You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “How to Reset an Apple Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard, Mouse or Trackpad (Troubleshooting Pairing and Other Common Problems)”.
Travelling Through Life
You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “How to Reset an Apple Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard, Mouse or Trackpad (Troubleshooting Pairing and Other Common Problems)”.
Hi Dave, hope you can help me!
I have an older iMac (2012/13), with an Apple wireless keyboard paired. Never had any problems with it, never had any other keyboards paired to the iMac since I got it. Yesterday turned it on, and keyboard wouldn’t work. I’m getting the constant 2 green flashes, so I know it’s in pairing mode. Problem is, I can’t get past my login screen to fix it through the Bluetooth settings without typing my login password on the keyboard, which of course is not responding. My wireless mouse is still working fine.
I also know the wireless keyboard still works as I was able to pair it to my iPad.
I assume my next step is to find a USB wired keyboard, as I can’t pair any other keyboard wirelessly without having access to the iMac Bluetooth settings? Or do you know of any other problem I could be having, or another way to pair a different wireless keyboard?
Thanks for your time!
Make sure you have unpaired the keyboard from the iPad (iPad Settings > Bluetooth > Keyboard > Forget), and try the power button trick. If you need to get past the login screen then you will need to use a USB keyboard as a temporary solution. Also try a PRAM reset (https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204063) and an SMC reset (https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201295)
I’d tried several other things, but… your advice on “Resetting the Bluetooth Device Firmware”: that worked for me. Thanks very much for your help!
Newer MacJunk keyboards have no power button. Then what. Same problem every time I charge it. Threw away the mouse for the same problem. Next to go is the keyboard.
I have the Apple Wireless Keyboard – model A1314 which is an old model. It has been working great until I recently got a new Mac. The pairing is frustrating – and I need to do it more and more often. Since I got a new MacBook Pro (2018) the keyboard drains the batteries about once every month if not more. Every time it requires re-pairing and attempts to pair which are really quite frustrating (but I may be just doing it wrong). However it must be a problem with macOS Mojave as I didn’t have this problem before. I have deactivated the wake-from-sleep option but that doesn’t seem to help. Any ideas welcome.
One day to another the keyboard just didn’t connect with my iMac, but works perfectly with another divices. I´ve been used a usb keyboard for almost 2 years!!!! I tried with sooo many instructions from another sites but nothing worked it! Few minutes ago, I followed your instructions and now it works!!! thank you!!!!! thanks a lot!!!!
My trackpad would not connect to my iMac after the last IOS update. Your “hold the power button down” worked just like you wrote. When I searched the first time I found no help in the Apple support system. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this article on resetting an Apple Bluetooth keyboard.
I have driven myself absolutely mad trying to pair a 2009 keyboard that had previously worked for years without any problem but which was suddenly not discoverable by any of my devices. After working through your article I took a last ditch attempt of changing my rechargeable batteries as you suggested and was amazed that the keyboard connected instantly! I then changed the batteries in my magic keyboard that hadn’t connected for at least 12 months and this also connected. I can’t believe that something so simple solved the problem. Thank you so much for your help – you have saved me a small fortune!
Hi ;
I have a problem with my magic mouse 2, it connects normally but after 10 or 15 minutes the primary and secondary click stops working, I removed all devices and I also reset the Bluetooth module but the problem continue.
I use it on iMac Pro
Thanks
This was a great help, really. It worked on a 2014 MBP running OS x Mojave. What did the trick was your insight of “…DO NOT LET GO OF THE POWER BUTTON. It must be kept held down through the entire process”. Thanks a lot!!
We have a few Macs in the house and the older 21″ 2005 Mac has batteries for the main supply. When they die just insert new batteries. Turn off the keyboard. Then hold the button for 3-5 seconds until the prompt comes up on the screen that its searching for the wireless keyboard.
Thanks, it worked!
Hi Dave,
I have a 2017 MacBook Pro running Mac OSX Mojave and a Logitech k375s keyboard. Last fall I started mysteriously having problems with some of the letter and number keys no longer working, as well as the space bar. Most of the keys would work just fine. The keyboard came as a set with a bluetooth mouse, and I was running them both through the Logitech unifying receiver. I spent hours and hours in total trying to fix this stupid problem, even going so far as to post on the Logitech boards. Nothing worked, however, today I got a wild hair to try it again, and I came across your article. After deleting the keyboard from the unifying receiver (but leaving the mouse), I used the last part of your article to delete all of the bluetooth devices, restart the Mac, then reconnect, and IT FINALLY WORKED!!!! I can’t tell you how thankful I am for your article that allowed my OCD to finally rest on this stupid issue. I never take the time to write reviews or responses to things like this, but I had to say thank you for the piece of advice I literally could not find anywhere else. Cheers to you for helping a random stranger stop thinking about connectivity and get back to meaningful work.
Holding the power button down on my older keyboard did the trick.
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the advice above, I tried to reset as instructed above but my problem persists. My bluetooth keyboard keys A-L and Z/Y-M as well as all numerical keys work, however Q-P and the VITAL return key do not work, which means I cannot complete the pairing step. Before unpairing the same keys were suddenly not working, but the device was at least paired… Please let me know if you have any further advice.
Mac Book Pro 2011 (Wireless Keyboard bought at the same time)
Thanks in advance,
Emy
I made it : connecting my old magic keyboard to my new MacBook Pro of 2017. Thank you for your help ! None of the official Apple help in French nor in English would help…
Great stuff. It worked like charm.
Thanks Dave. Resetting the “firmware” worked perfectly for restoring the stock Mac keyboard. I did some poking around on the internet for a solution and NO ONE but you came up with the answer. I should have looked harder cuz now I have to send the keyboard I bought to replace the stock keyboard back to the seller…and pay for postage. Live and learn. (Man, that saying is always true no matter how old I get.)
Thanks, I’ve used the same keyboard and mouse for two years and I couldn’t get them to connect (even though other devices did). Your advice worked! Appreciate it.
Thank you so much! After reading many articles and struggling to connect my older wireless keyboard to my mac, it is finally paired!
this worked perfectly – the trick was holding the power button down the entire time i think.
apple’s instructions didn’t recommend this, thanks for troubleshooting this, you saved me a lot of headache.