How to Get Your Keyboard to Work Again for Mac

Apple tree makes not bad keyboards: they work well, look actually nice, and are designed to work perfectly with your Mac. But every once in a while, something goes wrong.

Perchance you plug your keyboard in and aught happens. Peradventure your reckoner won't choice upwardly the Bluetooth point from the lath. Or maybe pressing the keys doesn't do anything. Here'southward what to exercise when your Apple keyboard isn't working.

If Your Magic or Wireless Keyboard Isn't Working

Nosotros'll commencement with wireless keyboards, like the ones you'll utilise with an iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Studio, every bit there are a few more issues these can run across compared to their wired counterparts. No matter what'south happening with your keyboard, try these steps first:

i. Make Sure Bluetooth Is Enabled and Working

Don't overlook the most obvious solutions when trying to ready problems. Outset, get to System Preferences > Bluetooth and make sure that you've got Bluetooth turned on.

The System Preferences console will tell you if your devices are connected, if they're depression on battery, or if there are whatsoever other errors.

If the preferences panel or your menu bar shows a Bluetooth icon with a jagged line through it (see the prototype below), that means Bluetooth is offline. Restart your Mac and see if that helps. If not, unplug all USB devices and restart once again.

Encounter our guide to fixing Bluetooth on your Mac if this however doesn't resolve the issue.

2. Make Sure Your Keyboard Is On

If your iMac's Wireless or Magic Keyboard is non connecting, y'all should first check that information technology'south really turned on:

On the latest Magic Keyboards, slide the switch on the dorsum edge of the device so that the greenish color becomes visible.
For older Apple Wireless Keyboards, press the Ability button on the right edge and you lot should encounter the greenish LED light up on the top.

After your device is on, go dorsum to the Bluetooth preferences panel and see if it's connected. If your keyboard is searching for your computer but not connecting, Control-click on your keyboard in the list of devices and select Connect (if your device isn't listed, skip ahead to stride v beneath).

3. Check the Bombardment Level of Your Keyboard

If the batteries in your keyboard are getting low, you lot may take some functioning problems, or information technology can stop your keyboard from connecting. Go to Organisation Preferences > Bluetooth and you tin can see a small battery indicator below the listed—and continued—keyboard.

You lot can likewise see the battery level of any of your connected devices by clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and hovering over the device you're interested in. If the bombardment is low, yous should supercede or charge it.

4. Make Certain Mouse Keys and Slow Keys Are Turned Off

Some macOS accessibility features tin can interfere with normal keyboard performance. To cheque this, go to System Preferences > Accessibility and select Pointer Control > Mouse & Trackpad from the menu on the left.

Here, make sure that Enable Mouse Keys is unchecked nether Alternative Control Methods. This option allows you to command the mouse using keyboard keys, resulting in a number of keys mayhap non working.

Next, click on Keyboard in the left sidebar, select Hardware, and make sure that Enable Tiresome Keys is likewise unchecked. When enabled, this requires you to concur keys for longer to register as a printing.

five. Re-Pair Your Keyboard With Your Computer

If your Apple wireless keyboard is all the same not working or not connecting, y'all can endeavor to remove and re-pair it with your Mac.

In the Bluetooth preferences panel, make sure that Bluetooth is enabled. Mouse over your keyboard in the list of devices, and click on the X at the right side of the entry.

A alert volition appear, telling you that you may need to re-pair your device adjacent time you lot apply it. Click Remove.

At present turn off your keyboard and turn it back on again. The indicator light should start blinking. Open up the Keyboard options in System Preferences and click on Prepare Bluetooth keyboard. Follow the instructions to pair your keyboard.

If Your Mac USB Keyboard Is Not Working

If your Mac mini or iMac keyboard is not working, and information technology'south connected via USB, consummate the following steps to diagnose and solve the problem:

1. Try a Different USB Port

Unplug your keyboard from the current USB port and try another one. If it works, you can endeavour it in the original port again.

If it only works in 1 USB port, you may need to gear up your computer'south USB ports.

ii. Check the System Study

From the Apple menu (found at the top-left of the screen), click About This Mac. And so click the Organisation Report push. One time the Organization Report window has opened, click on USB in the Hardware section of the left sidebar.

From hither, you tin can encounter what your computer detects from your USB ports.

If your figurer has detected the keyboard, you'll run across Apple Keyboard listed under ane of the USB ports. If information technology's not listed, try restarting your reckoner and resetting the SMC and PRAM. Yous merely demand to do this on an Intel Mac—you don't demand to reset SMC and PRAM on Apple tree Silicon Macs.

three. Plough Bluetooth Off

Get to System Preferences > Bluetooth and make sure that Bluetooth is off. If this solves the trouble, it'south possible that your reckoner is recognizing a Bluetooth keyboard and prioritizing it over your USB keyboard.

If yous demand to go along Bluetooth on, you can remove the keyboard from the list by clicking on the X on the right side of the entry in your System Preferences > Bluetooth device list to remove it.

4. Make Certain Mouse Keys and Dull Keys Are Turned Off

The same accessibility features we mentioned earlier tin affect wired keyboards too. Get to System Preferences > Accessibility and select Mouse & Trackpad from the menu on the left. Make certain that Enable Mouse Keys is unchecked.

Click on Keyboard in the left sidebar and brand certain that Enable Deadening Keys is unchecked under Hardware, too.

5. Connect Your Keyboard Through an Extension String or USB Hub

Apple's USB keyboards come with a USB extension string that increases the reach of the included USB cable. Endeavour plugging your keyboard into one end of this cord with the other end going into your computer. If you don't have a USB extension string, you lot can also use a USB hub.

No one seems to know why this is and then constructive, merely it ofttimes works!

Mac Keyboard Still Not Working? Know When to Admit Defeat

Equally with whatsoever troubleshooting effort, it'due south proficient to know when to admit defeat. If you endeavor the solutions to a higher place and none of them work, it might exist time to consult staff at your local Apple store (particularly if the device is under warranty). You tin can likewise try searching for your specific problem online to find others who take solved that upshot.

Apple hardware is pretty reliable, only non totally foolproof. You lot should always keep an heart out for early on signs that your Mac has a problem, and so you can gear up it earlier it'southward too late.

five Warning Signs Your Mac Has a Problem (And What to Do Most Them)

How to Get Your Keyboard to Work Again for Mac

If Your Magic or Wireless Keyboard Isn't Working