I can't get my wireless keyboard to pair with my Apple iPad?

I'm a bit baffled: I already paired my Apple wireless bluetooth keyboard with my new iPad 3G [ed: see pair a bluetooth keyboard with an iPad] but for some reason when I try to hook it up a second time the iPad sees the keyboard but can't pair to it. What's going on and how do I fix it??

Dave's Answer:

I bumped into the very same problem and it's a weird one. There's something about the range of Bluetooth or the mechanism by which things pair, because what I did was pair my Apple wireless bluetooth keyboard (which I love!) to my my Mac Mini, then to my wi-fi iPad. It worked fine, but when I went back to pair it with my iPad a second time, instead of just turning on and being recognized, the iPad got cranky and didn't want to pair it as it saw the keyboard was already hooked up to a device.

Now figuring that out took quite a bit of work and a fair amount of time on Google, searching for "problems pairing bluetooth keyboard ipad", for which there are a lot of questions, but not a lot of answers. So I experimented and figured it out! :-)

I encountered what I believe were two problems. First off, that bluetooth keyboard has a pretty astonishing range, so even two rooms away when I turned it on, it automatically paired with my Mac Mini. I thought Bluetooth was supposed to work for about 7-10 feet, so I was pretty amazed. The second issue was that the keyboard was marked as already paired to another device. Why that didn't affect things when I first paired them, I don't understand, but unpairing it from the Mac Mini certainly solved the problem.

Here's what I was seeing, to start out. This is on the iPad:

It would spin and spin and spin. Sometimes it'd show the keyboard info for long enough to confirm that the keyboard wasn't completely dead:

Try as I might, I couldn't get past this point. Back and forth, frustrating as heck! Why this can't show "keyboard (paired to another device)" is beyond me, but it doesn't.

To solve the problem, I switched to my Mac Mini, the device that already had paired with the keyboard. There I went to System Preferences and choose "Bluetooth". Here's what I saw:

Yup, even two offices away it could pair and connect. Incredible! But it was blocking me progressing with the iPad. So I needed to decouple the two. At first I thought I could just disconnect the keyboard from the computer:

Experimentation demonstrated that was insufficient, so instead I needed to click on the "Paired" status on the screen, then click on the "-" sign:

Am I sure? Ayup, I am:

mac mini wireless keyboard unpair confirm

Not more than a second or two later, this popped up on the iPad (not the Mac):

That's more like it! I type in the numeric sequence, press Return on the Apple wireless bluetooth keyboard and almost instantly I see:

ipad bluetooth keyboard connected paired 2

Phew! That solved it for me. Try this sequence, let us know if it works for you too.

And while you're at it, don't forget to check out the extensive iPad help we have on this site too. Got a question about the Apple iPad (or iPad 3G) that we haven't answered? Then let us know!

Categorized: Apple iPad Help , Mac OS X Help (Article 9402, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: apple ipad, apple ipad 3g, apple wireless bluetooth keyboard, bluetooth pairing, ipad bluetooth
Previous: How do I pair my Apple wireless bluetooth keyboard with my iPad?
Next: Why don't new apps show up on my Apple iPhone 3GS?

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Comments

Regrettably, your tip didn't work. You're on the right track, but something else is amiss. I had the same symptoms as you describe. I unpaired in the way you described (via the minus sign). The not-connected blurb appeared. I then went into the other room and tried to connect to the iPad. No luck; just the searching indicator. When I gave up and brought the keyboard back to my iMac, it connected immediately.

Posted by: laup at May 6, 2010 7:30 PM

laup, did you unpair the bluetooth keyboard from your iMac explicitly? It seems to remember state so if you don't do that and just pull it into a different room, it won't work.

Posted by: Dave Taylor at May 6, 2010 8:40 PM

I have the same problem. However, I doubt it's because my keyboard paired with another device. I just bought it and my iPad 3G is the only machine I've ever paired it with. It connected beautifully the first time I used it. The second time, I got the searching icon pictured above. Any thoughts Dave?

