I hope continues to work--was moistening the nodes at the positive end of each battery. Maybe only the first one in needed to be moistened. The idea came in from the responder who had used a tiny piece of metal to make sure there was contact.