Apple Bluetooth keyboard connection lost/reconnected.

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Apple Bluetooth keyboard connection lost/reconnected.

Seems an ongoing problem since pre 2010...

My real old (ordered with the original iPad) Apple aluminum bluetooth keyboard reports connection lost, then reconnects. Batteries are about ~50%. Model A1314, two battery model.

Happened first during a remote session using SplashTop, but since then has recurred with local sessions.

(Thought the keyboard was dead - unable to connect to new Mac mini - then discovered problem was that it was still connected to old 2007 MacBook, needed to be reset first with some obscure key combination. Google it.)

Now randomly disconnects/reconnects with no obvious pattern. Have not seen reliable fix, other than changing batteries, that has been reported as working reliably. (Just dis-reconnected as I typed this. Battery 45%. Sigh...)

Mac mini, macOS 10.15

Posted on Dec 30, 2019 3:47 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tom Binroth

Level 2

213 points

Dec 31, 2019 8:11 AM in response to JimRussell

It looks like the Apple Bluetooth keyboard is connected to multiple devices at once. Make sure the bluetooh keyboard is disconnected from your MacBook.

Go to System Preferences > Bluetooth > Devices and click Remove
Retry your Bluetooth pairing on your new Mac mini

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Answer 2

JimRussell Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 31, 2019 11:54 AM in response to JimRussell

Good thought! I have disabled Bluetooth on the three devices which might have been competing for the keyboard. (None were obvious how to erase any memory of the keyboard.)

For reasons unknown, I was unable to mark your reply as helpful; I'll set a reminder to come back in a month to report any success at solving my problem. Thanks!

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Answer 3

JimRussell Author

Level 1

10 points

Jan 7, 2020 10:53 AM in response to JimRussell

I still find your theory attractive, but I haven't been able to resolve the problem. I may not have disabled Bluetooth on my wife's PC, and I need bluetooth on my iPhone and Apple Watch too much to turn them off. But unpaired bluetooth devices shouldn't really interfere with each other anyway, should they? Was that a known problem with these early Apple aluminum keyboards?

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Answer 4

Jan 7, 2020 11:16 AM in response to JimRussell

I have a pretty old Apple Bluetooth keyboard that I use with my 2011

MacMini that I use as part of a home theater center and have the keyboard

paired with it. While not very often, I do on occasion have it become non-responsive

(Apple Bluetooth mouse and track pad would still be working when it happens).

At first I thought as you did that it was battery and replacing seemed to solve the issue.

Not to long ago, however, I found that simply turning off the keyboard and counting to

ten then turning it back on would reconnect and be fine. The time between power off

and power on may be arbitrary but I guess it gives the Mini the time to "forget" the connection.

Now mine is quite old and was used heavily with my iMac (which worked flawlessly).

As stated my cases have been rare but happen at the most inconvenient time, log in.

Next time it happens, give it a shot and see what happens.

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Answer 5

JimRussell Author

Level 1

10 points

Jan 7, 2020 11:37 AM in response to woodmeister50

Thanks for the input.

Not sure I have an off switch on my keyboard, but if I push in on the right end of the battery holder typically the little green "searching for a connection " light blinks; is that it? Typically, it reconnects pretty quickly, but I'll see if I can catch it. Wish me luck!

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Answer 6

JimRussell Author

Level 1

10 points

Feb 8, 2020 1:26 PM in response to JimRussell

No resolution yet, but still trying. Haven't spent the time it probably needs yet, but a web search found several excellent articles describing ways for the Mac to trouble shot by displaying Bluetooth signal strength. I also realized I have more Bluetooth devices that I realized in the neighborhood which might be interfering. Wish me luck, or reply if anyone else knows the answer.

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Answer 7

bansu

Level 1

8 points

Feb 8, 2020 10:22 PM in response to JimRussell

If you push the button on the right side that causes the green light to come on, push it until the green light goes off, usually about 5 seconds or so. This shuts the keyboard off, which is handy if you aren't going to use it for a while and saves the batteries better than it's sleep mode. Wait about 10 seconds and depress the button again and it should resync.

My Magic Trackpad does this from time to time. Seems to be an interference issue. BT is not the most stable interaction form on your computer.

Hope this helps.

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Apple Bluetooth keyboard connection lost/reconnected.

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