Posted by: Natalie at June 12, 2010 9:36 PM

thank you i couldn't figure out y it wouldn't work turns out my friend turned off the bluetooth

Posted by: jacqueline at June 23, 2010 7:22 PM

Thanks for that!

If you follow Dave's carefully layed out steps, it works like a charm.

Posted by: TomH at July 1, 2010 6:44 PM

Yippeee! It worked the third time around. I also had to disconnect and remove it from the iMac, then on the third attempt it recognized it.

Posted by: Chandu Kale at August 22, 2010 8:10 AM

Thank you very much for this information. I had trouble finding a solution to the problem of pairing my wireless keyboard to my iPad, but your instructions were clear and right on the button.

Thanks again.

Stan, an American living in France

Posted by: Stan at August 30, 2010 3:08 PM

Excellent solution to how to get or pair wireless keyboard to Apple iPad, thanks

Posted by: KL at October 9, 2010 2:28 PM

I followed the instructions above and successfully "forgot" my wireless keyboard on my iMac, but the iPad still could not see it. Now I have an additional problem, the iMac can no longer detect my wireless keyboard either......any thoughts ?
Thanks

Posted by: stephen at November 28, 2010 11:06 AM

You are the DUDE!!!
Had the EXACT same problem.
Your instructions ROCK Dude!
Thanks a ton!

Posted by: Jeff Bue at December 2, 2010 10:40 AM

My keyboard is new, has nothing else to pair with and the iPad is simply searching for the Apple Wireless Keyboard it knows exists but will not pair with... Just searching endlessly. Tuned it all on, off, sideways etc. Comments appreciated.

Posted by: David G at January 1, 2011 8:38 AM

okay here's my incredibly low tech solution to the above...I'm now typing my reply on my keyboard, instead of typing on the iPad as I typed the above entry 10 minutes ago. While the iPad was looking for the BT keyboard it new existed, I tapped repeatedly on the bar that said "Apple Wireless Keyboard" just below the searching icon, in the Bluetooth section of the settings. Boom, up came the pairing screen with the passkey.

Posted by: David G at January 1, 2011 8:55 AM

I followed this to the letter and my results are not any better. Any other suggestions?

Posted by: Merrill at January 10, 2011 9:30 PM

Tried the process with no luck. Even tried shutting the Mac down. iPad sees the keyboard, wheel spins, but there is no request for entry of the code.
If I hit Ret, however, the request is flashed and then disappears.
Any thoughts ?

Posted by: Jim at February 5, 2011 12:52 PM

Not sure what to suggest to you chaps. Bluetooth is flakey. One thought: do you have any other bluetooth devices in the area? Headsets, speakers, other phones? I'd turn them all off or put them in another area of the house so that the keyboard and computer are the ONLY two devices nearby. And does the computer *see* the keyboard but just not pair with it, or does it not even see it?

Posted by: Dave Taylor at February 6, 2011 7:40 AM

Lol, OMG I love the heck out of you for this article. I wanted to pull my hair out and almost was going to pack up and head for the apple store. Love you!! Muah! It's working. :D

Posted by: Cresha Wise at June 9, 2011 5:33 PM

The MINUS sign...who'da thought it? I did exactly what you said and WOOHOO, it worked. As an Apple newbie, I am thankful for people like you who share these little details! Thanks a bunch!

Posted by: Leslie at July 2, 2011 9:02 PM

Thank you so much for this! Your instructions allowed me to pair the bluetooth keyboard with my iPad.

Posted by: trace at July 15, 2011 9:48 PM

Not only did I have to disconnect the desktop bluetooth, and I had to disconnect my wife's iphone, then it worked. Thanks for a detailed, helpful description.

Posted by: Chris at July 17, 2011 2:12 PM

I was in the same boat as Dave G, no other bluetooth devices around, but my ipad was not detecting the keyboard. Repeatedly tapping on the "Apple Wireless Keyboard" bar on the Ipad's Bluetooth page worked (not the > symbol on the right).

