USB Keyboard Plugged into Monitor Often Doesn't Work

I have an apple USB extension plugged into the TBD. Using generic brands did not work for whatever reason and as I mentioned I cannot use it to wake the display (bluetooth mouse does though), but I no longer have to unplug/replug whenever it wakes up.

Worked for a few days with the extension, but I ust got back from lunch and the laptop had gone to sleep. It woke up fine, but the keyboard was not being recognized (I had not unplugged the laptop from the displays).

I unplugged the USB extension and plugged back in after a ferw seconds and it recognized the keyboard then. Annoying.

I have a Mid 2012 Mac Mini and a pre-Thunderbold 27" Cinema Display. Have had the problem expressed in this thread forever. Unplugging the keyboard from the Cinema Display and replugging always solved problem. Issue seems most common after shutting down the Mac Mini. It doesn't happen as often when waking from sleep.

For some reason I never thought to come to the Apple Forum to see if others were having the problem. That is not like me. I guess I just got use to plugging and unplugging.

It is GREAT to know I have shared misery. 😁

Thank you.

But, better still. I just added the extension cable to my keyboard and plugged things back in to the Cinema Display. My first reaction is that it sounds like Voodoo Pixie Dust Magic. But previous poster's suggestions that the length of the cable (and the actual extension connector itself I may add) have changed the electronics in significaltly subtle ways...well...hm...that actually sounds plausible.

I promise to test this out and report back to the group with the results. (This discussion thread is now saved to my Safari Reading List.)

Holy C***!

I shut my Mac Mini off for 5 hours. Just turned it on.

Keyboard WORKS without unplugging and plugging its USB cable with Cinema Display!

OMG!

I mean...really...fixed by adding the extension cable?!

I won't post again unless the fix doesn't hold.

Hello guys,

I had the same problem and I tried a simple solution and it worked perfect with me.

1- Unplug the Keyborad from both the Mac machine and the monitor.

2- Unplug the thunderbolt cable from the Mac machine.

3- Re-plug the thunderbolt to the Mac machine again

4- Re-plug the keyboard into the thunderbolt monitor

If it does not work fine repeart step 3 with a different thunderbolt port.

Good luck.

JUST bought a new retina MBP and a brand new Thunderbolt Display, (12/21/13) and I have the same problem. As evident in this thread, people have been having this problem for two years and Apple has done nothing.

This is part of the basic, fundamental purpose of owning a Thunderbolt display. It's costs $999. For that price, you expect the best. The fact that basic peripherals (and Apple brand ones at that) plugged into it don't work with it, is unacceptable. My solution to this problem is simple, I'll be returning the display.

Ok, I lied. I said I wouldn't repost if the extension cable fix continued to work. Then I thought some folks would wonder if I just forgot to post that it stopped working.

It has NOT stopped working! It's been over a month and a half now. Hundreds and hundreds of of "tests" of the fix. It continues to work flawlessly. My keyboard is recognized EVERY time and immediately. I dealt with this problem for several years and who would have thought that adding a simple extension cable (that comes with the Cinema Display) would so completely solve the problem...at least for me.

Happy Holidays. Mr. Luigi

Can't believe it here either. I was becoming frustrated with a Pre-Thunderbolt Apple Cinema Display I have (24"). The keyboard would stop being recognized and to make sure I would hit the caps lock button to see if the lime green light would come on...it would not. After finding this thread today, I went back to my original box took out the new extension cable, plugged it in to the back of the ACD and presto, it worked. Doesn't disconnect and wakes up the computer also. I've only had this keyboard with numeric keypad for 2 and a half weeks, I was about to exchange it for a new one from BestBuy, glad I found this thread before I did! Christmas Miracles do happen!

I've also this issue with an MPB + 27" Thunderbolt ever since I had it. The US Device Tree doesn't show the kb, I have been in the habit of repeatedly pressing Caps Lock to see if it lights up (so I know the kb will before logging in, since the login screen can take up to 2 minutes before it responds to keypresses for the password)

Sometimes unplugging the kb and re-inserting it works. Othertimes I just keep unplugging everything and replugging it in until it works. When I'm fed up I move the kb to the MPB directly which always works.

Using an extension cable did improve the recognition but not 100%. After 4 weeks of this it has ceased to work again and im back to re-plug & caps check several times until it finally works again.

I'm using the extension that came with the keyboard. It has a even has a divot that prevents you using it w/ no apple devices. The workaround no longer works and I have the jeyboard plugged into the MacBook directly now. The Thunderbolt Display USB ports refuse to recognise the keyboard today.

I've been reading this thread today after experiencing the same problem with my MBP Retina, Cinema Display and USB numeric keyboard.

I just wanted to add that I have just found a USB extension cable supplied with the Cinema Display in the house and this solves the problem for me also.

Crazy. Nice of Apple to supply the solution to the problem in the first instance too :-/

Hey MichaloM, thanks for this workaround. I've been tearing my hair out since I bought my MacBookPro and Thunderbolt display in February. Apple appears to have no idea of this problem. I've talked to 3 different tech support people, all clueless. They even gave me a brand new keyboard, minimal questions asked. The same problem came up less than a week after I started using the new one. It is a weird problem. I did find another workaround which I think someone else has mentioned, not as good as yours though: plug the keyboard into the MBP and use it like that for about 5-10 mins then plug it into the display--and it will function. Second workaround, use my old keyboard that I used with my iMac plugged into the display for 5-10 minutes, then plug in the new keyboard and hey presto, it works. But the whole situation is crazy. I've told one AppleCare support person about the 77 comments regarding this issuing, dating back to 2012. She said she'll try and send it up the line. She also said to post a comment on apple.com/feedback I plan on doing this. Thanks again.

Thanx! This was annoying me a lot. I have MBP Retina with external usb numeric keyboard and within it a small usb receiver for my bluetooth Logitech mouse. Each and every time I turned on the MBP I had to unplug the receiver for the mouse for the keyboard to connect properly. Using Win8 with Bootcamp was even worse. The external keyboard wouldn't beem recognized untill I had plugged it in and out several times and also plugging the mouse receiver into another USB port on the MBP. Very frustrating!!!

And by now using the usb extension cable that came along with my MBP it's no hassle anymore. GREAT!

I just:

1. Unplugged the Cinema Display from the MBA.

2. Unplugged the keyboard from from the Cinema Display.

3. Replugged the keyboard into the Cinema Display.

4. Replugged the Cinema Display into the MBA.

Working now.