Thunderbolt Display USB Keyboard Problem Workaround

I have that same problem FOR YEARS! With both Led Display and Thunderbolt Display and having that f*cking cable around the desk all the time! I never expect that the cable can fix that annoying problem.

It's working now so thank you for that.

:-)

I have had this problem for ages and gave up on plugging my keyboard into the Thunderbolt display, but after trying the extension cable trick 1, am astounded that it works, and 2, am thrilled that it works.

Thank-you!

I had this problem, have send in the display, received the answer/report 'all is fine'…which wasn't! The old extension cable seemed to help sometimes, but not consitently.

Anyway, since the last Update "Thunderbolt Display Firmware Update" from Feb 3, 2015, my display works well and always wakes up, fast.

🙂

Thank you GL_Philly! I remembered that I had one of those Apple extenders stored in a dresser draw where I store most of my loose cables. Plugged it in and it worked instantly. Used the keyboard to type this reply.

This solution worked perfectly! Thank you for the tip!

Working++

I'm a trained computer engineer, and I can't think of a good reason why this should work...

additional cable length and connection adds a tiny bit of impedance?

adds a bit of signal latency? (usb 2.0 isn't fast enough for this to matter...)

really strange.

I have two Mac keyboards. Same model. One is about 6 years old, the other is brand new. The new keyboard has the same problems as everyone is describing, but the old one does not.

Thanks GL_Philly - it was a mystery even to the local AppleStore genius who gave me a long lecture on how the USB had to be pushed firmly into the socket - REALLY? Thanks again.

This was absolutely a life saver. I've been going through the "dance" as you called it for months now with my 11inch MacBook Air and Thunderbolt Display and it's been driving me bonkers. And you were right. The second I plugged that extender in, the keyboard worked.

Thanks very very much for finding this solution.

Where did you find an update dated Feb 3, 2015? I only see v1.2 and that's from 2014.

bizarre as it is - i must say this extender cable did the trick. That doesn't make sense - as the signal will be weaker, not stronger with an extender. Once again - Apple proclivities are sometimes strange

Actually it depends on the keyboard.

We've had this issue too at the office. Tried another keyboard (Apple wired keyboard too, looks exactly the same as the non working one) and it worked!

Apple must have changed something in the keyboard internals and we were lucky enough to switch with a more recent (or older, can't say) keyboard.

Does anyone know which USB extender is compatible with the Thunderbolt? Trying to order on Amazon since I can't seem to place my original one that came with the keyboard. I've been having this problem for years and I'm sick of it!

All help is appreciated, thank you!

Is it the one with the Thunderbolt cord type end or the USB end for the keyboard? Trying to figure out which one to purchase to fix this issue.

Thanks to the post by rustem.galiullin.russia on Aug 30, 2014 8:04 PM, I could solve the problem WITHOUT USB extension cable!. Upon plugging the USB cable of the keyboard to USB port of TBD, making 1 to 2-mm gap between the surface of TBD and the white plastic cover of the USB plug worked for me. Thank you very much!