Dave, thanks for hosting this site. Do you have a .5 chai option?

Posted by: Jackie at July 27, 2011 11:46 AM

Thanks Dave. It worked for me too. But, if I understand, unless you go through this process each time (unpairing, etc.), you cannot use a single keyboard for both devices? Is the only answer to avoid unpairing buying another wireless keyboard to have one for the desktop and one for the ipad?
Thanks!

Posted by: mateo at August 9, 2011 8:30 AM

Another tip I found is holding down the power button on your wireless keyboard. Once the keyboard powers down turn it back on and your ipad should see the keyboard.

Posted by: Alan at August 20, 2011 9:32 PM

Hello, I have the same problem, but my first connection with bluetooth keyboard was wit Iphone4, now I pressed forget this device and turn off bluetooth on Iphone, but I can not see keyboard on Ipad.

Please any solution.

Posted by: P at October 25, 2011 2:32 AM

Same problem as others , ipad2 wouldnt connect so i clicked on forget this device turn keyboard off then on again. went back to bluetooth and paired it up again. it works now.

Posted by: aundra at October 31, 2011 7:31 PM

thank you so much!!!! i kept detaching as well, but i couldn't get the two devices to divorce each other. i hadn't even noticed the "paired" line until i saw it here. divorce and remarriage are now complete. woot!

Posted by: meg at December 15, 2011 4:48 PM

My Apple wireless keyboard was originally paired with a with now-dead iMac.
How do I disassociate the keyboard from the original iMac if I can start the iMac any more?
As is,the iPad discovers the keyboard but does not pair with it.........

Posted by: Gordon at December 26, 2011 2:14 PM

Gordon, I think this might help you out:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2693201?start=0&tstart=0

Posted by: Dave Taylor at December 27, 2011 8:31 AM

THANKS!! This was wicked easy and solved the problem immediately. Thank you so much for taking the time, not only to figure it out, but to post it for the rest of us!

Take care,
Amy & Ross

Posted by: Amy & Ross at January 14, 2012 8:46 AM

IPad can see the keyboard and keyboard is on with bluetooth flashing.

Tap connect and I get the passcode.

I type in the passcode and get the following message

Make sure "Bluetooth keyboard for iPad2" is turned on, in range and ready to pair.

It is on, it is underneath the iPad and it is ready to pair.

I have tried turning everything off and on again, reset the ipad.

Tried the keyboard with my iphone and exactly the same problem. Forgot device from both Iphone and Ipad and tried again, same problem.

I would think that it is a hardware problem but the keyboard is clearly communicating enough for the iPAD/phone to know that the return key has been hit.

I have even checked each key to make sure that there is not one being held down and entering the incorrect code.

This is very frustrating as it was working one minute and not it is not.

Any help would be appreciated.

Steve

Posted by: Steve at January 18, 2012 10:15 AM

I have a similar problem. BT keyboard has only ever been paired with the iPad.
Everytime I go to reconnect it, it won't. The Bluetooth Devices simply clocks on the keyboard. Normally it finds all the BT phones in the office.
Clicking on the keyboard just clocks as well.
I have to turn off BT, wait for it to shut down, which takes a while, then turn it back on.
Then the keyboard will connect.
Screwy.

Posted by: Ken at January 26, 2012 11:38 AM

Thanks Dave! After trying to find the conflicting Blue Tooth device, I finally went into a room that has virtually no wi-fi reception and my Bluetooth Keyboard finally synced to my MacBook Pro. Between the iPhones, old iPhones, iPads, I just couldn't find the conflicting device.

Posted by: Martin at February 6, 2012 10:00 AM

Worked for me exactly as you said, except I had to attempt to pair it twice. The second time it worked like a hot damn!

Thanks!

Posted by: Wendy Armbruster Bell at February 8, 2012 10:48 PM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!