Wireless Keyboard Typing Incorrect Characters

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GTRBedros Author

Level 1

9 points

Wireless Keyboard Typing Incorrect Characters

I have mid-2011 iMac 27* with the Apple wireless keyboard.

After a recent re-install of Yosemite certain keys on the keyboard started to type the incorrect keys;

For Example:

1) @ key types "

2) Bracket keys on 9 and 0 are shifted over one...8 types open Parenthesis "(" and 9 typed closed ")"

3) Quote types :

4) : types +

Most other keys function and type as intended. Im (can't type apostrophe unless autocorrected) using Logitech keyboard to fill in until I can solve this issue.

At the Apple store they were able to connect my keyboard to a MacBook and all keys function fine. I was told to perform PRAM reset few times, which I've done but not help. I was also told to use disk utility and repair disk permissions, no help.

- I have changed batteries, rechargeable and alkaline with no change.

- I have removed and re-installed in Bluetooth settings, no change

- The keyboard selected is US

- I have tried *change keyboard type* in keyboard settings where the system asked for you to press the key next to left shift key and system responds with keyboard not recognized.

Any other suggestions? I could not find any solution in my search of the forums here.

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Jun 22, 2015 8:07 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

qasim483

Level 1

9 points

Oct 19, 2017 12:07 PM in response to GTRBedros

Its been 2 years, but incase if someone faces this problem now. I have fixed the same issue with my wireless keybaord.

From system preferences goto keyboard -> input sources:

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Answer 2

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,970 points

Oct 19, 2017 1:29 PM in response to qasim483

qasim483 wrote:

Its been 2 years, but incase if someone faces this problem now. I have fixed the same issue with my wireless keybaord.

Your case is odd -- normally just switching the layout from US to Australian would not have any effect on the computer using the wrong keyboard type. I would be curious to know a) what MacOS version you are using and b) whether switching back to US or ABC still gives you the crazy layout.

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Answer 3

Jpon

Level 1

53 points

Jun 23, 2015 2:15 AM in response to GTRBedros

I had the same problem but solved it with choosing US keyboard. It was on dutch. I hope you can get it sorted out

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Answer 4

Eric Root

Level 10

684,045 points

Jun 23, 2015 2:32 PM in response to GTRBedros

Keyboard/Mouse – Troubleshooting Wireless

Bluetooth devices become unresponsive

Do you have access to another keyboard you can test with?

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Answer 5

GTRBedros Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 23, 2015 7:27 PM in response to Eric Root

I do. I have connected a logitech wireless with a universal USB receiver. That works fine. I will try my wife's wireless keyboard from her Mac Mini.

I did check the keyboard and it is US.

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Answer 6

GTRBedros Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 23, 2015 7:43 PM in response to GTRBedros

So i followed the trouble shoot above.

I have the US keyboard selected. I have the keyboard viewer open. It image does not look like my keyboard, close but it has Japanese characters on either side of the keyboard. Also, its missing a few keys across the top, and the equal key in a Japanese yen. The header for the keyboard viewer does say U.S. very weird. Below is a screen shot of the standard keys.

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Answer 7

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,970 points

Jun 24, 2015 3:16 AM in response to GTRBedros

For some reason you machine thinks this keyboard is the JIS (Japanese) type, and not the ANSI or ISO type. See if this note helps:

http://m10lmac.blogspot.com/2009/12/fixing-keyboard-type-problems.html

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Answer 8

GTRBedros Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 24, 2015 5:37 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Tom, I found the folder and deleted the suggested keyboard file from the link you sent me. After reboot I received the keyboard step screen where i'm asked to press the key directly right of the left shift key, doing so indicates that my keyboard cannot be identified.

This is the keyboard I physically have:

This is what the keyboard viewer is showing, the Japanese keyboard.

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Answer 9

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,970 points

Jun 24, 2015 6:13 PM in response to GTRBedros

Yes, your machine still thinks you have a JIS type keyboard. You need to find someplace where you can choose ANSI instead. Do you still have a keyboard type.plist file? Perhaps that could be edited.

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Answer 10

GTRBedros Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 25, 2015 8:46 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Here is what the com.apple.keyboardtype.plist file contains;

bplist00— \keyboardtype“ \50475-1133-0\16388-1133-0 (

*7 9

I may for giggles remove my temp logitech receiver/keyboard and delete the file again to see if it creates a unique file.

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Answer 11

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,970 points

Jun 26, 2015 3:31 AM in response to GTRBedros

Probably one of those codes needs changing, but no way to know which one.

Have a look at the Karabiner app. I think it may have a way to switch among keyboard types.

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Answer 12

GTRBedros Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 29, 2015 8:45 PM in response to GTRBedros

nothing yet.

I also did SMC and PRAM reset, and for whatever reason both reset methods lead me to reinstall OS X screen after boot. I do (~15min), but its not a full installation because all my files and settings are intact, including the incorrect keyboard layout. This is really odd. I may have caused this few weeks back when I tried to re-install OS X using Yosemite install file directly from the iMac rather than boot from USB. There may be a hidden install file/partition on my HD. Anyhow, unrelated but this may prevent me from doing a clean install.

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Answer 13

GTRBedros Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 3, 2015 7:40 PM in response to GTRBedros

Still living with the incorrect keyboard

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Answer 14

GTRBedros Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 4, 2015 10:05 PM in response to GTRBedros

This is what the keyboard plist file contains

bplist00‘_ LastKeyboardSize\KVKeyboardID_WebKitPluginsEnabled_ #NSWindow Frame KeyboardViewerWindowZ{475, 121} (_347 716 713 198 0 0 2560 1417 $1Hny{| ù

can someone that has a US bluetooth keyboard check to see how these compare? maybe I can manually force.

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Answer 15

Sep 12, 2015 6:33 PM in response to GTRBedros

I had exactly the same problem. Oddly, the keyboard would work OK with my iMac, but not with my iPad. I deleted it and tried to re-pair it, and the iPad would not recognize it at all. On a hunch I ordered an Anker bluetooth keyboard from Amazon (~$16.00). It paired without a hitch and works fine with the iPad now. All the character mapping is correct. After a lot of sturm und drang, this cheap and simple solution worked for me and might work for you, too.

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