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USBA keyboard not connecting to MacBook Pro

I have a wired USBA Apple Keyboard w/ numeric keypad (no bluetooth). I use an Apple USBA to USBC dongle to connect to the keyboard to the Apple Studio display and my 16" 2019 MBP is also connected to the Studio display, with the Apple thunderbolt cable that came with the display.


When I first connect the MBP to the monitor, the external Apple keyboard is unresponsive and I have to open the MBP and use the keyboard there to type. If I leave the external keyboard and MBP connected to the Studio Display, the external keyboard suddenly starts working after varying lengths of time--a couple of hours to a day. If I disconnect the external keyboard or MBP from the display and reconnect it, the external keyboard becomes unresponsive again for 2-24 hrs. This happens every time I plug the MBP into the system and is 100% repeatable.


I do not know if it is an issue with the Studio Display or MBP. To try to figure this out I removed the external keyboard from the Studio display and connected it to the MBP. The external keyboard did not immediately work when I connected it to just the MBP, by itself. I left it overnight to see if it would do a delayed connection, like on the Studio Display. It's been 12 hours and the keyboard has not connected to the MBP. I'm not sure if it is possible to hook an external keyboard to the MBP, but with mine it is not connecting no matter how long I leave it. Is there a setting to allow an external keyboard to be connected to a MBP that needs to be set?


I have contacted the Studio Display community on this issue too. So far no resolution so I thought I would bring it up in this community as well.


I have a Magic Mouse which connects immediately via bluetooth and works fine 100% of the time.


Is there a way to make the keyboard connect immediately and reliably through the wired connections?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Feb 17, 2023 9:59 AM

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Posted on Feb 17, 2023 11:53 AM

It is possible to connect a wired keyboard to the MacBook, but perferably an usb C one, dongles can cause this kind of issues. Did you connect it via a dock or via an usb a to usb C adapter? The adapter is working as a charm here

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2 replies

Feb 17, 2023 2:59 PM in response to WheelieNick

Unfortunately, I do not have a usb-c keyboard, only usb-a ones. In every case I am connecting the keyboard to the MBP or the Studio display with an Apple brand usb-a to usb-c dongle. With the apple brand dongle and keyboard, I'm hoping to eliminate the question of dongle quality and interoperability.


I agree the week link in the chain is, and most likely the problem, is the dongle. I don't understand how there is a connection with the keyboard, through the Studio display, but it takes a long period of time for the connection to be made. Not sure how it works and what is driving the delay. Hoping there is something I can do to force the connection.



USBA keyboard not connecting to MacBook Pro

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