TM100
Level 1 (10 points)

Q: 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.

 

  1. 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. 
  2. 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. 
  3. In Bluetooth Preferences press the '+' button to add a new device.
  4. 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. 
  5. Press 'Continue' - remember to keep pressing the keyboard power button while hitting 'Continue'. You should get an 8 digit passcode from the setup assistant. 
  6. Now release the keyboard power button and enter the passcode. 
  7. Press return - the keyboard is now paired.
  8. Go to back to Bluetooth preferences and select the keyboard in the device list. 
  9. 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 2:57 PM

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TM100

Q: Wireless keyboard won't connect

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  • by hans.leiden,

    hans.leiden hans.leiden Jan 3, 2014 2:52 AM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 3, 2014 2:52 AM in response to TM100

    Thanks for the post, worked also on Mavericks, although you have to keep pushing the power button until you see the screen to enter the the passcode, immediately release the power button and enter the passcode.

  • by BrightFire,

    BrightFire BrightFire Jan 5, 2014 7:38 PM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 5, 2014 7:38 PM in response to TM100

    The tip I needed was holding the power button down during discoverable mode.  That is all I had to do, nothing else.  This helped with pairing keyboard to other devices as well.  Thanks.

  • by ludviga5,

    ludviga5 ludviga5 Jan 9, 2014 1:24 PM in response to Jay Pfeffer
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 9, 2014 1:24 PM in response to Jay Pfeffer

    I have just bought a solar powered Logitech keyboard- but I cannot get it paired with my MacBook.The funny! thing is that I managed yesterday but when I switched off my backup hard disc it was disconnected and I have not managed to pair and connect  it again.

    Did it work straight for you to pair the device?

    I have tried to understand what they mean with press ing down the power button during the whole pairing process but on the Logitech there is no button to press down but three f-key from which I choose one for the keyboard bluetooth connection. So that have to keep blinking during the whole process. Am I right? If you have anything  that could help me I am greatful.

     

    Birgitta

  • by kmc777,

    kmc777 kmc777 Jan 12, 2014 10:24 AM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 10:24 AM in response to TM100

    Thank you so much for the answer!!  I thought my husband was not seeing things correctly when he told me this was happening.  I was always at work when it did and he would just restart the computer.  For some reason that always worked, too, but how annoying!  I started to have the issue now, too, and just followed your steps and they worked great!!  Thanks so much!!  Thought I was going to have to purchase a new keyboard!!

  • by Jacqueline Loving,

    Jacqueline Loving Jacqueline Loving Jan 17, 2014 9:15 AM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 17, 2014 9:15 AM in response to TM100

    Thank you so much! I was ready to scream.

  • by ride it,

    ride it ride it Jan 22, 2014 10:31 AM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 22, 2014 10:31 AM in response to TM100

    I don't know if this will help you and the other postings but I was having trouble too, connecting my BT wireless keyboard to my AppleTV and my MacBook Air.  Then I recalled that I had also paired it to my iPad.  Once I turned off the BT on my iPad, everything paired just fine.

     

    The learning is to MAKE certain that every BT device you have ever paired to your BT keyboard is either off, or well out of range.

     

    Hope this helps everyone.

  • by Michael Spencer,

    Michael Spencer Michael Spencer Jan 22, 2014 12:45 PM in response to TM100
    Level 2 (265 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 22, 2014 12:45 PM in response to TM100

    What they said :-)

  • by gary SLPMN,

    gary SLPMN gary SLPMN Jan 25, 2014 10:00 AM in response to ride it
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 25, 2014 10:00 AM in response to ride it

    I had the same problem and the same cause. Having the keyboard paired to another device is the only thing that I can think of that was not included on the orriginal post.

  • by Ricardfromct,

    Ricardfromct Ricardfromct Jan 28, 2014 1:51 PM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 28, 2014 1:51 PM in response to TM100

    It didn't help at all. My iMac is protected with a password and my keyboard isn't working. My keyboard already has new  batteries and all but the problem is I don't know what the problem is It just won't connect I checked every Apple product I have and I checked the Bluetooth of my iPad,iPhone  is disabled. Help?

  • by Ricardfromct,

    Ricardfromct Ricardfromct Jan 28, 2014 1:51 PM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 28, 2014 1:51 PM in response to TM100

    I am also typing on my iPhone....

  • by Leti916,

    Leti916 Leti916 Jan 29, 2014 5:29 PM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 29, 2014 5:29 PM in response to TM100

    Im stuck on the login screen so what do i do???? Please help The keyboard keeps flashing. when i turn the computer off and back on it does not ask me or try to connect to the keyboard! Please help i do not have a wired keyboard available!

  • by TM100,

    TM100 TM100 Jan 30, 2014 7:29 AM in response to Leti916
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 30, 2014 7:29 AM in response to Leti916

    If you cannot borrow a USB keyboard try this:

    - Take the batteries out of the wireless keyboard then put them back in

    - Reboot the computer

    - As it reboots press the keyboard power button

    - Keep the power button pressed until you see a dialogue asking for an 8-digit passcode

    - Now release the power button and enter the passcode

     

    Otherwise the best option really is borrow a USB keyboard, just to enter the password. 

  • by Halfmoonh4,

    Halfmoonh4 Halfmoonh4 Jan 30, 2014 7:43 PM in response to TM100
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 30, 2014 7:43 PM in response to TM100

    I'm running Mavericks;  I finally got my keyboard to pair.  But, I don't get step #9.   There is no gear icon (in Mavericks), I can't figure out how to "update services" for the keyboard.  HELP

     

    8)  Go to back to Bluetooth preferences and select the keyboard in the device list.

    9)  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.

     

     

    Thanks for the Help.   You'd think Apple would have Bluetooth figured out by now.  Geez Apple, really!?

  • by GAdkb,

    GAdkb GAdkb Feb 21, 2014 1:59 PM in response to SweetMummy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 21, 2014 1:59 PM in response to SweetMummy

    I'm gonna try this - after all my pair, repair, delete plist attempts have failed. I'll get it to work briefly, then nada. Thanks.

  • by debbie9194,

    debbie9194 debbie9194 Feb 28, 2014 6:56 AM in response to SweetMummy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 28, 2014 6:56 AM in response to SweetMummy

    Yea.   This worked for me also.  Holding the power button throught did the trick.  Thank you

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