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Keyboards that use Bluetooth or any other form of wireless technology for connection may have issues with the connection. They will not respond when you press it, but the good thing is that these are issues you can fix by resetting the keyboard. So, how do you reset a wireless keyboard?
Ensure you turn off the keyboard first, then press on the ESC key. As you still press on the key, turn the keyboard on, and after five seconds, release the ESC key. The keyboard should produce some flashlight which indicates that the reset is successful.
The resetting process may vary depending on the kind of keyboard you are using. Also, many reasons may resolve you to reset the keyboard, which I will be discussing in this article. I will also take you through the steps to get your keyboard working normally; read on!
Table of Contents
Why Is My Wireless Keyboard not working?
Wireless keyboards are the go-to option for most people mainly because of their efficiency when working. With wireless keyboards, you can keep your desk clean without the many distractions from using wires.
However, while this keyboard is super-efficient, you will most likely face many challenges when trying to connect it.
After setting up your windows, or maybe you have just made an update on it, the wireless keyboard may fail to work. In addition, Windows may often fail to detect the keyboard, implying that some things cause this failure. But the good thing is that you can solve these issues in minutes.
One reason the wireless keyboard cannot work is that it may be that you have not plugged in the keyboard well to the receiver. Also, maybe the receiver connecting the computer and the wireless keyboard is spoilt hence limiting the connection.
In case of a connection failure Windows will not detect the keyboards as they should, so it is impossible to use the keyboard.
A wireless keyboard will require batteries to function, and the rule of the thumb is that batteries tend to lose charge after working for a while. If the energy supply in the batteries is low, the keyboard may end up not working.
Some wireless keyboards come with built-in rechargeable batteries that may require a full charge before using them.
Moreover, some batteries tend to wear out so quickly. If this is the case, then even getting charged will become an issue and keep on acting up when using the keyboard.
To avoid this, make sure that you use durable batteries or change them often, and also, before working, ensure you install the batteries well.
Another reason your keyboard is not working is that you are using the wrong driver. At times, the operating system ends up choosing a driver that is not compatible with the computer.
Also, if the driver is missing or not up to date, then the keyboard will still not work.
In addition, if there is an issue in the keyboard that is causing the problem to the transceiver, then it may not work well. If it uses Bluetooth to pair with the computer and has not yet paired, it will also not work unless you find a way to pair it.
Finally, sometimes, you may find that the keyboard pairs itself with a different computer.
These are some of the reasons why your wireless keyboard doesn’t work. But rest assure, you can solve most of them by adjusting the connection of the computer or the keyboard. If this does not work, you can try to reset your computer.
Where is the Reset Button on a Wireless Keyboard?
Resetting a wireless keyboard mainly depends on the type you are using. In addition, the working of most wireless keyboards differs, and how you connect them will be different.
For instance, some keyboards use Bluetooth for connection; others will require a USB cable, and others, such as Logitech, have a unifying wireless technology for this purpose.
Many issues may make the wireless keyboard not function as it should. Some may be because of losing connection on the keyboard or the keyboard not responding when you press it. These issues will require you to troubleshoot the keyboard, and one step you can do this is by resetting it.
Now, for some keyboards, they will have the reset button, while others lack it. Logitech wireless keyboard, for instance, has its reset button underneath the keyboard.
In addition, some keyboards, have a receiver where you plug in the USB in your computer and normally have a button on top of the receiver that you use when resetting the keyboard.
When resetting some brands, you may need to use two reset buttons by pressing the one on the top of the USB receiver and the one at the bottom of the keyboard.
Unfortunately, if you are using a Bluetooth Logitech wireless keyboard, it does not have a reset button. For this, you will need to connect the keyboard to your computer when resetting.
How Do I reset my Wireless Keyboard?
Your resetting process will depend on the type of keyboard you are using. Resetting some keyboards is as straightforward as pressing the reset button and making some adjustments to the control settings of your computer.
For others, you need to change some keys so that the process can be successful, and usually, the process will be different for both a mac and a windows computer.
You may need to reset the keyboard when trying to troubleshoot a wireless keyboard that is not working, or maybe you want to enable different languages on it. However, no matter what you want to achieve, the process may still be the same.
