mturley
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: How to get Bluetooth KB+Trackpad to prefer Macbook Internal BT over USB BT adapter?

Hi everyone, first post on these forums, let me know if I should be doing anything differently.  I'm using a new 2014 Macbook Pro (Retina) running OSX Yosemite 10.10.2, and I'm having some trouble with a strange Bluetooth configuration surrounding a USB adapter and my Keyboard/Trackpad combo.


For some background, I have this Macbook configured to dual-boot with Windows via Bootcamp in order to play some PC games.  On the Windows side, I'm using a Playstation 3 game controller via a USB Bluetooth dongle (because the built-in BT adapter doesn't support the PS3 controller, at least in Windows).  After setting that up, on the OSX side I decided to get an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, and set them up with the System Preferences as normal.  However, I started having some laggy behavior with them, and realized they were paired using the USB bluetooth adapter rather than the Macbook's internal bluetooth.  So I removed the USB adapter and paired them again.  They work great when the USB bluetooth adapter is not connected.


However, when I boot into OSX with the USB bluetooth adapter still connected, my Trackpad connects with the USB adapter and my keyboard does not connect at all.  I have to remove the USB adapter, and then OSX seems to figure it out and connects to the keyboard (usually), then shortly after reconnects to the trackpad.  So, somehow I ended up with the trackpad paired on both bluetooth adapters, and the keyboard paired only with the internal one.  I'm guessing the internal one gets disabled in favor of the USB one when the USB one is in use.


Is there any way I can get my keyboard and trackpad to completely ignore the USB bluetooth adapter and connect only via the internal bluetooth?  It's annoying having to remember to remove the USB adapter every time I switch from Windows to OSX (plus I'm sure I'll eventually lose it if I keep removing it, I'd like to just leave it there and forget it), and sometimes after removing the adapter I can't get the keyboard to connect without a full reboot.  It would be nice to find a way for OSX to completely ignore/disable the USB bluetooth adapter, since I only need it for Windows.


Does anyone know what I can do to simplify this situation?  Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Mar 17, 2015 7:10 AM

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mturley

Q: How to get Bluetooth KB+Trackpad to prefer Macbook Internal BT over USB BT adapter?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Mar 17, 2015 8:00 AM in response to mturley
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Mar 17, 2015 8:00 AM in response to mturley

    Your internal track pad should not be trying to connect via bluetooth. Try this. Go to your system preferences/bluetooth/advanced and if it shows the usb bluetooth adapter in the box at the bottom, uncheck it. Also in bluetooth on the first screen , with bluetooth on, delete the usb devise from the menu.If you are not sure which is the usb devise and which is the bluetooth keyboard and trackpad delete all. and then reset the keyboard and trackpad. Make sure you no not have the usb devise pluged in when you do the setup for the keyboard and trackpad.

  • by mturley,

    mturley mturley Mar 17, 2015 8:03 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 17, 2015 8:03 AM in response to my ginger

    I'll give that a try, thanks!  I should clarify though, I'm not talking about my internal trackpad, I have an external bluetooth Magic Trackpad (https://www.apple.com/magictrackpad/)

  • by mturley,

    mturley mturley Mar 17, 2015 8:07 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 17, 2015 8:07 AM in response to my ginger

    So, in Preferences/Bluetooth/Advanced, I only have checkboxes about whether or not to allow BT devices to wake OSX, etc.  Nothing device-specific in there.  Also on the main Bluetooth screen, the USB device doesn't appear there at all.

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Mar 17, 2015 8:25 AM in response to mturley
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Mar 17, 2015 8:25 AM in response to mturley

    So when you open bluetooth,on the first screen before advanced. Is there any bluetooth devises displayed? And in the advanced down at the very bottom,is there anything in that box? See if this is any help to you. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201171

  • by mturley,

    mturley mturley Mar 17, 2015 8:32 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 17, 2015 8:32 AM in response to my ginger

    The only Bluetooth devices displayed are my Keyboard and Trackpad, and some coworkers' computers.  Down at the very bottom, I don't have any Advanced box, I just have an Advanced.. button, which pulls down three checkboxes.  Here are screenshots of both views: http://imgur.com/a/FfIlD

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Mar 17, 2015 8:43 AM in response to mturley
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Mar 17, 2015 8:43 AM in response to mturley

    It could be possible that the bluetooth usb is being displayed thru your network. If it is go to network preferences and unlock the lock click on the bluetooth devise then the gear and click on make inactive.