Apple’s magic keyboard has always been the star of the show whenever a MacBook’s quality is discussed. While it does deliver a remarkably comfortable experience, there are times when you’re looking for something different in the form of a Bluetooth keyboard.
To connect a Bluetooth keyboard to Mac, enable Bluetooth in the System Preferences and select the device from the list. The connecting process will be automatic, and you will be able to use your keyboard with the Mac.
Connecting a Bluetooth keyboard to a Mac requires proper Bluetooth functionality. Otherwise, you might experience frequent failures and disconnections.
This guide will show you how to connect a Bluetooth Keyboard to a Mac in easy-to-understand steps.
Step #1: Enabling Bluetooth on Mac
Every Mac computer (released in 2011 or later) comes with Bluetooth technology. The method of enabling and accessing Bluetooth varies accordingly with the macOS version, but we’ll deliver the most generic instructions.
Here is how you can enable Bluetooth on your Mac.
- Turn on your Mac and open the Apple Menu from the top-down bar.
- Select “System Preferences” > “Bluetooth“.
- Click “Turn Bluetooth On“.
Once the above steps are done, your device will be ready to connect to devices supporting Bluetooth connectivity.
The Bluetooth technology implemented in Mac is more seamless and faster than in Windows. Therefore, most of the connection processes require no additional steps.
Step #2: Enabling Bluetooth on the Keyboard
Once your Mac is Bluetooth-enabled, it is time to activate Bluetooth on your keyboard. Doing so varies on the device type and model; your keyboard might even come with pre-activated Bluetooth.
Here is the usual process of enabling Bluetooth on a wireless keyboard.
- Ensure your keyboard has power for the pairing process.
- Locate the pairing button on your keyboard; it usually has a Bluetooth logo engraved/printed. If you’re unable to find it, press the power button instead.
Your device will give a signal when it is ready for pairing. This can be a beep, blink, or simply a light toggle, depending on your keyboard. Another great way of identifying this is by checking it from the Bluetooth menu on your Mac.
Step #3: Connecting Bluetooth
Now, you need to pair the keyboard with your MacBook. Here is how you can connect the Bluetooth-enabled devices.
- Head to the Bluetooth menu on your Mac and look for the keyboard device. By default, the name is the model number of the device. If you cannot find the gadget, try connecting to every available device until you find the correct one.
- Once the device is found, hover on it and click “Connect“.
After that, your Mac will try to initiate a connection attempt with the wireless keyboard. If successful, you will be able to use the wireless keyboard without any additional steps. In case of failure, repeat the process.
Ensure your keyboard isn’t connected to other devices before initiating a connection attempt. The Bluetooth keyboard will not go into pairing mode if it’s already connected.
Conclusion
Connecting a Bluetooth keyboard to a Mac is pretty simple. However, you still need to follow the mentioned steps to do it effortlessly. You only need to enable Bluetooth mode on both devices and initiate a pairing attempt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, any keyboard will work as long as it supports Bluetooth connectivity because the technology is the standard across devices.
No. If the keyboard supports Bluetooth connectivity, it won’t cause any problems.
