How to UNpair keyboard without original computer

c76mb wrote:

I had similar problms. I suspect the keyboard noticed the mac it was previously paired with, so refused to go into pairing mode. Steps to fix:

1. Remove keyboard batteries.

2. Turn off bluetooth on your mac.

3. Replace the batteries and turn on the keyboard.

4. This made the keyboard go into pairing mode.

5. Turn on bluetooth on the mac.

6. Follow your nose.

I didn't have exactly this problem - ie my keyboard was always linked to my imac but one day decided to stop working. I did all the usual stuff and more - including trashing bluetooth plist and resetting SMC - all to no avail. However, this simple little gem worked first time! Thanks c76mb

If you have an aluminum apple wireless keyboard that won't pair (mind didn't all of a sudder after a year when I changed the batteries) read Colin Holgate's reply. After countless hours of reading posts this was the true fix.

Seems to be critical that you first turn off set up assistant,then hold in power button until blinking on keyboard and don't let go and finally click bluetooth icon and set up bluetooth device.

Thanks Colin!

This procedure works fine if you are logged in and have access to System Preferences. But if your keyboard is not bluetooth connected when you startup your mac, all you have is the login screen and the only thing that works is the walking into the backyard procedure (getting more than thirty feet away from your computer until the green light starts flashing.

The solution that I found comes from:

http://davemeehan.com/technology/how-to-reset-an-apple-wireless-bluetooth-keyboa rd-mouse-or-trackpad

Here my interprestation:

Hold for tree seconds the power button until the mini led turns off

Press and Don't release the power button, the secret was to not let go (Keep pressing until you finish next step)

Do the pairing "Tap Connect". Keep the Keyboard as much as closer to the iPad (or the device your are trying to pair it too)

My problem was that the keyboard was pairing to some other device, rpobably my Apple TV but this worked for me

My problem is inverse

I have a mac mini and an iMac in the same room, and the iMac keeps connecting to my Mac Mini bluetooth keyboard, despite already being connected to the iMac bluetooth keyboard

When i try to remove the extra keyboard on the iMac, by clicking the 'X' button which appears in Bluetooth settings when i mouse over it, it tries to pair instead of removing it. Right clicking on the keyboard in Bluetooth settings does not offer 'remove' as an option, and only offers to pair it. I cant seem to find a way to get the iMac to forget this keyboard, and clicking the X button does not remove it, rather, begins the connecting process. Every hour or so im typing on my Mac Mini, and all of a sudden i see the iMac typing itself away too. Absolutely incredible that there is no option to completely forget or remove the keyboard from the iMac registry

Bump...worked for me, thanks!

hah, great!

Anyone knows how to do this on the white apple wireless keyboard?

Thanks so much for this post!! Your "intuitive" solution fixed my ipad/ keyboard pairing problem in minutes.

I read in another thread that the white keyboards will not pair with iOS devices. They are an older technology and the firmware cannot be updated.

You guys rocks!!! This also solved my problem, although I mostly have both my ipad and macbook with me. But in case I forget to unpair with it and take another away. This tip is reaaaaly useful

Thank you - having been trying to figure this out for an hour and felt frustrated it wasn't included in the troubleshooting support document.

The holding down the power button until connected worked for me! Thanks very very much! 🙂