ted m h
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: apple keyboard couldn't connect to the device

I have two apple bluetooth keyboards and I can't get either one to connect to my mac mini.  The system sees the device, but then says Couldn't connect to the device.  Tried everything in Help and apple support but no joy.  Also tried everything with both keyboards.  Meanwhile the apple bluetooth trackpad works just fine on the same system.

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Nov 22, 2015 4:50 PM

by ssschmidt,Apple recommended
ssschmidt ssschmidt
Level 5 (4,793 points)
A:

If the other systems are in range and still paired, you would need to un-pair them.  I have that problem sometimes.  My wireless keyboard will connect to my iMac, when I want it connected to my iPad.  It sometimes forgets and I have to remind it.

Posted on Nov 23, 2015 12:23 PM

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ted m h

Q: apple keyboard couldn't connect to the device

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  • by Barry Hemphill,

    Barry Hemphill Barry Hemphill Nov 23, 2015 10:10 AM in response to ted m h
    Level 8 (38,008 points)
    Peripherals
    Nov 23, 2015 10:10 AM in response to ted m h

    Were they paired to something else?

     

    Barry

  • by ted m h,

    ted m h ted m h Nov 23, 2015 12:20 PM in response to Barry Hemphill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 23, 2015 12:20 PM in response to Barry Hemphill

    Hi Barry,

     

    Thanks for the reply.  Yes. I've paired the keyboards to other systems in the past.  If that's the problem is there a way to reset them?

  • by ssschmidt,Apple recommended

    ssschmidt ssschmidt Nov 23, 2015 12:23 PM in response to ted m h
    Level 5 (4,793 points)
    Nov 23, 2015 12:23 PM in response to ted m h

    If the other systems are in range and still paired, you would need to un-pair them.  I have that problem sometimes.  My wireless keyboard will connect to my iMac, when I want it connected to my iPad.  It sometimes forgets and I have to remind it.

  • by ted m h,

    ted m h ted m h Nov 28, 2015 12:31 PM in response to ssschmidt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 28, 2015 12:31 PM in response to ssschmidt

    Thanks for the reply.  I can't get either Apple BT keyboards to connect to either my Mac Mini or my iMac.  I can't unpair from either of them. 

     

    I also have an old Power Mac that died so I can't even try to unpair from it. 

     

    So I'm apparently stuck with two relatively new Apple BT keyboards that thinks they're paired to other computers and I can't use them!  Bummer.  It seems inconceivable that Apple wouldn't provide some sort of hardware reset for these keyboards so I could use them. 

     

    Here's a good one:  I have an old Microsoft BT keyboard and out of desperation I tried to pair it with the mac mini.  It paired right up and is working fine. I got an error message from the mini saying it didn't know what type of keyboard it i, but it works just the same.

     

    Very sad.

  • by wtblessing,

    wtblessing wtblessing May 14, 2016 11:33 PM in response to ted m h
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 14, 2016 11:33 PM in response to ted m h

    I searched this topic because I had the same problem. I have two macs, one is a mini and the other is a macbook. Since the mini doesn't have a keyboard, it will automatically start to search for my wireless keyboard. Since my mini is updating, I'm using the macbook and I needed the keyboard for it. But I couldn't get the macbook to recognize it. Actually it wasn't even showing up.

     

    Simple answer:

     

    1. Make sure unpaired with any other device. If you turn off bluetooth or you're out of range of previously paired devices, it will automatically unpair.

    2. Take out the batteries (I don't know if this is necessary, but it makes sure to unpair.

    3. This allowed the macbook to pick it up first. However, if the mini were not updating at the moment, I could just turn off bluetooth with the same affect.

     

    Hope this helps!