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TM100 Author

Level 1

32 points

Wireless keyboard won't connect

Apple wireless keyboard (2009)

Mac Pro 5,1

Lion 10.7.5

Apple wireless keyboard won't connect after changing batteries. It is listed as a paired device under Bluetooth preferences but using the 'Connect' option fails. The keyboard does not go to discovery mode.

I'm answering my own question because there seems to be a lot of voodoo around the problem. The following worked for me after trying a lot of different stuff.

Go to System Preferences -> Bluetooth. Delete the keyboard from the list of devices by pressing the '-' button.
Alternatively you can delete the plist file but it shouldn't be necessary if the keyboard is the only problem. Deleting this file means restarting all other bluetooth devices to force them to reconnect. The plist file is in /Library/Preferences and is called com.apple.Bluetooth.plist.
Take the batteries out of the keyboard and reinsert them - don't power on the keyboard yet. This puts the keyboard in discovery mode the next time it's switched on.
In Bluetooth Preferences press the '+' button to add a new device.
When the Bluetooth Setup Assistant is displayed hold down the power button on the keyboard and don't release it! The keyboard should now appear in the list of devices.
Press 'Continue' - remember to keep pressing the keyboard power button while hitting 'Continue'. You should get an 8 digit passcode from the setup assistant.
Now release the keyboard power button and enter the passcode.
Press return - the keyboard is now paired.
Go to back to Bluetooth preferences and select the keyboard in the device list.
Press the gear icon and select 'Update Services'. Without this last step you may have to reconnect the keyboard from the Bluetooth menu after every startup.

Hope that helps.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5), Apple Wireless Keyboard (2009)

Posted on May 27, 2013 2:53 PM

Top-ranking reply

Treymona

Level 1

8 points

Posted on Oct 15, 2017 8:04 AM

This didn’t work for me cause I have a password, so when I restart my system it shows me the password space for me to type in my password.

Without the keyboard how do I do that?

Please I need help with this ASAP, anyone please.

Thank you.

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156 replies

Mar 27, 2014 6:02 PM in response to TM100

Repeated failures until I went out to my DRIVEWAY, faraway from all bluetooth and wireless phone signals. There it succeeded on the first try. Amazed.

Clearly the Apple BT Keyboard was developed in a lab, not in a 2014 home.

Apr 8, 2014 2:10 AM in response to TM100

TM100 - thanks for that key piece of info I have never heard mentioned before - hold the power button whilst pairing!

This just helped with with a keyboard which wouldn't pair otherwise!

Good work dude 🙂

Apr 17, 2014 9:15 AM in response to TM100

Took a couple of tries, but it worked. Thanks for posting.

Apr 22, 2014 3:57 PM in response to TM100

Mavericks Fix - 10.9.2

I am adding this update to this method as the fix for this problem is so old it was for a pre Mavericks OS.

This is an additional solution that I have found to be a huge benefit to this problem.

First

Go to Bluetooth Preferences and delete every device no matter if they are working or not. Understand that if you are not working on a MacBookPro if you have no wired mouse and no wired keyboard... you aren't going to be able to move the cursor to turn things on etc... so you have to have a trackpad or Wired mouse available to you.

Once you have removed other keyboards and devices like the Jambox Speaker that was connected to my MacBookPro... the Mac seems far more able to pair with your BlueTooth keyboard alot faster.

Removing the batteries resets the keyboard and not powering it back on [and holding down] the power button on your BT keyboard is critical ... only do this once you go into the "Set Up Bluetooth Keyboard" menu > Keyboard > In System Preferences.

I simppl could NOT connect my Keyboard AT ALL with the Jambox Speaker connected first. Removing that - I was able to connect the keyboard on the second try with removing the batteries from the keyboard and holding down the powerkey to get the blinking green light on the keyboard.

TIP:- Lifting your keyboard up so the light is right next to the screen menu you are looking at means you can easily look at both ... to make sure its in the blinking pairing mode and the menu is seaching for your keyboard. Otherwise you have to keep looking down and back and it will drive you bonkers.

Good luck...