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External USB wired Keyboard randomly stops working

I have a new Studio Mac, and the USB keyboard (wired) randomly stops working. It may start up again after an indeterminate amount of time (minutes to hours). Unplugging and plugging the USB connection forces it to start up again. This is plugged directly into the USB 3 type A ports on the back of the Mac, running Monterey 12.6.1, but I can see complaints about this going all the way back to 2020. I have a wireless keyboard which works fine when this happens, but my good wired keyboard exhibits this problem (Matias Tactile Pro FK302). I have a wireless mouse, so I can't comment on if a wired mouse would also be a problem


There doesn't seem to be any Apple fixes, but it may have to do with having a USB 2 device into 3 sockets. Anyone else still experiencing it? Changing to the apple chiclets style keyboard full time is not an option, nor is plugging and unplugging the keyboard several times a day.


All the usual reseting and rebooting do nothing to eliminate the problem.


Jeffrey

Mac Studio

Posted on Dec 11, 2022 11:25 AM

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Similar questions

2 replies

Dec 13, 2022 5:01 PM in response to JKane

Hello JKane,


Since this is a third party keyboard, have you had a chance to reach out to the developer? They may be able to assist further as they are the experts in how their device works.


Have you had a chance to test with an Apple keyboard to isolate the issue to either the keyboard or the system? This can help determine what steps to take to find a solution.


If it is something with the system, we would suggest starting up the system in safe mode. Safe mode only loads what is needed to run the computer. This can help isolate what is causing issues.


To start in safe mode, follow these steps:


1. Turn on or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key as your Mac starts up.
2. Release the key when you see the login window, then log in to your Mac. 
3. You might be asked to log in again. On either the first or second login window, you should see ”Safe Boot” in the upper-right corner of the window.


More information is available here: How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support


The computer will take longer to start in safe mode, and the screen may have some distorted video as it starts up. This is normal. Once you are logged in, use the system and test to see if the issue continues.


If everything seems to work as expected, go ahead and restart the computer normally and test again. There are steps outlined on what to do if the issue does or does not continue in safe mode.


Starting in safe mode also forces the computer to run some disk checks similar to First Aid. This can actually resolve some issues.


You may also find some useful information included here: Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference - Apple Support


Have a good day.





External USB wired Keyboard randomly stops working

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