I have an old Chromebook and it still works well, but the keyboard’s falling apart. My Dad gave me an old Logitech K400 keyboard, but I can’t figure out how to pair it with ChromeOS. Can you assist?
You’re not the first person to pull that Logitech keyboard out of its box and be stymied about how to get it to pair via Bluetooth with your computer, whether a PC, Mac, Linux system, or Chromebook. The secret? It’s not a Bluetooth device. Instead, it works with what Logitech calls its Unifying Receiver System, which is a fancy way to say that it uses a “dongle” to connect with the computer instead of Bluetooth. It’s a great idea; you plug in the tiny dongle device to any computer in its USB-A port and you’re instantly good to go. No pairing, no hassle.
The logical question is then “where do I find that dongle??” and for reasons I can’t explain, it’s hidden in the battery compartment. Lose the dongle and your keyboard is going to be useless, but hopefully your Dad remembered to put it back last time he finished using it. We’ll find out…
MEET THE LOGITECH K400R KEYBOARD
Let’s start at the beginning! Here’s the Logitech K400 Wireless “Unifying Receiver” Keyboard:
it’s a great keyboard, actually, with a trackpad, buttons, cursor keys, function keys, everything you could want to work with a Mac, Windows computer or Chromebook. It requires two AA batteries, and along the top edge is an on/off slider switch. But what we’re more interested in is the battery compartment on the back. Push down, push up, and it should come off reasonably easily:
The “dongle” is the tiny USB-A device that’s tucked into the lid. Open your keyboard compartment and pop out the dongle. If you can’t find it, I suggest you buy a replacement dongle; it’s $14.99 on the Logitech site…
A CRITICAL FIRMWARE UPDATE?
With the dongle found, I’ll put in fresh batteries, flip the switch on the edge to “ON” and plug the dongle into my Lenovo Chromebook. To my surprise, it popped up with a critical firmware update:
Anytime you see something like this, apply the update. It could be critical but even if it’s a bug fix, it’s better to have the latest and greatest version, right? A click on “Update” and the ChromeOS Firmware Updater launches:
Not sure who categorizes the updates, but “Critical update” definitely caught my eye. The update itself is easy and takes maybe 30-60 seconds total. Click on “Update” to start the process.
Notice the warning that Google hasn’t verified this update. I’m pretty darn sure Logitech is trustworthy, though, so it’s safe to proceed. If it’s for some weird gizmo from an obscure and unknown company, well, maybe you should think twice about proceeding. Click on “Next” to proceed.
Almost done. After a minute or so, this appears:
I have to admit, I didn’t realize that ChromeOS could identify obsolete firmware from external devices and offer such an easy path to update, so I’m impressed. Couldn’t really be any easier. Done? Click on “Done“.
NOW IT’S PLUG-AND-PLAY ALL THE WAY
At this point, your new wireless Logitech keyboard and trackpad are ready to use. I tested mine by opening up a Google Doc and typing…
It’s a pleasure to use, a bit “clackity” compared to the Lenovo keyboard, but being able to sit back and have it on my lap while still having a trackpad? Excellent.
One more thing; if you go into Settings on your Chromebook, you can customize some of the keys too:
That should get you going with the Logitech keyboard. Good luck and I hope your Dad remembered to store the dongle in the battery compartment!
Pro Tip: I’ve been writing about ChromeOS since it was introduced and have accumulated a LOT of helpful tutorials. Please check out my ChromeOS Help Area while you’re visiting. Thanks!