Thunderbolt Display USB Keyboard Problem Workaround

I can also confirm the fix. I went as far as to buy an extender cable on eBay this past week as my wired keyboard was not responding when connected to the monitor. After adding the extender cable, the change was instant and complete. My Mid-2015 MBP now recognizes the wired keyboard every single time it's plugged in. I'm not clear why this works, or even why it SHOULD work in theory, but it does work, and well.

So, where does one get one of these cables? I just called apple and they don't have them (or they won't sell them). They tried to sell me a bluetooth keyboard instead.

I did try an extension cable I had laying around, and it didn't work. Dunno, maybe it was a USB 1.0 cable. So, I looked around online and ordered one made by apple. I'll let you know if it works.

No way...! I'd been struggling with this for a week or so and rebooted my 2012 MacBook Pro way too many times to get this working only to have it not work again when unplugging from the Thunderbolt. Adding that extension cable fixed it for me. Thanks for your post!

Awesome; worked first time. thank you very much for the post.

I had the extender cable as part of the shipped Thunderbolt display pack.

Does nayone know from a technical point of view why this extension cable fixes the issue?

Perhaps a poor connection caused by the keyboard's usb connector where the triangle shaped indentation is present to allow only the keyboard cable to use the usb extender (that happens to come with the keyboard by the way). I cannot think of any other reason.

All I can do is confirm that I tried the extender myself and its working.

Just got my Thunderbolt Display along with a brand new 15 MacBook Pro Retina and can attest to this issue. Currently have my wired keyboard plugged in directly to my MBPR, the Display didn't recognize it, can't find my extender cable 😠

Hi,

ive got the same issue and now...

the Keyboard was conntected via USB on onboard USB (rMBP 2013/10 / OSX Mavericks latest) and runs at first time. After connecting the Keyboard to Thunderbold HUB the Keyboard does not run anymore direct on onboard USB. Only via Thunderbolt it runs so far. After this i switched another (new) Keyboard from a identic system and the same thing happen. Plug into internal USB of rMBP it runs on all Ports, than Plug into Thunderbolt HUB and after this the Keyboard runs no more on internal Ports. This happens on the other identic systems....

Apple Support has no answer to this. Local Premium Reseller have no idea too...

The Hardware USB-Ports and Keyborads are fine and any other device works on the Thunderbolt USB and internal USB Ports of my rMBP Systems

- SMC and VRAM / PRAM are alredy reset

- delte the com.apple.keyboard...plist

- start the keyboard asisstent etc.

- connecting other USB-Devices to test the internal USB

I think this is a Software BUG when switching the external Keyboard to a Thunderbolt diplay. Is permanent connected to Thunderbold USB-HUB

Is there any one having same problems or a sulution?

Hi,

Thanks for this info, amazing that something stupid like an extender cable can fix this issue. Interesting how other users also "by accident" found the same cure for this or similar problems MichaloM. All I can add is that before I used the USB extender cable (original Apple) my ritual was to firstly connect the magsafe to the rMBP, then the TB cable and only then flip open the display. This worked 99% of the time... this morning though nothing would solve the problem except the USB extender. Also I might add that I had (two instead of only one as per usual) other devices plugged into both of the Apple keyboard USB slots, both wireless receivers.

One of the reasons for moving over to Apple, apart from feeling the urge to spend quite a lot more money on hardware, was to keep with one brand and be assured that all their products were compatible and would work first time every time. Shame on me for assuming this...

I'm sure that there are many more such issues, its a blatant shame that Apple won't acknowledge the problem and try to get a fix for this... especially when there are so many users experiencing this problem.

My working solution:

- FIRST connect the Macbook with the power cable

- after that, connect the Thunderbolt cable.

Solved! (in my case at least)

I have encountered the problem described a few days ago, maybe it came with the 10.9.2 OSX update, but I am not sure. I have used another Apple wired keyboard on my setup (2013 MBP Retina + Thunderbolt Display) for about 2 months and had no problem at all. Then I gave the keyboard away to my dad, because he trashed his and got a new keyboard. It worked for 2 o three weeks until suddenly it started the bahaviour described hier: It's not recognized by the MBP after a cold-start. I usually run my MBP in clamshell-mode, so I lift the display to reach the power-button and close it right away. I have to experiment with different rituals. I can make the keyboard respond again, by plugging it in another USB port on the display, but I can reproduce the problem with any of the display's ports, so that's not it.

Hi there,

on two systems MBPr with Thunderbolt-Display i use the USB extension-cable thats shipped in the keyboardbox. All things fine and working now!