Apple Wireless Keyboard Eating Batteries

I just reported the same problem, with one exception:

I have had my keyboard for years! And never had a problem with batteries. I would replace the mouse battery ocassionally, and very rarely the keyboard. It has just been the last 3 weeks or so that the keyboard suddenly - and I do mean, as in overnight suddenly - that I have had to daily replace the batteries. And nothing has changed as far as computers: MacPro tower is still the main computer, with no additions, other that software update issues, a MacAir on my desk and a MacBook - all as before the issue, and for at least a year.

Very frustrating.

Having same issues as previous poster - very un-ECO from Apple. 3 battery Wireless keyboard that cost a lot of money now going through batteries that cost a lot of money!

I used ML 10.8.2 on a 2008 Aluminium Macbook with same keybaord without issue. Since getting a 2012 Mac Mini (also 10.8.2) am experiencing this rapid battery drain problem. Have reset PRAM and switched off 'Allow bluetooth device to wake this computer from sleep' but to no avail. Consuming approx 18% battery per day.

Can Apple get this fixed soon?

Same problem, no resolution. No response from Apple.

Not only is the constant battery drain EXPENSIVE, it is filling up the landfills with more TOXIC batteries.

Using rechargable batteries is not the solution either, unless one has a solar charger. Normally rechargable batteries are charged using electricity from the "wall socket" grid. In my part of the country 30% of that comes from nuclear power plants, the rest from coal fired plants.

EARTH TO APPLE: please get your ENVIRONMENTAL priorities in order.

Design your products so they USE LESS, otherwise they are USELESS.

Thank you.

Same problem here now too. Never had this issue until recently. Really *****, I hate having to burn through batteries like this. Must be a software issue, as I've had this keyboard for several years without this problem. Apple please resolve this quickly!

First off, Apple has known of this problem for years so it appears that they are not interested in addressing it...

Second, and this is to Netherzone, Apple is not interested in maintaining the planet. If they were, we would have access panels on the millions of iMacs, iPods, iwhatevers, so that we could replace components that are known to fail or on an exponential enhancement path, i.e., batteries, optical drives, hard drives, solid state drives, etc...!!!

Instead, we are faced with ridiculously unrealistic repair and part prices or discarding a perfectly upgradeable machine into the landfills.

That being said, I love Apple products over just about anything else.

UPDATE AND FIX...

****reposting****

Open bluetooth preferences and delete the keyboard completely. Turn off the keyboard and restart the computer. I zapped the PRAM (hold down the Option, Command, "P", and "R" keys while booting until the computer chimes four times). Once booted, turn the keyboard on and reregister it with the computer.

A new set of batteries was installed on Dec. 1st and the keyboard is still showing 93%.

Hope this helps anyone experiencing a similar problem.

Note: This problem has reappeared on occasion, but after performing the above routine, all returns to normal.

I don't wish to rubbish your suggestion, but doing the PRAM reset didn't work for me, and I know it wasn't the bluetooth association either as I moved the keyboard to another machine (physically 1 mile away) and it still chewed though batteries........ Now if there was some way to properly reset the keyboard's firmware then we might stand a chance, but I think your case may be different from others like mine as resetting the Mac's firmware isn't fixing it.

You didn't do what I suggested. It is a two part repair. It involves the physical unpairing of the keyboard, THEN resetting the PRAM, THEN pairing the keyboard again. What you did was simply reset the PRAM which does nothing.

It has worked for me on several occasions over the course of the past year.

What's more "unpairing" than taking the keyboard to a new computer a mile away?

Go into your bluetooth settings and unpair the keyboard from the computer. You could take the keyboard on a trip around the world and it would remain paired with the computer. You just might not know everything you think you do.

This solution did not work for me either, FYI.

Was about to just respond with "unsubscribe" (I miss old school mailing lists) but I want to play too.

If you deleted the keyboard from the first machine's bluetooth device list, _then_ walked a mile, it would emulate the poster's description.

If you then walked a mile back to the original machine, then paired to it again, it would again be an emulation of the process.

This is my interpretation of the instructions.

****. I got here late.

I give up !

To the rest of the world... I tried it on two Macs and reset PRAM, but the batteries still lasted a week. The solution was to junk the 3 battery version and buy a new 2 battery one.

to shrimp...

Your example would be unpairing. WSR did not remove the keyboard from the bluetooth list before he walked the mile, so it remained paired.

This may not work for everyone, but it did for me and I'm just sharing a possible workaround.

Agreed. 🙂