Also, you may need to make some adjustments; This could include getting rid of wires or any distractions that are preventing the keyboard from working.
Resetting a Wireless Keyboard for Mac
Step 1: Switch off the Keyboard.
Press the power button for a mac computer for some time, and it will automatically turn off.
Step 2: Launch the Menu
Click on the Apple logo, which should be on the top left corner of your computer screen. Once you click, you should be able to see a drop-down menu on the computer’s screen.
Step 3: Turn on Bluetooth
There is a “system preferences” option on the menu that you should click, after which you will see the Bluetooth option. Turn on the Bluetooth if it is not on.
Step 4: Turn on the keyboard’s power button.
You should press and hold the keyboard’s power button and ensure you hold on to it until the keyboard’s on. Also, as you are still holding the power button, you should click the keyboard’s name, which should appear on the Bluetooth menu.
Step 5: Pair the keyboard with the device’s keyboard
At some point, the Mac will ask you for a pairing code. At this point, you should release the power button and type in the code, then click enter. Your keyboard is now reset and will pair with the computer.
Resetting a Wireless Windows Keyboard
Step 1: Launch the Device Manager Setting Option
On the taskbar, type “device manager,” a program that will help you reset the keyboard. For the keyboards that are not responding when you key in words, you can go to the control panel option, select the “view by” option, and finally click on the “Large Icons” to find the device manager.
Step 2: Select the keyboard you want to reset
You should check on the drop-down list on your keyboard, which contains the keyboards that are currently in connection with your device, and select your keyboard name.
Step 3: Remove the keyboard from the Device Manager
To do this, you should first uninstall the keyboard from the device. The process involves clicking option “X” on your window, which should be in red. It will then prompt you, and so you should click “Ok.” Through this, the keyboard will not be part of the Device Manager.
Step 4: Update the Device
You should click on the “search for updates” option on your computer, which is usually on the upper-right side of the “Device Manager.” By doing this, the keyboard that you previously removed will appear in the Device Manager.
In addition, you can now select your keyboard’s name again.
Step 5: Update the Windows Drivers
If you are using the wrong drivers or they are out of date, it may be why your keyboard is not functioning. So, you need to update the drivers by clicking the “update drivers” option on the upper side of Windows.
Then, you should get the “search automatically for updated driver software” and click on it.
After this, Windows will look for recent updates on the software for the keyboard. It will then install the latest drivers automatically, and if there are no new drivers, close Windows.
After that, please restart the computer, and once it finishes restarting, your keyboard is reset and ready to work.
For some computers, you do not go the long way of troubleshooting and installing new drivers so that the keyboard can start working again.
Instead, some will require a simple step like switching off the reset key then switching it on again, and the keyboard will function again. For others, the process is almost the same as resetting a wired keyboard.
However, for the wireless, you will not unplug it, of course, but rather turn it off and on repeatedly for a while. To do this, you can hold down the escape key, then turn on the keyboard and leave it that way for a few seconds while still holding the button.
After that, turn it off and back on and then release the button.
As you do this, ensure you are holding down the escape key throughout. Also, you should know that the keyboard is reset when it produces some noise or some flashlights.
However, once the reset is over, the keyboard will lose its pairing with the computer and therefore needs resyncing to restore the connection.
How do I Resync my Wireless Keyboard?
After resetting the computer, your keyboard may not start working instantly. You may not find the keyboard on the list of Bluetooth devices it should pair with, or sometimes, when you try to pair it, you will get an error message. To do that:
Press and hold down the button that you use for pairing on the keyboard for about 5 seconds, then release it. If the computer recognizes the keyboard, it will produce some light.
You can now pair it up by going to the settings on your computer, then to devices, and turn on the Bluetooth.
When you go to the Bluetooth option, select the option “add Bluetooth or other devices.” Then select the name of your keyboard from the list on the Bluetooth, then select done. The resyncing is now successful.
Conclusion
Resetting a wireless keyboard is a straightforward process and usually differs depending on the computer. The reason for resetting is different so the procedure will differ. Also, you need to utilize the reset button on the computer most times if it has one, and you will be good to go.