George Krompacky

Q: Apple Wireless Keyboard will not become discoverable--solution

I use an Apple Wireless Keyboard and mouse with my MBP. Today when I arrived at work and set up everything, the laptop would not recognize the keyboard. I went through some troubleshooting steps as recommended by Apple, but to no avail. So I figured I would remove the keyboard from my bluetooth devices and go through the setup process again.

Not so good, because I soon realized that the keyboard wouldn't go into discoverable mode. Pressing the power button caused the light to glow for a few seconds--indicating the batteries were still charged--but it wouldn't blink. I tried removing the batteries, inserting new ones, all to no avail. Just kept pressing the button, getting the glow without blinks, and the keyboard wouldn't show up in the bluetooth setup list.

So I guessed that the keyboard still thought it was paired with the computer, even though the computer knew it wasn't. And then I read somewhere that the range for the keyboard was around 30 feet or so. So I walked out of our cubicle area and into a stairwell 50 feet away. Sure enough, after the initial glow, the light blinked! It was discoverable.

I ran back to my desk, hit "continue" in the bluetooth setup panel, and paired the keyboard again.

So, if your keyboard isn't paired with your computer, but still won't go into discoverable mode, maybe this trick will work for you.

MacBook Pro (early 2011); iMac (20-inch Mid 2007), Mac OS X (10.6.7), Wacom Intuos 3 tablet; HP Deskjet 6840; iPhone3GS

Posted on Mar 22, 2011 12:43 PM

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Q: Apple Wireless Keyboard will not become discoverable--solution

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  • by badquarto,

    badquarto badquarto Jan 2, 2013 9:39 AM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2013 9:39 AM in response to George Krompacky

    George. I'd like to add my thanks for your post nearly two years ago! When BT keyboard stopped working suddenly I too struggled to find out what was up. After reading your post I twigged it wasn't discoverable – no blinking green light and I put two and two together – my keyboard had been paired with my son's iPad upstairs for three days! Kind regards, Stephen, London

  • by Robert H. Austin,

    Robert H. Austin Robert H. Austin Jan 3, 2013 10:37 PM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 3, 2013 10:37 PM in response to George Krompacky

    Hi Folks,

     

    Thanks very much.  The BT KB can stay stuck in the paired mode even when the computer has

    changed its mind.

     

    In my case, I had to walk away 50 feet, pull out the batteries, put batteries back in, then power on BT KB.  Finally went into discovery mode.

     

    I wonder if one could just turn off BT on computer rather than walk away until out of range?

     

    Best

  • by hirokofromnagoya,

    hirokofromnagoya hirokofromnagoya Apr 11, 2013 4:05 AM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 11, 2013 4:05 AM in response to George Krompacky

    Thanks very much for the advice for the wireless keyboard. Took mine outside and got the flashing light.

    Worked like a charm.

    Thanks again.

     

    Simon

  • by teachereck,

    teachereck teachereck Jul 24, 2013 7:00 AM in response to robfromemeryville
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 24, 2013 7:00 AM in response to robfromemeryville

    I've done this more than once: Used my wireless keyboard with my iPad, then left the iPad on while trying to use the keyboard with my iMac. Of course it can't be paired with two devices simultaneously, so the solution, as always, is to turn the iPad off (or get another keyboard$$$).

  • by superchucker,

    superchucker superchucker Aug 19, 2013 6:19 AM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 6:19 AM in response to George Krompacky

    Thank you George, two years later and it still works like a charm!

  • by hawaiidigital,

    hawaiidigital hawaiidigital Oct 22, 2013 7:58 PM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 22, 2013 7:58 PM in response to George Krompacky

    Thank you soooooo much!!!

  • by griffin45,

    griffin45 griffin45 Nov 11, 2013 1:34 PM in response to hawaiidigital
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 11, 2013 1:34 PM in response to hawaiidigital

    I'd like to add my thanks for the tip.   I was ready to throw the keyboard out the window!

  • by Lookin' Up,

    Lookin' Up Lookin' Up Dec 6, 2013 2:49 PM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPad
    Dec 6, 2013 2:49 PM in response to George Krompacky

    George . . . that worked great.  I had the same issue as you and took my keyboard for a walk and shazam . . . it's back.  Thanks for posting.

  • by Reuben Paddock,

    Reuben Paddock Reuben Paddock Dec 28, 2013 1:29 PM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 28, 2013 1:29 PM in response to George Krompacky

    Thanks for the info! This solved my frustration as well. I was ready to chuck this keyboard as bricked, but this solution worked like a charm! Thanks very much.

  • by Katsuri,

    Katsuri Katsuri Feb 5, 2014 6:03 AM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 5, 2014 6:03 AM in response to George Krompacky

    Thank goodness for the solution George! I can't log in to my iMac due to Bluetooth keyboard is not paired plus it has a password. There's no way I could pair the keyboard. I have no choice, I bought the cheapest ($5 w/ coupon) wired keyboard I could find. Then I got frustrated when I can't pair the Bluetooth keyboard after trying so many times. It just won't go into "discoverable" mode until I saw this! Now everything's ok, I'm thinking I could still return my wired keyboard but.. I thought it would be my best investment if something will happen again in the future.

  • by Britin74,

    Britin74 Britin74 Aug 18, 2014 7:51 AM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 18, 2014 7:51 AM in response to George Krompacky

    George,

     

    I'd like to join others in thanking you for this useful and money saving solution. It's now some time since your post, but I too stumbled across your solution as I was about to embark on buying a new KB. Instead I changed the batteries, walked around the garden well away from the house and finally got the desired blinking green light and hey presto. You're a star.

  • by KJKH@)!!,

    KJKH@)!! KJKH@)!! Aug 20, 2014 10:19 PM in response to cumulusguy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 20, 2014 10:19 PM in response to cumulusguy

    Key Board Hack!!!!

     

     

    Stand on one foot!!

     

     

    33ft away from civilization

     

     

    hold your tongue just right

     

     

    Shave one eyebrow

     

     

    Restart the Ipad

     

     

    Do the Hokey Pokey

     

     

    Turn yourself around

     

     

    Turn off keyboard holding power for 5 seconds

     

     

    Hop up and down

     

     

    Turn keyboard back on should be blinking!!!

     

     

    Setting bluetooth search should switch to apple wireless keyboard for name

     

     

    Select and you should have finally linked your ipad!!!!

     

    In all seriousness it worked for me... Kinda makes me wonder if it was still linked to IOS 6... When i upgraded to IOS 7 is when it stopped working!!!!

  • by Beershack,

    Beershack Beershack Aug 31, 2014 1:02 PM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 31, 2014 1:02 PM in response to George Krompacky

    You are the MAN!  Thanks.  Worked perfectly.

  • by mexke,

    mexke mexke Oct 25, 2014 3:54 AM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 25, 2014 3:54 AM in response to George Krompacky

    George, thank you so much! I think my neighbours looked strange when I was walking down the street with my keyboard.

  • by Tak_if,

    Tak_if Tak_if Nov 1, 2014 4:38 AM in response to George Krompacky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 1, 2014 4:38 AM in response to George Krompacky

    Thank you. I was using an old USB keyboard for a few days now. Glad I have my Apple keyboard back. =))

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